Learn Spanish With Pablo
  • HOME
  • Site Map
  • English to Spanish Glossary
  • Lessons
  • Latest Videos
  • Compilations
  • Downloads/Patreon
  • For Beginners
  • Verbs
  • Intermediate Level
  • Contact
    • Donate
    • Subscribe via mail
    • YouTube
  • More!
    • Spotify
    • Podcast subscription
    • Music
    • Member-only videos
    • Quick/Short Tutorials
    • Conjugations
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
LSWP
No Result
View All Result

Identifying People, Places, Things, and Ideas: Gender, Number, and Definite and Indefinite Articles: Uso y forma

Identifying People, Places, Things, and Ideas: Gender, Number, and Definite and Indefinite Articles: Uso y forma

Carolina, the student we met in the first section of this module, has made a list of the school supplies she needs some of her classes this semester. What does she need? Have a look at her list. ¿Es tu lista similar a la lista de Carolina?

Attribution: By Gabriela C. Zapata, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

¿Comprendiste? Responde las preguntas a continuación sobre la lista de Carolina.

  1. ¿Es tu lista similar o diferente? ¿Por qué? ¿Qué útiles escolares hay en tu lista? Usa un/una and el/la to talk about your list.
  2. ¿Quién es el profesor de la clase de sicología?
  3. ¿Qué necesita Carolina para el curso de la Dra. Moyna?
  4. ¿Qué compra (buys) Carolina para las entrevistas?
  5. ¿Hay un libro en la clase de sicología? ¿Cuál es el nombre?

In Módulo introductorio, we saw that we use nouns (los sustantivos) to talk about people, animals, places, things, and ideas, and we learned that los sustantivos have gender (género–femenino or masculino). Of course, this does not mean that Spanish speakers believe that all things have gender. In Spanish, gender is a grammatical feature. Sometimes, the ending in a noun can tell you if it has feminine or masculine gender. For example, most nouns ending in -a are feminine, and most nouns ending in -o are masculine. When a noun is accompanied by an indefinite article (un or una) or by a definite article (el or la), the article will match the gender of the noun. Have a look at these examples.

Masculine NounsFeminine Nouns
Definite Articlesel niño               the boyel escritorio    the deskla niña            the girlla puerta        the door
Indefinite Articlesun niño             a (one) boyun escritorio   a (one) deskuna niña         a (one) girluna puerta     a (one) door

Unfortunately, with some endings, it is difficult to determine gender (e.g., those that end in a consonant, such as lápiz, which is masculine, or in other vowels, such as clase, which is feminine). Therefore, we recommend that when you learn a new word, you also learn the definite article that accompanies it. That way, you will remember the gender of the noun, and it will also be easy to figure out what the indefinite articles is when you need it. Here are other rules that might help you determine the gender of some nouns.

1. Nouns that that end in -ión, -tad, and -dad, or end in other consonants and refer to beings with female attributes are feminine in gender.Modelo(s):la mujer, la canción (the song), la amistad (friendship), la ciudad (the city).

2. Many nouns that end in -ta or -ma are masculine.Modelo(s):el cometa, el planeta, el tema (the theme, the topic), el poema

3. Some nouns that refer to people have a single form; therefore, they can be both masculine and feminine, and gender is indicated by the article chosen to refer to them. You already know one of these nouns, estudiante (el/la estudiante).Modelo(s):el/la paciente (the patient), el/la dentista, el/la periodista (the journalist/reporter).

There are some words that do not follow the rules discussed above, and thus, you need to follow our recommendation: Learn the word and the article to remember their gender. Some of the words in this category are: La mente (the mind), la gente ([the] people), la clase, el mapa, el día, la mano (the hand), el agua (water). The following video summarizes the information discussed in this section.

¿Y el plural? What happens if we need to talk about people, things, places, etc. in the plural? Well, it is quite easy.

  1. If we need an article to refer to them, we need to transform the singular form of the indefinite (un –> unos; una –> unas) or the definite (el –> los; la –> las) articles into the plural.
  2. We need to use the plural form of the noun. As in English, when a noun ends in a vowel, to make the plural form, you only need to add -s to the singular noun (e.g., un/el libro –> unos/los libros). If a noun ends in a consonant, you need to add -es (e.g., una/la universidad –> unas/las universidades).

More:

  • Spanish vocabulary, phrases and verbs conjugations. Learn…
  • I functioned as a liaison between management and employees
  • Does the price include insurance and mileage?
  • I’ve lost my card and I want to cancel it
  • 3 Irregular Spanish Verbs In The Present, Past and Future:…
  • Do you know many people here?
  • Describe the physical characteristics of different people in…
  • Ask and answer simple questions about someone else's family…
  • To see all peaches and cream
  • 100 Most Common Spanish Phrases and Questions in Castilian…
  • How to ask: What is your name and family name? in Spanish.
  • Spanish Lesson: Reflexive Verbs and Conjugations Part 2.
  • How to say good day, good afternoon and good night in…
  • How to conjugate the Spanish verbs OLER and SATISFACER.…
  • Subject pronouns and the present tense of the verb ser: Uso…
  • Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after…
  • Spanish Vocabulary: 85 Questions and Answers in Spanish…
  • ¡Música en español! Spanish songs with lyrics and English…
  • 500 Spanish Phrases Tutorial.Basic Sentences And Expressions…
  • The verbs IR, IRSE and SALIR.Conjugations and differences.
Previous Post

Comparatives and superlatives in Spanish: Use and form

Next Post

Uses of “estar” and the present progressive: Uso y forma

Next Post
Uses of “estar” and the present progressive: Uso y forma

Uses of “estar” and the present progressive: Uso y forma

Describe how your life would be different if there were no electricity in Spanish.

Describe how your life would be different if there were no electricity in Spanish.

Support me ❤

Downloads / Patreon

Donate via Paypal

Subscribe to my Podcast

Join my mailing list for updates & get a download link to a NICE VIDEO WITH TWO HOURS OF SPANISH PHRASES !!

  • HOME
  • Site Map
  • English to Spanish Glossary
  • Lessons
  • Latest Videos
  • Compilations
  • Downloads/Patreon
  • For Beginners
  • Verbs
  • Intermediate Level
  • Contact
  • More!

© 2022 - Learn Spanish With Pablo

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • Site Map
  • English to Spanish Glossary
  • Lessons
  • Latest Videos
  • Compilations
  • Downloads/Patreon
  • For Beginners
  • Verbs
  • Intermediate Level
  • Contact
    • Donate
    • Subscribe via mail
    • YouTube
  • More!
    • Spotify
    • Podcast subscription
    • Music
    • Member-only videos
    • Quick/Short Tutorials
    • Conjugations
    • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - Learn Spanish With Pablo

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist