1. Gender of Nouns #7 Standard 1.2: Students understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics  Standard 4.1: Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own.  Objective: Students will be introduced to gender of nouns in Spanish and how all nouns fit into a gender category.

2. Nouns name people, animals, places or things. You need to remember the following things about nouns in Spanish: All nouns in Spanish have gender. ( i.e. masculine & feminine ) el chico (masculine) la chica (feminine) la falda (feminine) el pelo (masculine) index MURPHY

3. Usually a noun is masculine if it ends in an “o” and feminine if it ends in an “a”. However, when a word ends in a consonant you need to memorize the definite article with the noun. Here are some examples of nouns that end in consonants: el suéter (masculine) la mujer (feminine) la estudiante (feminine) el hombre (masculine) index

4. When nouns identify only one item, they are singular. Here are some examples of nouns that in the singular form: el señor (masculine) la señora (feminine) la profesora (feminine) el estudiante (masculine) index

5. When nouns identify more than one item, they are plural. Here are some examples of nouns that in the plural form: los señores (masculine) las señoras (feminine) las profesoras (feminine) los estudiantes (masculine) index

6. In Spanish, the definite article that accompanies a noun will match its gender and number. Here are some examples of nouns that in the plural form: el cuarderno (singular) los cuardernos (plural) la maleta (singular) las maletas (plural) index

7. Some nouns have 1 form that are both masculine and feminine. el estudiante la estudiante el modelo la modelo el policía la policía index

8. A noun may sometimes appear with an indefinite article. The indefinite articles that accompanies a nouns will also match its gender and number. un chicounos chicos una camisaunas camisas un estudianteunos estudiantes index