Word Gender

1. Word Gender How do you identify the gender of words in Spanish?

2. 8 Simple Rules for Mastering Spanish Gender • Everything in Spanish is either male or female. • The language is charged with gender power.

3. Rule #1: Masculine • When speaking about living creatures, nouns that end in “o” are masculine. el gato → the male cat el perro → the male dog los gatos → the male cats los perros → the male dogs el chico → the boy el oso → the male bear los chicos → the boys los osos → the male bears el abuelo → the grandfather el tío → the uncle los abuelos → the grandparents los tíos → the uncles

4. Rule #2: Feminine • When speaking about living creatures, nouns that end in “a” are feminine. La gata → the female cat la perra → the female dog Las gatas → the female cats las perras → the female dogs La chica → the girl la osa → the female bear Las chicas → the girls las osas → the female bears

5. Beware the Gender Trap • Don’t fall into a “gender thinking trap.”, i.e. thinking that everything associated with a male will automatically be masculine and everything associated with a female will automatically be feminine. This is false. Only distinct living creatures fall under this categorization. • la corbata → the necktie • el maquillaje → the makeup

6. Rule #3: Neutral • When there is a group of mixed gender, no matter what the ratio is of females to males and males to females, the group is always referred to as masculine. 1 niño + 4 niñas = 5 niños   1 boy + 4 girls = 5 kids 3 gatos + 542 gatas = 545 gatos         3 male cats + 542 female cats = 545 cats

7. Rule #4: Consonant • Masculine nouns that end in consonants (non-vowels) have a corresponding feminine form that ends in “a” el profesor → the male professor la profesora → the female professor el doctor → the male doctor la doctora → the female doctor el señor → the Mr. la señora → the Mrs

8. Rule #5: Nouns, Gender & Profession • Some nouns that refer to professions have the same form for masculine and feminine. The article is the only thing that changes. Some nouns that refer to professions do not change their forms. This does not mean that the importance of gender disappears. If the word does not change, the article is in full charge of specifying gender.

9. Nouns, Gender and Professions • Some nouns that refer to professions do not change their forms. This does not mean that the importance of gender disappears. If the word does not change, the article is in full charge of specifying gender. el piloto → the male pilot                                 la piloto → the female pilotel soldado → the male soldier                         la soldado → the female soldierel modelo → the male model                           la modelo → the female modelel poeta → the male poet                                 la poeta → the female poetel atleta → the male athlete                             la atleta → the female athlete

10. Students will review and learn word gender and learn the Personal Adjectives Learning Activities: • Listening Comprehension: Como soy Yo? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwWzMvPyVXA • 1. Complete word gender notes/Review • 2. Show mastery of Word Gender Rules (slides 26-27) • 2. Practice Personal Adjectives w/flashcards (green) • 3. Take notes from Basic Personal Adjectives PowerPoint, • 4. Practice adjective concepts (slide 9) • 5. Rewrite rules and come up with an example of each • 5. Complete adjective practice (page 11)

11. Rule #6: Exclusive Endings • Nouns that end in –sión, –ción, –dad, –tud and –umbre will always require the feminine article. la exposición → the exhibitionla habitación →  the roomla felicidad →  the happinessla solicitud →  the applicationla costumbre →  the custom

12. Rule #7: Exclusive Endings • Nouns that end in –ma require a masculine article el problema →  the problemel emblema →  the emblemel enigma →  the mystery

13. Rule #8: Evolution (Stupid Latin) • Latin based launguages exist within a strict framework of rules, yet they are alive, dynamic, and evolving.  Therefore, in making the transition to Spanish there are always exceptions to the rules, and these exceptions, in turn, create new rules. el día → the day el mapa → the map el cura → the priest el planeta → the planet la foto → the photola mano →  the handla radio →  the radiola moto →  the motorcycle

14. Quick Overview: Articles & Word Gender • Gender: • All words have gender in Spanish • Masculine & Neutral words end in consonants and vowels excepting ‘a’, gender specific • Feminine words end in “a” and “ion” and are gender specific. • Article: The/ Those • Masculine: el (singular) los (plural) • Feminine: La (singular) las (plural)

15. Correctly identify the gender of nouns and be able to tell which rule applies • i. gata (cat) • ii. problema (problem) • iii. el mapa (map) • iv. perros (dogs) • v. la madre (mom) • vi mama (mom)

16. Correctly identify the gender of nouns and be able to tell which rule applies • vii profesora (profesor) • viii trabajadora (worker) • ix. maestros (teachers male & female) • x. la piloto (pilot) • xi. nacion (nation) • xii. chico (boy) • xiii. chica (girl) • xiv. los atletas (athlete) • xv. silla (chair)

17. Correctly identify the gender of nouns and be able to tell which rule applies • i. gata (cat) f, rule 2, living thing • ii. problema (problem) m, rule 7 exclusive ending -ma • iii. el mapa (map) m, #8, evolution • iv. perros (dogs) m, #1 or #3 neutral • v. la madre (mom) f, #2, living thing • vi mama (mom) f, #2, living thing • vii profesora (profesor) f, #4, Masc/fem

18. Correctly identify the gender of nouns and be able to tell which rule applies • viii trabajadora (worker) f, #4, Masc/fem • ix. maestros (teachers) m #3 Neutral • x. la piloto (pilot) f, #5, Nouns, Gender & profession • xi. nacion (nation) f, #6, Exclusive end • xii. chico (boy) m, #1, living thing • xiii. chica (girl) f, #2, living thing • xiv. los atletas (athlete) m, #5, noun/gender/professions • xv. silla (chair) F, #8 gender trap

19. Mastery: Identifying and Knowing Word Gender • 30-26= 4 Mastery YEAH- YOU’VE GOT IT • 25-22= 3 Approaching Mastery. Check out skyward, and do the Mastery work to demonstrate you understand. • 21-18= 2 Partial Mastery (Let’s get this figured out. Time to visit skyward • 17-14= 1 What are you missing? Do you need some individualized help? How about Pridetime or after school? Let’s figure this out, then see skyward for Mastery assignments. • 13- 0= 0 Did you forget to do your work or are you missing some key concepts. Let’s figure this out during Pridetime or after school