Nouns (AQA A-Level Spanish): Revision Notes
Nouns
Overview
Spanish nouns (los sustantivos) are the building blocks of the language. Every noun has a grammatical gender - it is either masculine or feminine. This gender determines which articles, adjectives, and pronouns you use with the noun. Getting gender and number agreement right is essential for accurate Spanish.
Understanding noun gender is fundamental to Spanish grammar. Unlike English, where gender is mostly limited to pronouns, Spanish gender affects articles, adjectives, and even some verbs. Mastering this concept early will make your Spanish much more accurate and natural.
Gender rules and exceptions
General patterns
Spanish nouns typically follow predictable patterns based on their endings.
Masculine nouns commonly have these endings:
- -o → el libro (the book)
- -aje → el viaje (the journey)
- -ma (Greek origin) → el problema (the problem)
Feminine nouns commonly have these endings:
- -a → la casa (the house)
- -ción / -sión → la información (the information)
- -dad / -tad → la ciudad (the city)
Tip: Always learn nouns together with their article (el or la). This helps you remember their gender from the start. Think of the article and noun as one unit: not just libro, but el libro.
Common exceptions
Some nouns don't follow the standard patterns, so you need to memorise them individually:
| Noun | Gender | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| el día | masculine | the day |
| el mapa | masculine | the map |
| la mano | feminine | the hand |
| la foto | feminine | the photo |
These exceptions are particularly important because their endings might mislead you. For example, la mano ends in -o but is feminine, whilst el día ends in -a but is masculine. Don't let the ending fool you!
Masculine article with feminine noun (stressed a-)
There is a special rule for feminine nouns that begin with a stressed a- or ha- sound. In the singular, these nouns take the masculine article el instead of la to avoid an awkward sound combination:
- el agua fría (the cold water)
- el águila blanca (the white eagle)
Critical rule: The noun itself remains feminine. This means adjectives must agree in the feminine form. Notice how fría and blanca are both feminine adjectives.
In the plural, you use the feminine article as normal:
- las aguas frías (the cold waters)
Singular and plural formation
Regular plural formation
The rules for making nouns plural depend on how the singular form ends:
| Ending | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| vowel | add -s | libro → libros (books) |
| consonant | add -es | ciudad → ciudades (cities) |
Special cases
Some nouns follow different patterns:
Nouns ending in -z:
- Change -z to -ces
- la luz → las luces (the lights)
Nouns with a stressed vowel + s:
- These typically remain unchanged in the plural
- el lunes → los lunes (Mondays)
Foreign words:
- May vary in how they form plurals
- el líder → los líderes (the leaders)
When forming plurals, pay attention to pronunciation. The stress pattern can affect spelling. The -z → -ces rule is particularly important to remember: think "Z becomes C before E."
Plural of male/female pairs
To talk about a mixed-gender group (containing both males and females), Spanish uses the masculine plural form:
- el rey (king) + la reina (queen) → los Reyes (the monarchs)
- el padre (father) + la madre (mother) → los padres (parents)
- el chico (boy) + la chica (girl) → los chicos (young people/kids)
This is a grammatical rule of the language, not a comment on social roles. The masculine plural serves as the default form for mixed groups. When you see los padres, context will tell you whether it means "fathers" or "parents."
Affective suffixes
Affective suffixes are endings you can add to nouns to change their meaning or express an attitude. They convey small size, affection, contempt, or intensity. You will hear these frequently in spoken Spanish and in expressive writing.
Diminutives (smallness / affection)
These suffixes make something smaller or express affection:
- -ito / -ita
- -illo / -illa
Examples:
- casa → casita (little house / sweet house)
- niño → niñito (little boy)
- perro → perrito (little dog / puppy)
Augmentatives (size / intensity)
These suffixes make something bigger or intensify it:
- -ón / -ona
- -azo / -aza
Examples:
- casa → casona (big house / mansion)
- golpe → golpazo (big hit / heavy blow)
Pejorative suffixes (negative meaning)
These suffixes add a negative or contemptuous tone:
- -ucho / -ucha
- -aco / -aca
Examples:
- pueblo → pueblucho (unpleasant village)
- poeta → poetastro (bad poet)
Context matters: The meaning of affective suffixes depends heavily on context and tone. A perrito might be literally a small dog or an affectionate term for any dog. Use these suffixes carefully, and avoid overusing them in formal writing.
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these frequent errors:
- ❌ Assuming a noun's gender based on English (many don't match!)
- ❌ Forgetting feminine agreement after el agua (it's still feminine!)
- ❌ Incorrect plural formation such as ciudads instead of ciudades
- ❌ Overusing affective suffixes in formal writing (they're more suitable for informal contexts)
Example sentences
Ejemplo: Gender agreement
-
El agua está fría. (The water is cold.)
- Even though the noun takes el, the adjective fría is feminine because agua is feminine.
-
El problema es grave. (The problem is serious.)
- Problema ends in -a but is masculine due to its Greek origin, so it takes el and the masculine adjective grave.
Ejemplo: Plural formation
-
la luz → las luces (the light → the lights)
- The z changes to c before adding -es.
-
el lunes → los lunes (Monday → Mondays)
- The noun stays the same because it has a stressed vowel before the -s.
Ejemplo: Mixed-gender groups
-
Los Reyes llegaron. (The king and queen arrived.)
- The masculine plural los Reyes refers to both the king and the queen together.
-
Una casita (A little house)
- The diminutive suffix -ita expresses small size or affection.
¡Recuerda! (Remember!)
- Spanish nouns have grammatical gender (masculine or feminine), which affects all agreement
- Learn each noun with its article (el or la) to memorise the gender correctly
- Feminine nouns beginning with stressed a-/ha- take el in the singular, but remain feminine for adjective agreement
- For plurals: vowels add -s, consonants add -es, and -z becomes -ces
- Mixed-gender groups always use the masculine plural form in Spanish
- Affective suffixes add emotional nuance but should be used sparingly in formal writing