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Spanish grammar

Gender: el and la

A0 · Starter Nouns and describing Questions 10

The rule

Every Spanish noun is masculine or feminine, and the article shows which: el for masculine, la for feminine. Most nouns ending in -o are masculine and most ending in -a are feminine, and every noun ending in -ción, -sión, -dad or -tad is feminine. The exceptions are worth learning as whole words: el día, el mapa, el problema, la mano, la foto. Learn the article WITH the noun, never after it.

Pattern

el libro · la mesa · la estación · la ciudad

Examples

  1. El libro está en la mesa.

    The book is on the table.

  2. La estación está cerca.

    The station is near.

  3. El día es largo.

    The day is long.

Keep in mind

  • el agua

    Feminine, but takes el in the singular because it starts with a stressed a: el agua fría, las aguas.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ mesa

    1. los
    2. la
    3. el
    4. las
    Show answer

    Answer: B la

    -a nouns are feminine.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ libro

    1. el
    2. los
    3. las
    4. la
    Show answer

    Answer: A el

    -o nouns are masculine.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ estación

    1. el
    2. las
    3. los
    4. la
    Show answer

    Answer: D la

    Every -ción noun is feminine.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ ciudad

    1. la
    2. los
    3. las
    4. el
    Show answer

    Answer: A la

    Every -dad noun is feminine.

  5. 5Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ día

    1. las
    2. el
    3. los
    4. la
    Show answer

    Answer: B el

    An exception worth learning whole: el día.

  6. 6Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ mano

    1. los
    2. el
    3. las
    4. la
    Show answer

    Answer: D la

    Ends in -o and is feminine: la mano.

  7. 7Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ problema

    1. los
    2. el
    3. la
    4. las
    Show answer

    Answer: B el

    Greek -ma words are masculine: el problema, el idioma, el mapa.

  8. 8Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ leche

    1. los
    2. la
    3. las
    4. el
    Show answer

    Answer: B la

    -e says nothing; la leche has to be learned.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Quiero el agua fría.

    1. Quiero la agua frío.
    2. Quiero el agua frío.
    3. Quiero la agua fría.
    4. Quiero el agua fría.
    Show answer

    Answer: D Quiero el agua fría.

    El agua takes el, but the adjective stays feminine: fría.

  10. 10Choose the correct sentence.

    Which article does this noun take?

    _____ clase de español

    1. las
    2. la
    3. el
    4. los
    Show answer

    Answer: B la

    La clase — feminine despite the -e.

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