Spanish nouns are either masculine or feminine. This is called gender.
- Masculine nouns often end in -o (e.g., el libro).
- Feminine nouns often end in -a (e.g., la casa).
There are also nouns with other endings and some that do not follow the rules — these must be memorized.
Nouns can be singular (one) or plural (more than one). This is called number.
- To make a noun plural, add -s if it ends in a vowel (e.g., libros).
- Add -es if it ends in a consonant (e.g., papeles).
Articles (the, a) and adjectives (describing words) must match the noun in gender and number.
- el (masculine singular), la (feminine singular)
- los (masculine plural), las (feminine plural)
- un (masculine), una (feminine)
This agreement is very important for correct grammar.
Gender
Masculine
Most nouns ending in -o are masculine.
| Spanish Word |
|---|
| el libro |
| English Word |
Feminine
Most nouns ending in -a are feminine.
| Spanish Word |
|---|
| la casa |
| English Word |
Other endings
Some nouns end in other letters. Here are common patterns:
- Masculine: -ma, -s, -e
- Feminine: -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -umbre
| Spanish Word |
|---|
| el problema |
| English Word |
| Gender |
| masculine |
Gender exceptions
Some nouns do not follow the rules and must be memorized.
| Spanish Word |
|---|
| el día |
| English Word |
| Note |
| ends in -a but masculine |
Masculine and feminine pairs
Some nouns have different forms for masculine and feminine to refer to male and female.
| English | |
|---|---|
| Masculine | Feminine |
| el actor | la actriz |
Number
Singular
The singular form refers to one item.
| Spanish Word |
|---|
| el libro |
| English Word |
Plural
The plural form refers to more than one item.
- Add -s if the noun ends in a vowel.
- Add -es if the noun ends in a consonant.
- For nouns ending in -z, change z to c and add -es.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural |
|---|---|
| libro | libros |
| English Plural | |
| Rule | |
| Ends in vowel |
Plural articles
The definite article changes to los (masculine) or las (feminine) in plural.
| Spanish |
|---|
| el libro → los libros |
| English |
Adjective Agreement
Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe.
Gender
- Masculine singular: -o (e.g., libro rojo)
- Feminine singular: -a (e.g., casa roja)
Number
- Masculine plural: -os (e.g., libros rojos)
- Feminine plural: -as (e.g., casas rojas)
| Spanish Noun |
|---|
| el gato negro |
| English Translation |
| Adjective |
| (masculine singular) |
Summary
- Nouns have gender: masculine or feminine.
- Nouns have number: singular or plural.
- Articles and adjectives must agree with the noun in gender and number.
- Plurals are formed by adding -s or -es.
- Some nouns have irregular endings or exceptions.
- Gender agreement is important for clear and correct Spanish.
Get Started
Last updated: Thu Jul 17, 2025