Spanish Class - Male vs. Female Words?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by Jen, May 29, 2010.

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  1. Jen

    Jen Newbie

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    Hello! :)

    I am taking Spanish 2 as part of finishing up my foreign language recommendation. I took Spanish 1 back when I was in junior high, yet, after my school asked me to.

    One thing I never learned, or don't remember learning, is how to tell whether a word should be male or female?

    You know, like:

    Mi contestó el teléfono. (I answered the telephone.)
    ¿Quién está sentado en la silla? (Who is sitting in the chair?)

    If I was saying something about "a telephone" or "a chair", I know that I would us un and una, respectively.

    My Spanish is extremely rough and out-of-practice, so I may not have translated very well.

    Also, if I am just listing a bunch of words, objects for example, do I put the "el/un" or "la/una" before hand? Or no?​
     
  2. fearalucard

    fearalucard Level II

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    More the anything its the ending that detrimins the Gender of the word. so you have to think of the word before you say what it is. I know sounds hard. Over time you will learn to use the right one.

    Look at the link its a start.
    http://www.spanishpronto.com/spanishpronto/spanishbasics.html#gender

    But always their are exeptions

    NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS: la mano (the hand), el día (the day), el problema, el programa, el planeta

    hope this helps :yup:
     
  3. Slurpee

    Slurpee Level II

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    El/La is used for sayings like "the cat" or "the table"...Un/Una are for sayings like "a cat" or "a table". Hope this answers your question.
     
  4. osirisvrk

    osirisvrk Newbie

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    I am currently in Pre-AP Spanish 3 so I hope I can help, items, themselves, do not have different spellings as in telefono/telefona. They have simply one way to be spelled and you just have to memorize/know if it is masculine or feminine.
    Also to your second question, yes do use the el/la, un/una before the words.
    Ex: la mochilla, el gato, y la manzana.
     
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