Nouns and articles (Edexcel GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Nouns and articles
Gender of nouns
Every Spanish noun has a gender - it is either masculine or feminine. Understanding gender is essential because articles and adjectives must agree with the noun's gender.
Basic gender rules
Most Spanish nouns follow predictable patterns that help you identify their gender:
| Ending | Gender | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -o | Masculine | el bolso (the bag) |
| -a | Feminine | la pera (the pear) |
Common exceptions to remember
Not all nouns follow the standard -o/-a pattern. Learning these exceptions is crucial for Spanish mastery.
Critical Exceptions to Memorise:
Masculine nouns ending in -a:
- el día (day)
- el turista (tourist)
- el problema (problem)
Feminine nouns ending in -o:
- la foto (photo)
- la radio (radio)
- la mano (hand)
These exceptions are frequently tested and commonly used in everyday Spanish.
Nouns with variable gender
Some nouns can be either masculine or feminine depending on the person being described.
Variable Gender Nouns:
These nouns change their article based on the gender of the person:
- el/la estudiante (student)
- el/la modelo (model)
- el/la artista (artist)
The noun itself doesn't change - only the article changes to match the person's gender.
Exam tip: For words ending in letters other than -o or -a, always learn them with their article. When in doubt, check a dictionary.
The definite article
The definite article (equivalent to "the" in English) changes form to match both the gender and number of the noun it accompanies.
Forms of the definite article
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | el libro (the book) | los libros (the books) |
| Feminine | la casa (the house) | las casas (the houses) |
Special uses of the definite article
Spanish uses the definite article in several situations where English doesn't, making this a common area for mistakes.
When Spanish Uses "the" But English Doesn't:
- With abstract nouns: El turismo es importante. (Tourism is important.)
- With likes and dislikes: Me gusta la música. (I like music.)
- With days of the week to mean "on": el domingo (on Sunday), los domingos (on Sundays)
These patterns are essential to sound natural in Spanish.
Important contractions
When a or de comes before el, they combine to form contractions.
Mandatory Contractions:
- a + el = al → Voy al cine. (I'm going to the cinema.)
- de + el = del → Salí del cine. (I came out of the cinema.)
These contractions are required - you cannot say "a el" or "de el" in Spanish.
The indefinite article
The indefinite article (equivalent to "a/an" or "some/any" in English) also changes to match the gender and number of the noun.
Forms of the indefinite article
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | un libro (a book) | unos libros (some books) |
| Feminine | una casa (a house) | unas casas (some houses) |
When NOT to use the indefinite article
This is a major difference between English and Spanish that catches many learners off guard.
Common Mistake to Avoid:
Spanish does not use the indefinite article when talking about jobs or professions:
- Soy profesor. (I'm a teacher.)
- Es médica. (She's a doctor.)
Exam tip: Remember that English uses "a/an" with jobs, but Spanish doesn't need an article.
Forming plurals
Creating plural nouns in Spanish follows clear rules based on how the singular noun ends.
Plural formation rules
| Singular ending | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Vowel (a, e, i, o, u) | Add -s | uno → unos, hombre → hombres |
| Consonant (except -z) | Add -es | mes → meses |
| -z | Change -z to -c and add -es | vez → veces |
Accent changes in plurals
Accent Pattern Changes:
Some nouns lose their written accent when they become plural because the stress pattern changes:
- región → regiones
- millón → millones
This happens when the accent falls on the last syllable in the singular form.
Practice exercises
Worked Examples: Applying the Rules
Exercise 1: Make these nouns plural
- mercado → mercados (vowel + s)
- nariz → narices (z becomes c + es)
- tradición → tradiciones (consonant + es, loses accent)
- café → cafés (vowel + s)
- actor → actores (consonant + es)
Exercise 2: Choose el or la for these nouns
- la ciudad (feminine - ends in consonant, learn with article)
- el tema (masculine - exception ending in -a)
- el nivel (masculine - ends in consonant, learn with article)
- la educación (feminine - ends in -ión which is typically feminine)
- la imagen (feminine - ends in consonant, learn with article)
Key Points to Remember:
- Most masculine nouns end in -o and most feminine nouns end in -a, but learn the exceptions
- The definite article (el, la, los, las) is used more frequently in Spanish than "the" in English
- The indefinite article is not used with jobs and professions
- Plurals are formed by adding -s to vowels and -es to consonants
- Al and del are essential contractions you must use correctly