Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Vocabulary


The differences between feminine and masculine

 

Ask about definitions or translations for Spanish or English words.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old May 05, 2011, 01:42 AM
erin21happy erin21happy is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4
erin21happy is on a distinguished road
The differences between feminine and masculine

Hai, i want to ask what is the difference between the word when it is use in feminine and masculine?

Every word in Spanish has masculine and feminie. What does it represent?

Is it like noun and verb? Or is it like singular and plural?
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old May 05, 2011, 02:54 AM
Perikles's Avatar
Perikles Perikles is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Tenerife
Posts: 4,814
Native Language: Inglés
Perikles is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by erin21happy View Post
Every word in Spanish has masculine and feminie. What does it represent?
I can't imagine what makes you think this. Nouns are either masculine or feminine, and some adjectives are as well. Gender has no meaning for a verb. Give us an example of what baffles you.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old May 05, 2011, 09:09 AM
wrholt's Avatar
wrholt wrholt is offline
Sapphire
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Posts: 1,401
Native Language: US English
wrholt is on a distinguished road
Many languages group nouns into two or more grammatical categories that are often called "genders". As a grammatical term, "gender" means "type", "kind" or "category". Usually these languages require some type of gender agreement between nouns and their associated articles and pronouns, and sometimes with associated adjectives.

The number of genders and their usual names are arbitrary. For example, Swedish has 2 genders called "common" and "neuter", German has 3 genders called "masculine", "feminine" and "neuter", and Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian have 2 genders called "masculine" and "feminine".

The assignment of gender to a noun is arbitrary. In Spanish the nouns that name male living things often have masculine gender, and the nouns that name female living things often have feminine gender; this is true for most nouns that name people and well-known domesticated animals. All other nouns also have grammatical gender, and you must learn the gender for each noun individually.

There are some general rules for identifying the gender of a noun either by form (usually the ending of the noun) or by meaning, but almost all of these rules have at least a few exceptions.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old May 05, 2011, 12:55 PM
Luna Azul Luna Azul is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 792
Luna Azul is on a distinguished road
Great answer, wrholt..


__________________

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old May 07, 2011, 10:09 PM
erin21happy erin21happy is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 4
erin21happy is on a distinguished road
Thank you so much for the clarification =)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old May 07, 2011, 11:12 PM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
And I was ready to explain about the bees and the flowers...
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old May 08, 2011, 02:22 AM
Perikles's Avatar
Perikles Perikles is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Tenerife
Posts: 4,814
Native Language: Inglés
Perikles is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by chileno View Post
And I was ready to explain about the bees and the flowers...
I think you mean 'the birds and the bees'
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old May 08, 2011, 08:55 AM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by chileno View Post
And I was ready to explain about the bees and the flowers...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perikles View Post
I think you mean 'the birds and the bees'
Correct. Mix up of languages.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old May 09, 2011, 07:43 AM
irmamar's Avatar
irmamar irmamar is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 7,071
Native Language: Español
irmamar is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrholt View Post
and well-known domesticated animals.
Good answer , but I disagree with this point. Not only well-known domesticated animals differ their gender. For instance:

león - leona
elefante - elefanta
oso - osa
lobo - loba
leopardo - pantera
etc.

I wouldn't say they are domesticated animals.

Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old May 09, 2011, 10:53 AM
Luna Azul Luna Azul is offline
Emerald
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 792
Luna Azul is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
león - leona
elefante - elefanta
oso - osa
lobo - loba
leopardo - pantera
etc.
Pareciera que estuvieras diciendo que la pantera es la hembra del leopardo y no lo es, aunque sea una palabra femenina. El leopardo es un tipo de pantera, no su macho.

Al menos eso es lo que siempre me enseñaron a mí. Si estoy equivocada, te pido disculpas..

Otro caso en el cual el nombre del animal es femenino, es la jirafa, así sea un macho bien machote.. La serpiente o culebra sería otro ejemplo y hay muchos más.

__________________


Last edited by Luna Azul; May 09, 2011 at 10:56 AM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Is something masculine or feminine by the word we use or what it is intrinsically? Oso Grammar 2 January 04, 2011 09:13 PM
Why is it ok to use el with a feminine noun? Feliz Grammar 17 September 13, 2010 02:44 AM
Is it masculine or feminine in the dictionary? bleitzow Vocabulary 8 November 12, 2007 02:50 PM
femenine and masculine Grammar Man Grammar 3 September 17, 2007 08:42 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:23 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X