Gender and articles in Spanish pp. 44-47 (doc. 8) PDF

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Gender and Number of Nouns in Spanish & Articles pp. 44-47 (doc. H) A noun is a name used to denote a person, place, thing, or idea. In Spanish, nouns (names) are either masculine (m.) or feminine (f.). Each gender has its own article. Therefore, the articles and adjectives change according to the grammatical gender and agree in number with the nouns they modify.

I.

Gender of Nouns

The following are some rules to determine the gender; however, the gender of some nouns must be learned by memorization. 1.1. Most nouns ending in -o are usually masculine, while most nouns ending in -a are feminine. el escritorio (desk) la mesa (table)

la silla (chair) el ibro (book)

el piso (floor) la pizarra (whiteboard)

la ventana (window) el cuaderno (workbook)

1.2. To refer to females, many nouns change the last vowel or add -a to the last consonant: el compañero, la compañera el amigo, la amiga el profesor, la profesora el perro, la perra 1.3. Referring to females and/or ending in -a, -sión, -ción, -tad, -dad & -umbre are feminine: la incertidumbre (uncertanty) la ciudad (city) la mujer (woman), la pared (wall) la amante (mistress), la nación la lumbre (fire, light) la risa (laugh, laughter), la tensión, la muchedumbre (crowd) la libertad, (liberty, freedom) la actitud 1.4. Some nouns that refer to people use the same form for both masculine and feminine. These nouns indicate gender by the definite article (el or la). el estudiante la estudiante el policía la policía 1.5. Many nouns, particularly those ending in -ista, have the same form and differ only by the article: el pianista la pianista el futbolista la futbolista el periodista la periodista el dentista la dentista el artista la artista el tenista la tenista 1.6. Many nouns ending in -ma (most of Greek origin) are masculine:. el programa/ program el telegrama/ telegram el idioma/ language el problema/ problem el sistema/ system el clima/ climate

el drama/ drama el diploma/ diploma el tema/subject, theme

(BUT: la cama (bed), la rama(branch), and other non-Greek words ending in -ma are feminine). 1.7 mano, foto(grafía), and moto(cicleta) are feminine: la mano, la foto, la moto. 1.8 día, mapa, sofá and planeta are masculine: el día, el mapa, el sofá, el planeta. 1.9. The names of days, colors, languages and cardinal points are masculine:  el lunes, el azul, el inglés, el norte *Remember, whenever you learn a new noun, learn it complete with its definite article (el, la). 1

II.

Plural Forms of Nouns.

2.1. Ending in vowel, add -s: la mano , el problema → las manos, los problemas 2.2. Ending in a consonant add -es: el papel, la red → los papeles, las redes, 2.3. Ending in -z change the -z to -c and add -es: el lápiz (pencil): los lápices (pencils) la nariz(nose) : las narices (noses)

-z → -ces: el pez (fish): la actriz (actress):

2.4. Ending in -ión, add -es and drop the written accent. la conversación: las conversaciones

la televisión:

los peces (fishes) las actrices (actresses

las televisiones

III.

Definite & Indefinite Articles in Spanish: Articles are more common in Spanish than in English. An article is a noun modifier and it is placed before the noun.

3.1

The Definite Article: "The" : el, la, los, las

The Definite article in English is "The". In Spanish there are four words to translate "the". These are "El", "La", "Los" and "Las". The Spanish definite article must agree with the gender and number of the noun that follows it. . If the noun is feminine and singular (salsa), then its article also has to be feminine and singular (la salsa). If that same noun becomes plural (salsas) the article also becomes plural (las salsas). Definite Article

English Translation

Gender

Number

Example

el

the

masculine

singular

el libro the book

la

the

feminine

singular

la puerta the door

los

the

masculine

plural

los libros the books

las

the

feminine

plural

las puertas the doors

3.2.

The Indefinite Article: "a/ an/ one": un, una

"some,a few": unos, unas

The indefinite article in Spanish is similar to the definite article and has four forms as well, and must also agree in gender and number with the noun that it modifies. Indefinite English Translation Article

Gender

Number

Example

un

a/an/one

masculine

singular

un libro a book, one book

una

a/an/one

feminine

singular

una oficina an office, one office

unos

some/about/a few

masculine

plural

unos libros some books, a few books unos tres meses about three months

unas

some/about/a few

feminine

plural

Unas semanas A few weeks s ago. / Some weeks ago.

The difference between definite articles (el, la, los, las) and indefinite articles (un, una, unos, unas) can be talking about a specific hotel, or any unspecific hotel. a hotel = un hotel

el hotel (the hotel)

2

Nombre:_____________________________________ Fecha:____________________________ Spanish 101 AB________

Practice Gender & Number in Spanish.

A.

Write the definite article el, la , (the) of each noun in its corresponding blank.

1. _________luz

13. ____________clase

2. _________voz

14. ____________borrador

3. __________lección

15. ____________pluma

4. __________ciudad

16. ____________examen

5. ___________día

17. ____________ pizarra

6. ___________lápiz

18. ____________ piso

7. _________coche

19. ___________ ayuda

8. ____________sistema

20. ____________dólar

9. _____________canción

21. ___________ semana

10. _____________problema

22. ___________ cuaderno

11. ___________mochila

23. __________ marcador

12. ___________carpeta

24. _____________ libro

B.

Write the indefinite article: un, una, (a, an,) of each noun in its corresponding blank.

1. _____________puerta

12. ______________ taza

2. ______________reloj

13. ______________dirección

3. ______________ sociedad

14. _____________ universidad

4. _____________ mesa

15. _____________muchedumbre

5. _____________ borrador

16. _____________ mapa

6._____________ escritorio

17. _____________ semestre

7. _____________ maletín

18. ____________ mano

8._____________ mujer

19._____________tarde

9. _____________ hombre

20____________ día

10. _____________ papel

21. ____________ programa

11. ______________ ventana

22.____________ certidumbre 3

23. ____________ mes

24. ___________ pared

4

C.

Write the plural of each noun in its corresponding blank.

1. La luz _________________________________

13. una clase _______________________________

2. la voz __________________________________

14. un borrador _____________________________

3. la lección ________________________________

15. una pluma ______________________________

4. la ciudad ________________________________

16. el examen______________________________

5. el día __________________________________

17. la pizarra _______________________________

6. un lápiz ________________________________

18. el piso ________________________________

7. el reloj ________________________________

19. la mujer________________________________

8. el sistema _______________________________

20. un dólar________________________________

9. la acción ________________________________

21. una semana _____________________________

10. el problema _____________________________

22. un maletín______________________________

11. la mochila ______________________________

23. un marcador ____________________________

12. una carpeta _____________________________

24. una tarde_______________________________

D.

Fill in the blank with the proper indefinite article (un, una,) to complete each sentence.

1. An English class = _________ clase de inglés 2. A tall man = ________ hombre alto 3. A very difficult question = ________ pregunta muy difícil 4. A nice woman = ________ mujer simpatica. 5. A good friend = ________ buen amigo 6. A dirty room = ________ cuarto sucio 7. A little bird = ________ pájaro pequeño 8. A gold watch = ________ reloj de oro 9. A coffee cup = ________ taza para café 10 An excellent doctor = ________ médico excelente 11. A blue ring binder. = _________ carpeta azul.

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