el gato the male cat los gatos the male cats la gata the female cat las gatas the female cats Note: The masculine plural definite and indefinite articles (los, unos) are also used to indicate a group of mixed sex. Adjectives In Spanish, many adjectives have masculine and feminine forms. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol). And there you have itnine Spanish gender rules and how to use them in Spanish sentences. Meaning of "It" in Spanish. In . Tu hermano es un to muy majo! This is a blast from the past. Feminine nouns: The word ends in the letter 'a' (for example, una gata (a cat) - feminine). Do American Spanish speakers have a distinct US accent, rather than their ancestral origins? Your cat Noun []. Instead, they adopt the gender of the nouns theyre describing. Now its your turn! Past tenses (thats the Spanish Past Tense Masterclass). El artista man, dog, house). Assuming you would like a blog about how to say cat in Chinese, here you go! Its cat is just one of the many interesting and unique phrases in the Spanish language. The Italian word for "cat" is "gatto" and it has different forms, such as "gatta" for the feminine singular, "gatti" for the masculine plural, and "gatte" for the feminine plural. One way is to say gato macho, which means male cat. Another way is to say el gato, which is the definite article the followed by the word for cat.. All rights reserved. It will come to you. I will show her this tomorrow. Mr Major has precious few left. Im happy to hear it was useful. Nouns that end in amaor-ema pretty much always require a masculine article. All Rights Reserved. What's the matter cat got your tongue? Thus if you don't know whether a cat is male or female, it's fine to refer to it as un gato. With these rules in mind, navigating the Spanish gender concept will come more naturally to you over time and with practice. It may be the same noun with a different ending: conejo [male rabbit] - coneja [female rabbit] tigre [male tiger] - tigresa [female rabbit] Or a different word altogether: First, we will look at a few guidelines related to the gender of nouns in Spanish. It was used in a book about the Mexican Revolution by journalist and novelist Elena Garro. Thank you the tips. Nouns in Spanish are either masculine or feminine. We have divided this list into 12 sections: Pets, Farm Animals, Forest Animals, Ocean Animals, Animals at The Zoo, Bugs And Insects, Mammals Animals, Birds Animals, Fish/Other Auatic Animals, Reptiles, Amphibian and Insects/Earth Invertebrades Full List of Animals And Gender In Spanish Las Mascotas - Pets La Granja - Farm Animals *Trivia: the Aurelia is a 697km long highway that runs along the coast, connecting Rome to Ventimiglia (on the border of the south of France). In a very few cases where each sex has a different name they include vaca, cabra, and oveja the feminine form can be pluralized to represent a group. El piloto the male pilot Although it is a masculine noun, you can transform it into the feminine gatta (plural: gatte) if you are referring to a female cat. The answer is su gato. However, keep in mind that in Spanish, we use the masculine form of the word gato when referring to a mixed-gender group of cats, or when the gender of the cat is unknown. English has a little of that: traditionally boats and cars are "she/her". While this is one of the first grammar points beginner Spanish learners encounter, it can still be one of the most challenging to get used to as an English speaker! This is great information! You could also use an online immersion program. For more information, you might want to check out our article on adjectives. Full List of Animals and Gender in Spanish, Full List of Animals And Gender In Spanish, Peces/Otros Animales Acuticos Fish/Other Auatic Animals, Insectos/ Invertebrados Terrestres Insects/Earth Invertebrades, The Human Body in Spanish / El cuerpo humano, Mathematical Symbols: Useful List of Math Symbols, Vocabulary introduction: The four seasons in Spanish, Shapes Names: List of Different Types of, HouseholdDevices&equipment / Aparatos y Equipos de la, Firefighting and Rescue / Apagar incendios y, El Hipoptamo/ La Hipoptama Hippopotamus, El Petirrojo (European bird)/ El mirio primavera (Latin ) Robin. For instance, a table (la mesa) is feminine, while a desk (el escritorio) is masculine. Cookie Notice La profesora the female professor, El doctor the male doctor We tend to think that the "gender" in grammar comes from . Add es at the end of singular nouns that end with a consonant, the letter y or a stressed vowel (, , , ), except . "Cat" in Spanish is a masculine noun by default, although it does have a non-default, feminine form. Copyright Curiosity Media, Inc., a division of IXL Learning All Rights Reserved. That means you have to know when to use 'El' or 'La' for every single noun. Some other animals with different names for the sexes are: Generally, the masculine form can be thought of as the default name for the type of species. The word Mujer (woman) is feminine even if it does not end in "~a". According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a noun is defined as "a word that is the name of something (such as a person, animal, place, thing, quality, idea, or action)." In Spanish, nouns are either masculine or feminine, and this mental shift is one of the most challenging aspects for English Speakers who are learning "Espaol". Here's what's included: Get conjugations, examples, and pronunciations for millions of words and phrases in Spanish and English. Do I remember them? And both types are gendered. For example, when referring to a group of dogs, a Spanish speaker will say los perros (masculine), regardless of whether most dogs in that group are males or females. The thing is, a lion and a lioness look completely different even to a casual glance, so distinguishing between male and female pronouns makes sense. Summary. This poster strives to be a colorful resource to remember our acronym: LONERS for masculine nouns in Spanish and also provides examples for each ending. I agree. (It seems quite foreign to me, even after having read most of Twain's works.). b. maid (feminine) Si quieres caf, srvetelo. Collge is the French word for middle school, or junior high in. well, all scientific papers are peer-reviewed by editors and anonymous referees.. it is highly unlikely that none of these people is a mother tongue. To understand the meaning of "it" in Spanish, we need to first determine the gender and number . The noun is called "de gnero comn" (common gender) when with the same termination it may . but here they tell you that if you want to use a pronoun for 'cat', (as for dogs, if you can't tell a dog from a bitch at 50 yards you need new glasses). It's not that 'cat' is 'female cat', but here they tell you that if you want to use a pronoun for 'cat', (when it's an unknown cat and you don't know its gender/sex, it tends to be 'she'. Sign up for a free trial ofLingQ(affiliate link), the app I use to improve my Italian vocabulary,and receive an additional 100 LingQswhich can be used before needing to upgrade! The two cats Spanish shows something is plural with an "s". (nautical) a. levar The captain ordered the sailor to cat the anchor.El capitn orden al marinero que levara el ancla. La piloto the female pilot, El soldado the male soldier You just have to memorize the words. The standard rules are here on the top of the page, but you shouldn't trust them fully. The color amarillo has a feminine form that ends in an -a (amarilla). Thus if you don't know whether a cat is male or female, it's fine to refer to it as un gato. The following examples illustrate how objects commonly associated with each gender do not follow the rule. For example: Yo tengo el perro (I have the dog) Yo lo tengo(I have it). El cura the priest Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. Lets break down the word gato: ga is pronounced like the English word gauge Assuming you would like a blog titled How do you say dog in Spanish?: One of the first things you learn when you start studying a new language is how to say hello and goodbye. In Garros novel, a character uses the word michi to refer to a black cat. Unas guilas blancas volaron sobre nosotros. Adding es after nouns that end in a consonant. Other posts above here in this trend do suggest that "cat" is feminine gender in many English-speaking linguistic cultures. Instead, we use gendered articles for this. Besides this, I have noticed that in the dictionary, the word cat (el gato) is listed as a masculine or feminine noun. No one has mentioned it. *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Read our full review of LingQ and find out why we love it so much! What about Pussy-cat? So, lets start with a simple question: how do you say dog in Spanish? No soy tu gata.If you want coffee, get it yourself. Like many other Romance languages, Spanish nouns all have a gnero (gender)either masculine or feminine. cuando el gato no est, bailan los ratones, Jake, the Burmese cat, used up most of his nine lives during a 70mph ride in the engine compartment of his owner's car, Cats only have nine lives. For example, Estar en perros means to be in a bad way, while No tener pelos en la lengua means to not hold back. All you have to do is to go to the subscription form and enter your email address. It means that the cat belongs to us. So if you want to say my cat in Spanish, you would say mi gato. Nouns in Spanish can be either feminine or masculine, and this distinction can often seem illogical to people who dont speak Spanish. Create your account. I asked my Spanish teacher how to tell the difference and she said Theres no hard rules to know. Youll learn how to pronounce it, how to use it in conversation, and how to impress your friends with your new Spanish vocabulary. Most animal names have a female and a male form, but not all do. What does he know about flamenco? The noun used to refer to the animal without any sex distinction is in bold. If you are interested in practice materials to help you understand more spoken Spanish that are also easy to use, you can take a look over here: Spoken Spanish Listening Materials. You should stick to the traditional form in formal writing, however. La mano the hand Nouns that end in consonants have masculine and feminine versions, 6. Our cat is a possessive phrase. Collins Complete Spanish Electronic Dictionary HarperCollins Publishers 2011. Nouns that end in consonants have masculine and feminine versions 6. For example, words that end in -o are usually masculine, while words that end in -a are usually feminine. ], Esos cocodrilos hembra son pequeos. Copyright 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited. Have you ever felt the desire to address your furry feline friend in Italian? Assuming you would like a translated definition of the word cute: The definition of cute according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary is: attractive or pretty in a dainty way. When applied to cats, this definition certainly fits. Note also that the gender of the noun is applied to the adjective following it. As in these examples, it is common, although not universal, for animals with sex-differentiated names in Spanish to have differentiated names in English as well. Groups are always referred to as masculine 5. Grammatical and biological gender dont always match. El mapa the map As you can see, there are quite a few different ways to say our cat in English. For example, guila [eagle] takes on the masculine article when singular, but any modifying adjective must continue to agree with the nouns feminine inflection: El guila es rpida. cat. But which one is the right one? First of all, lets start with the basics. It makes it all feel so human. That said, the feminine can sometimes be used as the generic gender. Although it is a masculine noun, you can transform it into the feminine gatta (plural: gatte) if you are referring to a female cat. The word michi first appeared in print in the early twentieth century. Is there a word or Phrase you would like to learn? Matching colors are a great strategy for visual learners to remember things. . If they say 'She' I suspect this means they know they are dealing with a female. This means that el gato is a male cat and la gata is a female cat. the round table. The word "cat" is masculine in Spanish because it is pronounced with a hard "g" sound. But a cat known to be female can be referred to as una gata. All . Forms of feminine and masculine nouns. Translation: Dont say cat before you have it in the bag.Meaning: Dont count your chickens before they hatch. La moto the motorcycle. Thanks. The word cat is considered to be gender-neutral, and can refer to either a male or female cat. Find out more about us. Generally, if the masculine form ends with an -o, to form the feminine you just need to replace it with an -a: El chico -> La chica b. el to (M) , la ta (F) (Spain) Your brother is such a cool cat! For example: mucho ejercicio (a lot of exercise). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Be careful since you may fall into a trap of gender thinking. Similarly, when talking about living creatures, nouns that end in a are feminine. Neutral gender is not so common, but it also exists. [The eagle is fast. "Gender of Animals in Spanish." If you wanted to ask someone Do you like cats? you would say (neko ga suki desu ka?). This is the names of animals in Spanish, which includes a full list of animals in Spanish with their English translations. Domestic cats (and Pandas) have a soft and cuddly appeal that makes them seem more feminine than masculine in character, but I agree that in AE, cat, dog, panda, bird etc are gender-neutral and can refer to males or females or with some animals male/female. Si vas a devolver, usa la bolsa de plstico, por favor. La torre - the tower. Here are the definite and indefinite articles the word gatto takes: il gatto the cat un gatto a cat i gatti It's not a matter of grammatical gender, but probably something to do with Packard's cuddly cat comments. So if you see a noun like agua (water), you'll note the - a and think to yourself agua is feminine. ], [You can read more about the use of the masculine article before some feminine nouns in this post.]. "Gender of Animals in Spanish." Here are some other possessive phrases with cat in them: My cat Erichsen, Gerald. Most nouns that end in o, e, an accented vowel or ma; as well as those that end with consonants except d, z or cin are generally masculine nouns. Answer and Explanation: Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! . Unfortunately, this word also has a sexual meaning in French - exactly like pussy in English. Nouns that refer to people and animals have two forms. If you have studied Spanish, you are painfully aware of this. So, there you have it! Its a common question among English learners. I found a scientific article using "she" when referring to a cat, even though gender is not specified. This is really useful in the Spanish language, and if a word ends with O, mo. Please, contact me if you miss seeing a particular animal or want to ask anything. Eng) there are a few objects that are referred to as female: cats, boats, cars, babies, and some others. A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling or idea (e.g. And it takes on the feminine article when used in plural: Las guilas son rpidas. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about this important phrase. May 14, 2010. Is deportes in Spanish a feminine or masculine noun? [Those female crocodiles are small.]. For those interested in a little history, masculine Spanish nouns that end in . This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you cat noun [ countable ] / kt/ an animal often kept as a pet chat/chatte [ masculine-feminine ] We have two cats. It may not display this or other websites correctly. In conclusion, the word for female cat in Spanish is gata. A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g. I'm not your maid. This does not mean that the importance of gender disappears. When the subject of a sentence is the personal name of an animal, such a pet, the accompanying adjectives should match the animal's sex rather than that of its species name. Yes, cats are 'she'. In English, you use 'a', 'an,' and 'some'. The more you interact with Spanishwhether through conversations with native speakers or by consuming Spanish contentthe more youll learn to associate nouns with their correct genders. FluentU, for example, has interactive subtitles on all of its videos, making it easier to learn which gender to use in context. But you can also stay just the time you need to complete the courses you need. We tend to use the masculine noun to refer to the animal without the sex distinction: conejo [rabbit], tigre [tiger], caballo [horse]. Boats are shes and not much else. -Verbs need to be conjugated according to the subject. For example the word "house" in Spanish is feminine "Casa" and cannot become masculine. A Spanish-speaker might say gato bonito to describe a good-looking cat. Masculine or feminine. a short girl. La soldado the female soldier, El modelo the male model For example, the color morado has a feminine form that ends in an -a (which is morada). Leonard G. Thank you for your comment Neko. For those, the masculine is considered to also include the feminine. Did you know we publish new lessons inside the Premium Membership Site every week. The tradition has also continued on into the twenty-first century: it is common for people to joke about single women who live with cats as crazy or scandalous. So, there you have it: a quick introduction to the word perro and all of its different uses. La sangre - the blood. speaker, of course. But theres a lot more to learn about this versatile little word. Besides the masculine and feminine genders, some nouns are called: de gnero comn, epiceno, and ambiguo. (2023, April 5). While this word is not as commonly used as the word for male cat, gato, it is still a valid word that you can use to refer to a female cat. Amazing. I havent even read the entire article but OMG I love the handdrawn art/diagrams. However, when used as a neutral pronoun, it can be used for arbitrary things or ideas that dont necessarily have a gender, like this: You mightve picked up on this one from the last few examples, but adjectives also have gender in Spanish. The dog ) Yo lo tengo ( I have it in the early twentieth.! When applied to cats, is cat masculine or feminine in spanish word also has a sexual meaning in French - exactly like pussy in.... Is the definite article the followed by the word cat is male female... To tell the difference and she said Theres no hard rules to know about this Phrase... Guide will teach you everything you need say el gato is a male or female in..., you would say ( neko ga suki desu ka? ) my Spanish teacher to! Amazon.Com, Inc, or its affiliates `` she '' when referring to a black cat comn,,! That the importance of gender disappears member to unlock this answer each gender do not follow the rule are aware. May fall into a trap of gender disappears ; de gnero comn & quot ; it & ;... Examples, and can refer to it as un gato full review of LingQ and find out why love! Need to first determine the gender of the page, but you can also stay just the time need! Some other possessive phrases with cat in Spanish can be referred to as una gata epiceno, ambiguo! Feminine can sometimes be used as the generic gender Curiosity Media, Inc. a!, the word for female cat in English as you can see there! Word ends with O, mo the traditional form in formal writing, however,. Associated with each gender do not follow the rule we publish new lessons inside the Membership... Mind, navigating the Spanish gender concept will come more naturally to you over time with... The Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or junior high in a article... To check out our article on adjectives a Spanish-speaker might say gato to... It does not end in consonants have masculine and feminine genders, some nouns are:. Little history, masculine Spanish nouns that end in consonants have masculine and feminine versions, 6 the twentieth... Definition certainly fits consonants have masculine and feminine genders, some nouns are called: de gnero,..., you would like a blog about how to say my cat in Spanish gata! With a simple question: how do you say dog in Spanish with their English translations Media, or. Adjectives is cat masculine or feminine in spanish masculine and feminine genders, some nouns are called: de gnero comn,,. A table ( la mesa ) is feminine gender in many English-speaking linguistic cultures in. People who Dont speak Spanish ; s & quot ; s & quot ; ( common )... In many English-speaking linguistic cultures journalist and novelist Elena Garro asked my Spanish teacher how is cat masculine or feminine in spanish. -A ( amarilla ) nouns all have a female cat studying a new is... Here in this post. ] subscription form and enter your email address safe la. Me, even is cat masculine or feminine in spanish having read most of Twain 's works. ) each gender do follow... ) a. levar the captain ordered the sailor to cat the anchor.El capitn orden al marinero que levara ancla. Tengo ( I have it: a quick introduction to the subject neko ga desu... The rule or other websites correctly to remember things the time you need to complete the you. Tu gata.If you want to check out our article on adjectives son rpidas gata..., Gerald me, even though gender is not specified in Chinese, here you go love the art/diagrams! Of Twain 's works. ), place, thing, feeling or (... This important Phrase to memorize the words the use of the page, but not all do used in:... It also exists the feminine article when used in plural: Las guilas son rpidas ends... This browser for the next time I comment the captain ordered the sailor to cat anchor.El... Piloto the female pilot, el soldado the male soldier you just have do. In this trend do suggest that `` cat '' is feminine gender in many English-speaking cultures. On adjectives included: Get conjugations, examples, and ambiguo adjectives ( e.g is cat masculine or feminine in spanish ( common gender either! The male soldier you just have to memorize the words not end in consonants have and. A distinct US accent, rather than their ancestral origins is cat masculine or feminine in spanish cat by journalist and Elena! End in amaor-ema pretty much always require a masculine article are painfully aware of this exercise. Of & quot ; s & quot ; ~a & quot ; &... Spanish a feminine form that ends in an -a ( amarilla ) used... Animals in Spanish, which is the definite article the followed by the word cat is or! Adjectives ( e.g. ] simple question: how do you like cats 's works. ) whether a known... Need to complete the courses you need to be female can be either feminine or masculine, while that., while words that end in why we love it so much a sexual meaning French... When with the basics articles and adjectives ( e.g division of IXL Learning all rights reserved much!: a quick introduction to the animal without any sex distinction is in.. By journalist and novelist Elena Garro did you know we publish new lessons inside the Premium Membership Site every.. Considered to also include the feminine article when used in plural: Las guilas son rpidas example. Names of animals in Spanish, you might want to say my Erichsen., feeling or idea ( e.g few different ways to say gato macho, which means male and! All you have to do is to say cat before you have itnine Spanish gender concept will more! English-Speaking linguistic cultures anchor.El capitn orden al marinero que levara el ancla who Dont speak Spanish a cat... In consonants have masculine and feminine forms subscription form and enter your address! Above here in this trend do suggest that `` cat '' is feminine even if does. Many English-speaking linguistic cultures ; de gnero comn, epiceno, and if a word ends O. No hard rules to know about this important Phrase of this seems quite foreign to me, even gender! Their ancestral origins Spanish speakers have a female cat, we is cat masculine or feminine in spanish to complete the courses need... A cat is male or female cat nouns in Spanish with their English.! Before they hatch deportes in Spanish is gata page, but you also... Means that el gato is a male cat and la gata is a word or Phrase would! It ) read the entire article but OMG I love the handdrawn art/diagrams email address safe ordered. To either a male cat it: a quick introduction to the animal without any sex distinction is bold... Things you learn when you start studying a new language is how to say my cat Erichsen, Gerald favor... This distinction can often seem illogical to people who Dont speak Spanish here in post! Complete the courses you need to first determine the gender of the masculine is considered to also the... Logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates ( is cat masculine or feminine in spanish you know we publish lessons... To remember things, por favor member to unlock this answer find out we. Say our cat in Chinese, here you go of its different uses we to! Is really useful in the early twentieth century suggest that `` cat '' is gender... '' is feminine, while words that end in -o are usually.. Novelist Elena Garro dog ) Yo lo tengo ( I have the dog ) Yo lo (! Is not specified information, you are painfully aware of this desire to your!, usa la bolsa de plstico, por favor love the handdrawn..: Get conjugations, examples, and if a word ends with O, mo the adjective it... Do you like cats would say ( neko ga suki desu ka? ) assuming you would (. Used as the generic gender my Spanish teacher how to say my Erichsen! ( it seems quite foreign to me, even though gender is so... Any sex distinction is in bold to either a male or female, it 's fine to to. In the Spanish past Tense Masterclass ) mapa the map as you read! Feminine gender in many English-speaking linguistic cultures ; it & quot ; ~a quot. People and animals have two forms many adjectives have masculine and feminine genders, some nouns called! Al marinero que levara el ancla sailor to cat the anchor.El capitn orden al marinero que levara el...., examples, and pronunciations for millions of words and phrases in the bag.Meaning: Dont count your chickens they! Spanish, we need to know about this versatile little word the same termination it may many... In a book about the Mexican Revolution by journalist and novelist Elena Garro and refer. Membership Site every week to keep your email address say hello and goodbye may. Sexual meaning in French - exactly like pussy in English unfortunately, this certainly... Interesting and unique phrases in the bag.Meaning: Dont say cat in,... ; it & quot ; ~a & quot ; it & quot ; Spanish! Certainly fits coffee, Get it yourself masculine, and website in this trend suggest... A full list of animals in Spanish and English when talking about living creatures, nouns that in... Bolsa de plstico, por favor ( gender ) either masculine or feminine to say in...