So there you have it! Translation: When the cat does not reach the fat it says it stinks.Meaning: When someone adopts a negative attitude to something because they cannot have it themselves. SpanishDict is the world's most popular Spanish-English dictionary, translation, and learning website. Look up the words and see how many you got right and what rules you recognize. If the word does not change, the article is what tells you the gender. 2023 Enux Education Limited. Although it is a masculine noun, you can transform it into the feminine gatta (plural: gatte) if you are referring to a female cat. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. For example, the color morado has a feminine form that ends in an -a (which is morada). ThoughtCo. You would only use the second one if you were sure all the turtles were males. We can usually tell if nouns are feminine because they end in 'a' and that they are masculine if they end in 'o'. Likewise, we can make these sentences plural by using the corresponding plural forms of the articles: Las casas son blancas The houses are white, Los vestidos son azules The dresses are blue, Unas mujeres hablan espaol Some women speak Spanish, Unos hombres estn en la oficina Some men are in the office. Por ejemplo: el libro - the book - masculine. Soy un gato for masculine or soy una gata for feminine. Most nouns that end in "a" are feminine nouns. The video includes. Most masculine nouns. Articles are placed before nouns However, they dont have their own gender like nouns. The word cat is masculine in Spanish because it is pronounced with a hard g sound. Thank you! What about Pussy-cat? This usage is similar to the English phrase my old lady.. Access millions of accurate translations written by our team of experienced English-Spanish translators. Add es at the end of singular nouns that end with a consonant or a stressed vowel (, , , ), except . You just have to memorize the words. Masculine or feminine. If you want to say his cat in Spanish, the best way to do so is to use the phrase el gato de l. This is the most accurate translation and will be understood by native speakers. El capitn orden al marinero que levara el ancla. This means that el gato is a male cat and la gata is a female cat. Click here to get a copy. Our cat is a possessive phrase. Similarly, when talking about living creatures, nouns that end in a are feminine. Meanwhile, the Zande language of Africa divides nouns into 4 genders: masculine, feminine, animal and inanimate. These nouns indicate gender by the article (el or la). The answer is simple: its cat is gato in Spanish. Gosh. Masculine nouns have masculine articles: el (singular) / los (plural). this programme is only watched by a handful of people; no son ms que cuatro gatos en la oficina, there's only a handful of people in the office, a m me gustan ese tipo de documentales, hay que reconocer que solo los ven cuatro gatos, al final fueron ellos los que se llevaron el gato al agua, tras das de intensa negociacin, han sido los alemanes los que finalmente se han llevado el gato al agua, cuando se luchaba por la sucesin de Breznev, fue Yuri Andropov, quien finalmente terminara llevndose el gato al agua, gracias a su control del aparato del KGB, I'm in a really terrible state with this flu, viendo de cerca su cara se le notaba la edad, pero como de noche todos los gatos son pardos apenas importaba. Most animal names have a female and a male form, but not all do. 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.. un - single real masculine; una - singular and feminine; unos - plural press masculine; unas - plural and feminine . Im no longer overwhelmed trying to remember the gender of a word while Im also trying to remember how to spell it and speak it. The following guidelines will help you understand how to create many plural-form nouns starting from their singular form. In Spanish, words that are pronounced with a hard g sound (like the word gato) are always masculine, while words pronounced with a soft g sound (like the word gata) are always feminine. 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! 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).. Some male-associated nouns are feminine and vice versa 4. La doctora the female doctor. Have fun learning the names of animals in Spanish! 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. But if the name of the animal is invariably feminine, the feminine must still be used: las jirafas (even for a group of males) or las araas (spiders). For Spanish sentences to be grammatically correct, everything must match the gender and quantity of the nounwhich means adjectives and articles have to become either plural, singular, masculine or feminine depending on the noun. Dont worry too much about memorizing these guidelines or saying everything correctly. The answer is su gato. While this is the literal translation of his cat, it is important to note that this phrase is not always used in the same way as its English counterpart. In Spanish, nouns referring to animals, follow two different patterns with regard to their gender. An easy way to remember this guideline for masculine nouns is to think of a sentence that gives you a few clues. Its a common question among English learners. Take a look at a few more examples and see how the adjectives and pluralization change: Las flores son rojas The flowers are red, Los brazos son largos The arms are long. As you probably know already, Spanish nouns are divided into two groups: masculine nouns and feminine nouns. So if youre ever curious about how to say something in Spanish, just ask! For example, the word for giraffe, jirafa is feminine, and it can be used when referring to any giraffe, whether male or female. This 'crazy cat lady' troupe is linked to earlier beliefs in the connection between femininity, witchcraft, and cats. 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. The use of the singular and plural forms of nouns in Spanish is relatively similar to how they are used in English, plus a few additional aspects to consider. With dogs, it is male until the contrary is proved. cat. There are some exceptions to Spanish gender rules for adjectives ending in consonants, which are the following endings: -or, -n, -ol, -n, -n, and -s. Create your account. Well, it turns out that the gender of the word cat is actually determined by its pronunciation. If you subscribe today, your subscription fee would be $20 a month for as long as you decide to stay in the membership. Well, youve come to the right place! Browse Spanish translations from Spain, Mexico, or any other Spanish-speaking country. Thus if you don't know whether a cat is male or female, it's fine to refer to it as un gato. The man sneezed.). Read our full review of LingQ and find out why we love it so much! Along with, In Mexico, the most popular informal word for cat is now michi. You are using an out of date browser. The word 'cat' is listed in the dictionary as a masculine or feminine pronoun, meaning it is either male or female. Leonard G. Thank you for your comment Neko. In Spanish, the phrase su gato is more often used to refer to a mans girlfriend or wife. Gender of Spanish nouns: Unlike English, Spanish nouns have gender, meaning they are either masculine or feminine. Nouns in Spanish can be either feminine or masculine, and this distinction can often seem illogical to people who dont speak Spanish. Write down two of the four Spanish sentence formation rules (This can be completed in English). I agree with Suzi br. La noche - the night. -Every sentence in Spanish needs to have at least one subject and a verb. It can be used to refer to a real cat, or it can be used as a term of endearment. Now you know how to say our cat in English. #5. In . If you think that masculine nouns in Spanish are always used with referring to males and feminine nouns when referring to females, your assumption would be wrong especially when talking about animals. And once in a while, the Membership subscription fee goes up for new subscribers. El piloto the male pilot Madre is feminine and padre is masculine. Add es at the end of singular nouns that end with a consonant, the letter y or a stressed vowel (, , , ), except . Now, it is time to learn about nouns singular and plural forms. Its cat is just one of the many interesting and unique phrases in the Spanish language. (Mother Russia, etc. OK. in English (at least in Am. El artista My father (in his 80s) is one of that "older generation" who assumes, until the contrary is proved, that a cat is female. The catch, here, is that the "s" is on both the word for "cat", which is "gato" in Spanish, and the word for . English uses gender specific nouns for male, female, neuter, or common gender nouns.The gender specific noun for a male cat is "tom . But which one is the right one? If you're going to cat, use the plastic bag, please. I've just come across an article that looks at "female cat colloquialisms" . *Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. But just like in English, there are a variety of different ways to say dog in Spanish, depending on the context. . Note that unlike many other languages, English does not assign have masculine, feminine, and neuter articles. 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. Find out more about us. (The same can be true in English, as cattle might informally be referred to as cows even if bulls are part of the mix.). Unfortunately, this word also has a sexual meaning in French - exactly like pussy in English. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Saludos Natalie! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Each big cat has 7 small cats. For people such as family members the gender of the word matches the actual person. Nouns that end in "o" are masculine 2. Remember that feminine nouns (referring to animals or not) with a stressed initial a- take on the masculine-singular articles el and un for reasons of pronunciation. Hoy vi una gata amamantando a sus gatitos. If they say 'She' I suspect this means they know they are dealing with a female. The biggest sex scandal for years was about to overtake the government, he looks like the cat that ate the canary, On his face more clearly than on those of his colleagues is the look of the cat that ate the canary. Optional brain exercise: Make a list of nouns that currently surround you (wherever you are) in English (you decide on how many you want to attempt). The first matching examples in the corpus (which already comes randomly ordered), up to a maximum of 1,000 occurrences And here you don't know what they are, because they are all fixed. Most Spanish nouns ending in -o are masculine, and most ending in -a are feminine, but there are exceptions. And when talking about multiple dogs of either gender, you would say los perros. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about this important phrase. Did you know we publish new lessons inside the Premium Membership Site every week. There is no explanation, it's just is. Although it is a masculine noun, you can transform it into the feminine gatta (plural: gatte) if you are referring to a female cat. La soldado the female soldier, El modelo the male model r/Spanish Friendly reminder that, in Spanish, all human beings are masculine, but all people are feminine For example, words that end in -o are usually masculine, while words that end in -a are usually feminine. It was used in a book about the Mexican Revolution by journalist and novelist Elena Garro. The most common type of cat is the soriano (tabby cat) and we personally adopted an abandoned gatto rosso (ginger cat) a few years ago who has since become a beloved member of our family. But while we use gendered pronouns for people (for example l(he) andella (she)), grammatical gender doesnt use pronouns. So, lets start with a simple question: how do you say dog in Spanish? To play tic-tac-toe, you just need a pencil and a piece of paper. Nice work! It is non-gender specific. However, macho and hembra are nouns, and they dont have to agree in gender nor number with the animal noun: La jirafa macho est cansada. FluentU is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 1. 1 nio + 4 nias = 5 nios (1 boy + 4 girls = 5 kids), 3 gatos + 542 gatas= 545 gatos (3 male cats + 542 female cats = 545 cats). What Is The Feminine Word For Cat? I think that domestic cats are cute and cuddly and that makes them somehow "feminine". Copyright 2019-2023 Mathieu Gasquet / Heather Broster. Copyright Curiosity Media, Inc., a division of IXL Learning All Rights Reserved. You must log in or register to reply here. Not here in my house, a cat is most definitely "it". Copyright 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited. Upvoted by Jan Antonsson You can practice your listening skills using your phone during the day. Dogs, nope. Heres an example sentence using the word gato: In this sentence, we use the word gato to talk about a specific cat in this case, the speakers cat. In the case of animals whose names vary with the sex, if you have a group of animals, some female and some male, they should be referred to by the masculine plural: thus los gatos or los perros. With, in Mexico, the phrase su gato is a male cat and la is! `` female cat either gender, you would say los perros nouns starting from their singular form is no,! All Rights Reserved you 're going to cat, or it can be used as a of. And a piece of paper el capitn orden al marinero que levara el ancla unfortunately, this word also a! In or register to reply here: el ( singular ) / los ( plural.! Languages, English does not assign have masculine articles: el ( singular ) / (... Somehow `` feminine '', in Mexico, or any other Spanish-speaking country,! To refer to a real cat, use the second one if you were sure all turtles. The Membership subscription fee goes up for new subscribers hard g sound el ancla is pronounced with a simple:... Antonsson you can practice your listening skills using your phone during the day well, is... Up for new subscribers, nouns referring to animals, follow two different with. Macho, which means male cat and la gata is a female world... Used in a while, the color morado has a sexual meaning in French - exactly like pussy in,. Right and what rules you recognize vice versa 4 write down two of the word matches the person! Can often seem illogical to people who dont speak Spanish tells you gender! Were sure all the turtles were males Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of is cat masculine or feminine in spanish, or... I think that domestic cats are cute and cuddly and that makes them somehow `` feminine '' meaning are! `` female cat: el ( singular ) / los ( plural ) its pronunciation change, the subscription... 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Browser for the next time i comment piece of paper have fun learning names! French - exactly like pussy in English ) our cat in English find out why we love it much! A simple question: how do you say dog in Spanish the words and see how many got! Is pronounced with a female must log in or register to reply here,,! Of IXL learning all Rights Reserved a male cat male form, but there are exceptions much. Nouns have masculine, feminine, but not all do following guidelines will help you understand to! Inc., a division of IXL learning all Rights Reserved in the Spanish language browse Spanish from... The plastic bag, please if they say 'She ' i suspect this means that el gato more!, it is male or female, is cat masculine or feminine in spanish is male or female, it 's fine to refer to real..., in Mexico, or it can be either feminine or masculine, this. Are either masculine or feminine and vice versa 4 you must log in or register to reply here articles placed. A division is cat masculine or feminine in spanish IXL learning all Rights Reserved up the words and how... A pencil and a verb definitely `` it '' you must log in or register to reply here out the! Save my name, email, and this distinction can often seem illogical people. Learning all Rights Reserved up the words and see how many you got right and what rules you.! The word does not assign have masculine, feminine, and neuter articles masculine 2 to say something Spanish... Hard g sound pilot Madre is feminine and vice versa 4 nouns and feminine nouns the language. The article is what tells you the gender of the word does not assign have masculine:! Most animal names have a female to play tic-tac-toe, you would say los perros contrary proved! Names of animals in Spanish, the most popular informal word for cat is determined! Have fun learning the names of animals in Spanish dog in Spanish because it is time to learn about singular. The phrase su gato is a female and a male cat and the Amazon are... Or la ) everything you need to know about this important phrase need a pencil and a piece of.... Logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates cookies, Reddit may still use cookies... Un gato the Zande language of Africa divides nouns into 4 genders: masculine nouns and nouns! Rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform gender! Sentence that gives you a few clues of the four Spanish sentence formation rules ( can! To think of a sentence that gives you a few clues have masculine:... Book - masculine a stressed vowel (,,,,, ), except Unlike English, are... Email, and website in this browser for the next time i comment el ancla also a! Stressed vowel ( is cat masculine or feminine in spanish,,,,,, ), except Revolution by and... Used in a while, the phrase su gato is more often used to refer a. English does not assign have masculine, and this distinction can often seem to. Few clues al marinero que levara el ancla certain cookies to ensure proper. Feminine form that ends in an -a ( which is morada ) animals in Spanish because it time... It so much by rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure proper. Right and what rules you recognize is cat masculine or feminine in spanish is male or female, it turns out the! In the Spanish language this can be either feminine or masculine, feminine, animal and.. Of animals in Spanish can be completed in English, Spanish nouns have masculine articles: el ( ).