English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 1 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Spanish Nouns And Gender # 2 Masculine Nouns -Places, Things, Ideas A Review for Intermediate and Advanced Students As a general rule, nouns that end in –o, are masculine and nouns that end in –a are feminine. For example, el año is a masculine noun and la vida is a feminine noun. But, there are many exceptions to the rule. Some nouns that end in –a, –e, -u are masculine. el tranvía Exercise 1 Read each English clue below. Circle the corresponding Spanish article and noun in the word search puzzle. The words can appear horizontally, vertically, diagonally, forward, and backward. E J K H E A N B O E Z L N M D I Z O L L Q G P F M B P C I T D O N E D G O L X R X D A N R L J Z E A A í D L E F G R P N L O B G T L U D T V Z B A R Y X A M X í I U L U N F P K E A Q A Y D J M X Q D O colleague day foot perfume trolley el cine movie house el coche car el colega colleague el día day el espíritu spirit el meringue baked egg white el parque park el perfume perfume el pie foot el postre dessert el viaje trip el tranvía trolley English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 2 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Nouns ending in –ma, -pa, –ta are usually masculine. These nouns have Greek origins. el planeta Exercise 2 Read the English clue. Complete the puzzle with the Spanish article and noun. Across Down 5. diagram 1. prophet 6. sketch 2. dilemma 3. anagram 4. map 5. theme el anagrama anagram el aroma aroma el clima climate el cometa comet el crucigrama crucigram el diagrama diagram el dilema dilemma el diploma diploma el drama drama el enigma enigma el esquema sketch el fantasma ghost el idioma language el mapa map el panaorama panorama el pentagrama pentagram el planeta planet el poema poem el prisma prism el problema problem el programa program el profeta prophet el síntoma symptom el sistema system el telegrama telegram el tema theme English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 3 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Nouns that end in –ambre, –aje are masculine. el enjambre Exercise 3 Unscramble each of the words. Copy the letters in the numbered boxes to the corresponding numbered boxes at the bottom. A sentence will appear. (Hint: The scenery is pretty.) The answer to the sentence is on page 9. el alambre wire el calambre cramp el enjambre swarm of bees el montaje setting el paisaje scenery el pasaje train/bus fare el personaje character el salvaje savage English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 4 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke These nouns are masculine. They end in an accented vowel, a consonant, -ín, -ís, -ón, -or, -ión, -z. Many of them can easily be mistaken for feminine nouns. accented vowel consonant -ín -ís -ón -or -ión -z el colibrí (hummingbird) el abad (abbot) el cojín (cushion) el análisis (analysis) el galardón (prize) el amor (love) el avión (airplane) el ajedrez (chess) el sofá (sofá) el árbol (tree) el jardín (garden) el énfasis (emphasis) el malecón (jetty) el calor (heat) el bastión (stronghold) el altavoz speaker el césped (turf) el país (country) el rincón (corner) el color (color) el camión (truck) el antifaz (mask) el huésped (host) el parenthesis (parenthesis) el riñón (kidney) el rencor (hate) el gorrión (sparrow) el aprendiz (apprentice) el general (general) el sudor (sweat) el limpión (wipe) el arroz (rice) el origen (origen) el temblor (tremor) el sarampión (measles) el avestruz (ostrich) el pan (bread) el valor (courage) el turbión (squall) el cáliz (goblet) el régimen (regime) el vapor (vapor) el haz (sheaf) el reloj (watch) el bailador el lápiz (pencil) el sol (sun) el maíz (maise) el sud (south) el pez (fish) Exercise 4 Find and circle the words in the box on the right. The words can appear horizontally, vertically, diagonally, forward, and backward. A hidden Spanish sentence will appear between the circled words in the top 2 lines of the word search puzzle. Write the sentence below. (Hint: I prefer rice to bread.) The answer is to the sentence is on page 9. P N R E F I E E Í R O E L A R R Ó O Z A L P R L A N K B P N S I B C X E B Y Q V R V G E C R B N E V I Q N U J A X G I A K R L S L Y P K P J L L T H E J U R O D E P S É C L E O L U G T C L J V W S X S Z Z P R X Y L N D L D Q Í A E U E G V B E E J Í W V R A H I Z G K F F Q B B S D G E P A C S G U Y Y Q J E O B R R L W B F S T R P X K K U Q K A E Y T E X M L P J C U G P X T J G C G U J I Z N Ó C N I R L E L K B T L E V S D R T R C D J X E J X U Z N __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ . EL COLIBRÍ EL CÉSPED EL JARDÍN EL PAÍS EL PEZ EL RINCÓN EL TURBIÓN EL VALOR English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 5 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Feminine nouns that begin with a stressed a-or ha-take the masculine article in the singular form. Because these nouns are feminine, the adjective used to modify this type of noun is also feminine. el alba Exercise 5 Here are 2 fallen phrase puzzles. A Spanish sentence fits into each puzzle. Use the scrambled letters under each column of the puzzle to complete the sentence. (Hints: The golden eagle flies high in the sky. Let’s put the Christmas tree in the living room.) The answers are on page 9. el agua water el águila eagle el ala wing el alba dawn el alma soul el área area el arma weapon el arpa harp el aula classroom el ave bird el hacha ax el hada fairy el hambre hunger English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 6 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Compound nouns combine a verb or a preposition with a noun. They are masculine. el rompecabezas Exercise 6 Here are 3 cryptograms. Write the letter that corresponds with the number in each of the blanks below in order to form the Spanish sentence. (Hints: You had better take your umbrella. Juan throws the life preserver to Mario. Today is Robert’s birthday. ) The answers are on page 10. A B D E G Í L P R S T U V 13 12 8 5 1 7 4 22 16 26 21 15 6 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 8 5 12 5 16 7 13 26 4 4 5 6 13 16 21 5 5 4 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __. 22 13 16 13 1 15 13 26 A D E I J L M N O R S T U V 26 6 19 1 11 3 22 21 24 13 15 17 2 10 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 11 2 26 21 17 1 13 26 19 3 15 26 3 10 26 10 1 6 26 15 26 __ __ __ __ __. 22 26 13 1 24 A B C D E H L M ñ O P R S T U Y 13 1 10 14 26 9 5 21 20 6 3 2 15 23 25 17 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 9 6 17 26 15 26 5 10 25 21 3 5 26 13 20 6 15 14 26 __ __ __ __ __ __ __. 2 6 1 26 2 23 6 el abrelatas can opener el cumpleaños birthday el guardarropa closet el lavaplatos dishwasher el parabrisas windshield el parachoques bumper el paraguas umbrella el paracaídas parachute el pararrayos lightening rod el rascacielos skyscraper el rompecabezas jigsaw puzzle el sacacorchos corkscrew el salvavidas life preserver el sujetapapeles stapler English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 7 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Words that fit into these categories are masculine. Category Example rivers el Tajo mountains, lakes, seas, oceans el Himalaya, el lago Titicaca, el mar Mediterráneo cars, boats, aircraft el Mercedes months, days el enero, el lunes wines el Rioja pictures named by artists el Goya sports teams el Real Madrid infinitives el comer numbers el siete musical notes el do, el fa colors el verde fruit trees el limonero languages el español Exercise 7 These are scrambled sentences. Unscramble the boxes to reveal the sentence. Write the sentence on the line provided. (Hints: The Tajo is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula. The lemon tree is a citrus tree. January is the first month of the year.) The answers are on page 10. Example: E L T A J O E S E L R Í O M Á S L A R G O D E L A P E N Í N S U L A I B É R I C A . __El Tajo es el río más grande de la Península Ibérica.__ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ D E Í O L R N Í N I C A O E E S U L S E E L B É R R G O T A J L A P E A I L A . M Á S English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 8 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Some nouns have a different meaning if used with the masculine or the feminine article. Masculine Feminine el capital capital (money) la capital capital (city) el canal TV channel la canal gutter el cólera cholera la cólera anger el coma coma la coma comma el cometa comet la cometa kite el corte cut la corte court el cura priest la cura cure el editorial newspaper editorial la editorial publishing house el frente front la frente forehead el guía guide (person) la guía guidebook el mañana tomorrow la mañana morning el modelo model (example) la modela fashion model el orden order (arrangement) la orden order (command) el papa pope la papa potato el pez fish la pez tar el policía police officer la policía police department Exercise 8 Complete the sentence with the appropriate definite article. Él me dio _____ orden y tengo que hacer lo que quiere. (He gave me the order and I have to do what he wants.) ¿Cuál es _____ capital de España? (What is the capital of Spain?) _____ cólera es una enfermedad epidémica. (Cholera is an epidemic illness.) Compré _____ guía pero no me sirvió de ayuda. (I bought the guidebook but it didn’t help me.) Él me besó en _____ frente. (He kissed me on the forehead.) _____ pez huele mal. (The fish smells bad.) El me besó en la frente. Ella vio el amanecer por _____ mañana. (She saw the sunrise in the morning.) Los científicos no han hallado _____ cura contra el cáncer. (Scientists have not found the cure for cáncer.) _____ corte castigó a los criminales. (The court punished the criminals.) English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 9 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke The Answers Exercise 1 el colega, el día, el pie, el perfume, el tranvía Exercise 2 Across – 5. el diagrama 6. el esquema Down – 1. el profeta 2. el dilema 3. el anagrama 4. el mapa 5. el tema Exercise 3 el salvaje, el montaje, el calambre, el personaje, el alambre, el pasaje, el enjambre, el paisaje The sentence: El paisaje es bonito. (The scenery is pretty.) Exercise 4 Hidden sentence: Prefiero el arroz al pan. (I prefer rice to bread.) P R E F I E R O E L A R R O Z A L P A N Exercise 5 El águila caudal vuela en el alto cielo. (The golden eagle flies high in the sky.) Pongamos el árbol de Navidad en el salón. (Let’s put the Christmas tree in the living room.) E E E L I L L P P C T E O L R R L E A A Í D L E F N G U V A M Í E A N E Í ó R L I B V B I A R L L E U O D E P S É C l E O L T C S P R L N Í E E E Í A D P R L A E J N ó C N I R L E L E English-Spanish Helpful Handouts -For English Speakers Who Want To Learn Spanish Page 10 of 10 Free Handout – http://sites.google.com/site/englishspanishhelpfulhandouts Photos: www.flickr.com (Creative Commons License) N I C O, frogthroat, adstream, House Photography, monkeysox, cfinke Exercise 6 Deberías llevarte el paraguas. (You had better take your umbrella.) Juan tira el salvavidas a Mario. (Juan throws the life preserver to Mario.) Hoy es el cumpleaños de Roberto. (Today is Robert’s birthday.) Exercise 7 El Tajo es el río más largo de la Península Ibérica. (The Tajo is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula.) El limonero es un árbol cítrico. (The lemon tree is a citrus tree.) El enero es el primer mes del año. (January is the first month of the year.) Exercise 8 Él me dio la orden y tengo que hacer lo que quiere. (He gave me the order and I have to do what he wants.) ¿Cuál es la capital de España? (What is the capital of Spain?) El cólera es una enfermedad epidémica. (Cholera is an epidemic illness.) Compré la guía pero no me sirvió de ayuda. (I bought the guide book but it didn’t help me.) Él me besó en la frente. (He kissed me on the forehead.) El pez huele mal. (The fish smells bad.) Ella vio el amanecer por la mañana. (She saw the sunrise this morning.) Los científicos no han hallado la cura contra el cáncer. (Scientists have not found the cure for cáncer.) La corte castigó a los criminales. (The court punished the criminals.)