Basics of Noun | Spanish: Beginner A1 Level - Class 6 PDF Download

Nouns (Sustantivos)

In Spanish, nouns (sustantivos) are words that refer to people, places, things, or ideas. They are one of the fundamental building blocks of the language and are essential for communication. Understanding nouns is crucial because they are often the subject of a sentence and can perform other functions as well.

Nouns in Spanish have gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural), which affect the articles and adjectives that accompany them. This system of agreement is a key aspect of Spanish grammar.

Regular Plurals (Plurales Regulares)

In Spanish, forming the plural of nouns is generally straightforward. However, it’s important to pay attention to the ending of the noun in its singular form, as this will determine how you convert it to plural.

Part 1: Nouns Ending in Vowels (Sustantivos terminados en vocales)

Pattern:

• For nouns ending in a vowel, simply add -s.

Examples:

• “libro” (book) becomes “libros” (books)
• “chica” (girl) becomes “chicas” (girls)
• “auto” (car) becomes “autos” (cars)

Part 2: Nouns Ending in Consonants (Sustantivos terminados en consonantes)

Pattern:

• For nouns ending in a consonant, add -es.

Examples:

• “papel” (paper) becomes “papeles” (papers)
• “reloj” (watch) becomes “relojes” (watches)
• “canción” (song) becomes “canciones” (songs)

Part 3: Nouns Ending in -z (Sustantivos terminados en -z)

Pattern:

• For nouns ending in -z, change the -z to -c and add -es.

Examples:

• “luz” (light) becomes “luces” (lights)
• “pez” (fish) becomes “peces” (fishes)
• “voz” (voice) becomes “voces” (voices)

Part 4: Nouns Ending in Unstressed -é (Sustantivos terminados en -é no acentuado)

Pattern:

• For nouns ending in unstressed -é, add -s.

Examples:

• “café” (coffee) becomes “cafés” (coffees)
• “bebé” (baby) becomes “bebés” (babies)
• “interés” (interest) becomes “intereses” (interests)

Part 5: Nouns Ending in -s or -x with Stress on the Last Syllable (Sustantivos terminados en -s o -x con acento en la última sílaba)

Pattern:

• For nouns ending in -s or -x with the stress on the last syllable, the singular and plural forms are the same.

Examples:

• “crisis” (crisis) remains “crisis” in both singular and plural
• “tórax” (thorax) remains “tórax” in both singular and plural
• “lunes” (Monday) remains “lunes” in both singular and plural

Part 6: Nouns Ending in -s or -x with Stress Before the Last Syllable (Sustantivos terminados en -s o -x con acento antes de la última sílaba)

Pattern:

• For nouns ending in -s or -x with the stress before the last syllable, add -es.

Examples:

• “compás” (compass) becomes “compases” (compasses)
• “reflejo” (reflection) becomes “reflejos” (reflections)

Irregular Plurals (Plurales Irregulares)

While many Spanish nouns follow regular patterns to form their plurals, some do not. These irregular plurals often involve a change in the internal structure of the word or a complete change in the ending. Understanding these irregularities is crucial for mastering Spanish grammar.

Vowel Changes (Cambios de vocales)

Pattern:

• Some nouns experience a change in their internal vowels when forming the plural.

Examples:

• “joven” (young person) becomes “jóvenes” (young people)
• “región” (region) becomes “regiones” (regions)

Diphthong Changes (Cambios de diptongos)

Pattern:

• Nouns with certain diphthongs may change when pluralized, typically from “ie” to “i”.

Examples:

• “tiempo” (time) becomes “tiempos” (times)
• “cielo” (sky) becomes “cielos” (skies)

Ending Changes (Cambios de terminaciones)

Pattern:

• Some nouns completely change their endings instead of simply adding a suffix.

Examples:

• “carácter” (character) becomes “caracteres” (characters)
• “espécimen” (specimen) becomes “especímenes” (specimens)

Special Irregularities (Irregularidades especiales)

Pattern:

• A few nouns have special irregular forms that must be memorized.

Examples:

• “alemán” (German) becomes “alemanes” (Germans)
• “mujer” (woman) becomes “mujeres” (women)

Consistent Irregulars (Irregulares consistentes)

Pattern:

• Some nouns have irregular plural forms that are consistent across a category of nouns.

Examples:

• “hombre” (man) becomes “hombres” (men)
• “niño” (child) becomes “niños” (children)

Invariable Nouns (Sustantivos invariables)

Pattern:

• Certain nouns remain the same in both singular and plural forms.

Examples:

• “crisis” (crisis) remains “crisis” in both singular and plural
• “lunes” (Monday) remains “lunes” in both singular and plural

Absolutely, let’s delve into the special cases of pluralization in Spanish, which include exceptions to the regular rules and unique patterns that students will need to remember.

Special Cases (Casos Especiales)

Spanish, like any language, has its share of exceptions and special cases. When it comes to pluralizing nouns, there are certain patterns that don’t fit the regular rules. These special cases require extra attention and practice.

Nouns Ending in -z (Sustantivos terminados en -z)

Pattern:

• For nouns ending in -z, change the -z to -c and add -es.

Examples:

• “luz” (light) becomes “luces” (lights)
• “pez” (fish) becomes “peces” (fishes)
• “nariz” (nose) becomes “narices” (noses)

Nouns with the Same Singular and Plural Form (Sustantivos con la misma forma en singular y plural)

Pattern:

• Some nouns have the same form in both singular and plural, often due to the stress being on the last syllable.

Examples:

• “crisis” (crisis) remains “crisis”
• “lunes” (Monday) remains “lunes”
• “paraguas” (umbrella) remains “paraguas”

Nouns Ending in -s or -x (Sustantivos terminados en -s o -x)

Pattern:

• If a noun ends in -s or -x and the stress is not on the last syllable, the plural form adds -es.

Examples:

• “compás” (compass) becomes “compases” (compasses)
• “tórax” (thorax) becomes “tóraxes” (thoraxes)

Foreign-Origin Nouns (Sustantivos de origen extranjero)

Pattern:

• Nouns borrowed from other languages sometimes retain their original plural form or adapt to Spanish rules.

Examples:

• “jersey” (sweater) becomes “jerséis” (sweaters) - adapting to Spanish rules
• “club” (club) becomes “clubs” (clubs) - retaining the original form

Abbreviations and Acronyms (Abreviaturas y acrónimos)

Pattern:

• Abbreviations and acronyms usually form the plural by adding -s.

Examples:

• “CD” (compact disc) becomes “CDs” (compact discs)
• “km” (kilometer) becomes “kms” (kilometers)