Exceptions to the Rules on Gender and Termination
. Learn Spanish Grammer .
1. Words of Greek etymology ending in ma:
El dilema - the dilemma
El diploma - the diploma
El epigrama - the epigram
El problema - the problem
El síntoma - the symptom
El telegrama - the telegram
etc., etc.
But
La amalgama - the amalgamation
La diadema - the diadem
La estratagema - the stratagem
La proclama - the proclamation
2. Most of the compound nouns (very few in number):
El cortaplumas - the penknife
El guardacosta - the coasting-vessel
El paraguas - the umbrella
El tirabala - the popgun
3. El día (the day):
El Etna - (Etna (volcano))
El mapa - the map
El sofá - the sofa
El Volga [1] - the Volga
And all words ending in accented a.
4. Masculine nouns ending in d:
El adalid - the warrior or chieftain
El ardid - the trick
El ataúd - coffin
El césped - the turf, lawn
El sud - the south
5. Masculine nouns ending in ión:
El embrión - the embryo
El gorrión - the sparrow
El morrión - parts of an armour
El sarampión - measles
6. Feminine nouns ending in i or y:
La diócesi - the diocese
La grey - the flock
La ley - the law
La metrópoli - the metropolis
Almost all.
7. Feminine noun ending in j:
La troj - the granary
8. Feminine nouns ending in l:
La cal - lime
La capital - capital--town
La cárcel - prison
La col - cabbage
La miel - honey
La piel - skin
La sal - salt
La señal - signal
La vocal - vowel
And a few more.
9. Feminine nouns ending in n:
La cargazón - the load
La crin - the horsehair
La desazón - the ailment
La imagen - the image
La razón - the reason
La sinrazón - the injustice
La sartén - the frying-pan
La sien - the temple
Almost all.
10. Feminine nouns ending in o:
La mano - the hand
Only word, excepting "nao" (ship), now obsolete, and "seo" (cathedral), little used.
11. Feminine nouns ending in r:
La flor - the flower
La labor - the needlework
La segur - the axe
Almost all.
12. Feminine nouns ending in s:
La bilis - the bile
La crisis - the crisis
La elipsis - ellipsis
La lis - fleur-de-lis
La mies - the crop
La perífrasis - the periphrase
La tos - the cough
And a few others.
13. Feminine noun ending in u:
La tribu - the tribe
14. Feminine nouns ending in z:
La codorniz - the partridge
La cerviz - the cervix
La cruz - the cross
La coz - the back-kick
La luz - the light
La nariz - the nose
La nuez - the nut
La pez - the pitch
La voz - the voice
La raíz - the root
La tez - the complexion
La vez - the time, once, etc., etc.
And a few others less important.
15. Feminine nouns ending in e. (This is the most numerous list of exceptions):
Las aves - the birds
La barbarie - the barbarity
La base - the basis
La calle - the street
La carne - the flesh
La fiebre - the fever
La fuente - the fountain
El hambre (f.), - the hunger
La mente - the mind
La noche - the night
La parte - the part
La quiete - the quiet
La sangre - the blood
La serpiente - the serpent
La torre - the tower
Besides the masculine and feminine genders, some nouns are called: de género común, epiceno, and ambiguo. The noun is called "de género común" (common gender) when with the same termination it may indicate both a male and female being by using a different article:
Un--una albacea - an executor, executrix
Un--una artista - an artist, artiste
Un--una Belga[2] - a Belgian
Un--una idiota - an idiot
Un--una indígena - a native
Un--una mártir - a martyr
Un--una reo - a culprit
Un--una culpable - a culprit
Un--una gimnasta - a gymnast
Un--una homicida - a murderer, a murderess
Un--una suicida - one who commits suicide
Un--una testigo - a witness
The noun is called Epicene when, with the same termination and the same article, it indicates both male and female:
El águila - the eagle--male and female
El buitre - the vulture--male and female
El avestruz - the ostrich--male and female
La rata - the rat--male and female
Distinction would be made by adding "macho" or "hembra."
El águila macho - the eagle--male
El avestruz hembra - the ostrich--female
The term "ambiguo" is applied to nouns which are masculine or feminine, with different meaning, or the gender of which is not well defined:
| El aroma - the aroma |
La aroma - the acacia flower |
| La or el arte - the art |
Los or Las artes - the arts, generally _fem_. |
| Las bellas artes - the fine arts, always _fem_. |
|
| La barba - the beard |
El barba - a character in Spanish plays |
| El cabecilla - chieftain or ringleader of rebels |
La cabecilla - the little head |
| El calavera - the madcap |
La calavera - the skull |
| El canal - the canal |
La canal - the gutter |
| El capital - money |
La capital - the town |
| El cólera - cholera |
La cólera - wrath |
| El cometa - comet |
La cometa - the kite, _toy_ |
| El corte - the cut |
La corte - the court |
| El cura - the priest |
La cura - the cure |
| El doblez - the fold |
La doblez - duplicity |
| El or la dote - dowry, generally _fem_. in the _pl_. always _fem_. |
Las dotes - good parts, gifts |
| El fantasma - the phantom |
La fantasma - the bogie-man |
| El frente - the front |
La frente - the forehead |
| El haz - the sheaf |
La haz - face, surface |
| Lente - lenses, doubtful gender |
|
| La orden - command, order for goods, etc. |
El orden (order); as, buen orden - good order |
| Las sagradas órdenes - holy orders |
Las varias órdenes - various religious orders |
| El parte - report |
La parte - part |
| El pendiente - ear-ring |
La pendiente - slope |
| El pez - fish |
La pez - pitch |
| El tema - exercise, theme |
La tema - fear, obstinacy |
| Tilde - ~, doubtful gender |
"Mar" (sea) is either Masc. or fem., but names of particular seas are all masculine:
El mar rojo - the Red Sea
El mar Caspio - the Caspian Sea
The compounds of "mar" are feminine:
Baja mar - low sea
Pleamar - high water
The following masculine nouns have their equivalent feminine formed by inflexion:
We omit those in which the inflexion consists of the change of the last vowel to a, or the addition of a, as:
El autor, la autora - the author, authoress
El holgazán, la holgazana - the lazy man, lazy woman
El primo, la prima - the cousin, _masc._ and _fem._
El vecino, la vecina - the neighbour, _masc._ and _fem._
| El abad - abbot |
La abadesa - abbess |
| El actor - actor |
La actriz - actress |
| El barón - baron |
La baronesa - baroness |
| El canónigo - canon |
La canonesa - canoness |
| El cantor - singer |
La cantatriz - singer |
| El conde - count |
La condesa - countess |
| El diacono - deacon |
La diaconisa - deaconess |
| El duque - duke |
La duquesa - duchess |
| El elector - elector |
La electriz - electress |
| El emperador - emperor |
La emperatriz - empress |
| El filósofo - philosopher |
La filosofesa - philosopher |
| El gallo - cock |
La gallina - hen |
| El héroe - hero |
La heroína - heroine |
| El poeta - poet |
La poetisa - poetess |
| El principe - prince |
La princesa - princess |
| El profeta - prophet |
La profetisa - prophetess |
| El rey - king |
La reina - queen |
| El sacerdote - priest |
La sacerdotisa - priestess |
| El vizconde - viscount |
La vizcondesa - viscountess |
| El Zar - czar |
La Zarina - czarina |
Notice also:
| El asistente - assistant |
La asistenta - assistant |
| El infante - child under 7; also Span., Royal Prince |
La infanta - child; Span. Royal Princess |
| El pariente - relative |
La parienta - relative |
| El presidente - president |
La presidenta - president |
| El sirviente - manservant |
La sirvienta - maidservant |
There are only a few more of this class.
N.B.:
Un abogado makes in the fem. Una muger abogado
Un médico " " " " " médico
Un comadrón " " " " comadre (midwife)
| El buey - ox |
La vaca - cow |
| El caballo - stallion |
La yegua - mare |
| El carnero - ram |
La oveja - ewe |
| El fraile - friar |
La soror - sister |
| El hombre - man |
La mujer - woman |
| El macho cabrío or cabrón - he-goat |
La cabra - she-goat |
| El marido - husband |
La mujer - the wife |
| El padre - father |
La madre - mother |
| El padrastro - step-father |
La madrastra - step-mother |
| El padrino - god-father |
La madrina - god-mother |
| El toro - bull |
La vaca - cow |
| El yerno - son-in-law |
La nuera - daughter-in-law |
Many names of animals are either common, as:
El ánade, la ánade - the duck
El liebre, la liebre - the hare
El tigre, la tigre - the tiger, tigress
Or they change o of the masculine into a or add a, to form the feminine, as:
| Un ganso - a gander |
Una gansa - a goose |
| Un león - the lion |
Una leona - a lioness |
| Un mulo - a mule |
Una mula - a she-mule |
| Un pollino - an ass |
Una pollina - a she-ass |
Most are epicene as already stated (p. 246).
Category: Study Spanish