Feb
23
Gender bender
One of the first things English speakers learn about Spanish is that every noun in Spanish has a gender. Most of the time there are clues to remind us as to whether a noun is male or female in Spanish. For example, a noun that ends in the letter “a” is usually, (although not always), feminine.
However there are nouns that are, for lack of a better term, linguistic hermaphrodites. That means they have both a feminine and a masculine side. In other words, they are switch hitters who use both the feminine articles la, las, una, unas as well as the masculine articles el, los, un, unos. But the meaning of these words change depending on their gender.
Here is a list of words that go both ways:
el capital = the money
la capital = the capital city
el cólera = cholera (the disease)
la cólera = anger
el coma = coma
la coma = comma
el cometa = comet
la cometa = kite
el corriente = the current month
la corriente = the (electric) current
el corte = cut
la corte = court of law
el cura = priest
la cura = cure
el defensa = defense (in a sport)
la defensa = defense (like in a legal proceeding)
el editorial = editorial
la editorial = publisher
el escucha = listening device (an electronic “bug”)
la escucha = eavesdropping (the listening or monitoring of someone/something)
el frente = military front
la frente = forehead
el guardía = the (male) guard
la guardía = guard unit (or a female guard)
el guía = the (male) guide
la guía = guidebook (or a female guide)
el orden = order (opposite of disorder)
la orden = a command or a religious order
el pendiente = earring
la pendiente = slope
el pez = fish
la pez = tar
el policía = policeman
la policía = police force (or a policewoman)
el radio = radius/spoke
la radio = radio
el vocal = member of a board
la vocal = vowel
Can you think of any others? Add them in the comments section!
el mar
la mar
Gee, I wonder why Lamar knows about “la mar”?
This could be wrong, but I’ve always understood “la mar” to just be an affectionate, yet respectful, way seaman refer to the sea. In their minds the sea is beautiful, a source of life, but also sometimes dangerous and vengeful…and therefore clearly feminine.
Great list, Eleena. Most of them were new to me. I wouldn’t have put the words that refer to either the male or female person in a certain occupation though. They’d belong in a separate list in my mind.
el batería = drummer
la batería = battery, drum kit, female drummer
el parte = report, bulletin
la parte = part
And here’s another odd case: arte, which is usually masculine when singular but feminine when plural: el artes, las artes. (And it’s not just a case of a singular feminine noun starting with a stressed ‘a’ sound taking a masculine definite article, like el agua, el hache, etc)
Oooops. Seem to have slipped on the keyboard: I meant el arte (and not el artes) above.
Another one I was thinking about but forgot to mention was: el/la mañana.
All good. Keep ‘em coming!
el muñeca - wrist
la muñeca - doll
Hi there!
Just wanted to say that both
la muñeca-wrist and
la muñeca-doll
are feminine in Spanish.
Sorry about my English.. I am a Spaniard!!
@Maria, good eye! Thanks for catching and correcting that mistake.