VaneBeginner Spanish · A1
El or la? Spanish noun gender with examples
Why it's el libro but la casa.
I can use el and la correctly.
Every Spanish noun is masculine or feminine, and the word for "the" changes to match: el or la.
What is gender?
Every noun in Spanish has a gender, even things like tables and books.
You don't have to guess: the ending usually tells you.
El or la?
Masculine
- el libro · the book
- el chico · the boy
- Most words ending in -o
Feminine
- la casa · the house
- la chica · the girl
- Most words ending in -a
Clues in the ending
| Ending | Usually | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -o | masculine | el vaso |
| -a | feminine | la mesa |
| -ción, -dad | feminine | la canción, la ciudad |
| -e or a consonant | learn each one | el café, la noche, el hotel |
Watch out
A few everyday words break the rule: el día (the day), el mapa (the map), la mano (the hand).
Best habit: always learn a noun together with el or la.
Examples with English meanings
- El café está aquí.
- The coffee is here.
- La casa es grande.
- The house is big.
- El día es bonito.
- It's a nice day.
- La ciudad es bonita.
- The city is pretty.
Common mistakes
Try this: el día
Instead of:
la díaDía ends in -a but it's masculine.
Try this: la casa
Instead of:
el casaCasa ends in -a, so it's feminine.