ssssssSsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss Gender of Nouns ssssssSsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Everything in Spanish is either male or female. The language is charged with gender power. If two words are not paired correctly, the imbalance creates waves of discomfort in its users.
Living Creatures are referred to by the gender they represent This one is simple. Every living creature is either an el or a la.
Rule #1 When speaking about living creatures, nouns that end in “o” are masculine. Examples: el gato → the male cat el perro → the male dog los gatos → the male cats los perros → the male dogs el chico → the boy el oso → the male bear los chicos → the boys los osos → the male bears
Rule #2 When speaking about living creatures, nouns that end in “a” are feminine. Examples: La gata → the female cat la perra → the female dog Las gatas → the female cats las perras → the female dogs La chica → the girl la osa → the female bear Las chicas → the girls las osas → the female bears
*Beware of the gender trap!* There is a slight possibility that you might fall into a “gender thinking trap.” This deception tricks you into thinking that everything associated with a male will automatically be masculine and everything associated with a female will automatically be feminine. This is false. Only distinct living creatures fall under this categorization. la corbata → the necktie el maquillaje → the makeup
The Masculine in Spanish When there is a crowd or a group of people, animals, ideas or things that have a mixed gender, what gender is used? If you answered, “the masculine gender is always used when there is a mixed group,” you are already thinking in the same direction as the Spanish language.
Rule #3 When there is a group of mixed gender, no matter what the ratio is of females to males and males to females, the group is always referred to as masculine. 1 niño + 4 niñas = 5 niños 1 boy + 4 girls = 5 kids 3 gatos + 542 gatas = 545 gatos 3 male cats + 542 female cats = 545 cats The masculine gender has more power than the female gender when it comes to making the rules. Although the words have the same value, the male acts as the default leader.
Exceptions Some nouns that end in “a” are masculine Some nouns that end in “o” are feminine Examples: A el día → the day el mapa → the map el cura → the priest el planeta → the planet O la foto → the photo la mano → the hand la radio → the radio la moto → the motorcycle
How you can use this today On your vocabulary sheet, there are pronouns that refer to we, you all, and they, that take either a masculine or feminine form Nosotros- we (mixed gender group, or all male) Nosotras- we (all female group) Ellos- they (all male, or mixed gender group) Ellas- they (all female group) Vosotros- you all (spain) (mixed gender, or all male group) Vosotras- you all (spain) (all female group)
GREETINGSSssss and Introductions What are 3 ways to greet someone? Let’s practice a sample dialogue Now, greet your partner, and introduce yourself to them using some of the vocabulary off your list
La Tarea Dialogue