El vs. La in Spanish
Things like tables and cities do not have a real gender, but Spanish still sorts them into two groups. The word for “the” follows the group. The good news is that the endings give you a very useful first guess.
Quick answer
- Every Spanish noun is masculine (el) or feminine (la). Plural: los and las.
- Most nouns ending in -o are masculine and most ending in -a are feminine, but there are important exceptions, so learn each noun with its article.
The basics
For people and animals, the article usually follows natural gender: el niño (the boy), la niña (the girl). Some words keep the same form for both, and only the article changes: el estudiante and la estudiante.
For things, the gender is just part of the word. That is why it is best to learn la casa and el libro as a pair, not “casa” and “libro” alone.
Examples
- El libro está en la mesa.The book is on the table.One of each.
- La niña y el niño juegan.The girl and the boy are playing.Natural gender.
- El estudiante es de Chile.The (male) student is from Chile.Same noun…
- La estudiante nueva se llama Karla.The new (female) student is named Karla.…different article.
- Los libros y las mesas.The books and the tables.Plural articles.
Endings that help
These are strong patterns, not laws, but they will be right most of the time.
Usually feminine (la)
- -a: la casa, la mesa
- -ción, -sión: la canción, la lección
- -dad, -tad, -tud: la ciudad, la amistad, la actitud
Usually masculine (el)
- -o: el libro, el carro
- -or: el color, el calor
- -aje: el viaje, el garaje
- Days, months, and languages: el lunes, el español
Examples
- La ciudad es muy grande.The city is very big.-dad is feminine.
- Me gusta mucho la música mexicana.I really like Mexican music.-a, feminine.
- El viaje fue largo.The trip was long.-aje is masculine.
- El español es un idioma bonito.Spanish is a beautiful language.Languages are masculine.
Exceptions you will meet early
Some very common words break the pattern. Learn these as they are:
Look feminine, but are masculine (el)
- el día (day)
- el mapa (map)
- el problema, el tema, el idioma, el clima (many words in -ma)
Look masculine, but are feminine (la)
- la mano (hand)
- la foto (short for fotografía)
- la moto (short for motocicleta)
Examples
- El problema es difícil.The problem is hard.-ma words are often masculine.
- Necesito el mapa de la ciudad.I need the map of the city.El mapa.
- Me duele la mano derecha.My right hand hurts.La mano.
- Tengo una foto de mi familia.I have a photo of my family.La foto.
Why it is “el agua”
A few feminine nouns that begin with a stressed a sound take el in the singular, so two a sounds do not run together. The noun is still feminine, which you can see in the adjective and in the plural.
Quick rule: el agua fría (cold water, with fría in the feminine) and las aguas. The same happens with el águila (eagle) and el hambre (hunger).
Examples
- Quiero el agua fría, por favor.I want the cold water, please.El + feminine adjective.
- Tengo mucha hambre.I am very hungry.“Mucha” shows hambre is feminine.
- Las aguas del lago están limpias.The waters of the lake are clean.Plural goes back to las.
Same word, two genders
A handful of words change meaning with the article, so the gender is part of the meaning.
Examples
- La capital de México es enorme.The capital of Mexico is huge.La capital: the city.
- Necesito el capital para el negocio.I need the capital for the business.El capital: money.
- Compré la papa en el mercado.I bought the potato at the market.La papa: potato.
- El papa visitó la ciudad.The pope visited the city.El papa: the pope.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: La problema es difícil.
Correct: El problema es difícil.
Words ending in -ma are often masculine.
Incorrect: Quiero la agua fría.
Correct: Quiero el agua fría.
El for the singular, but the adjective stays feminine.
Incorrect: Me duele el mano derecha.
Correct: Me duele la mano derecha.
La mano is feminine even though it ends in -o.
Incorrect: Tengo un foto de mi familia.
Correct: Tengo una foto de mi familia.
La foto is feminine.
Remember it easily
- Learn every noun with its article: la mano, el día, el mapa.
- -ción, -sión, -dad are almost always la. -or, -aje and most -ma words are el.
- Keep a short list of the exceptions: el día, el mapa, la mano, la foto.
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