Gender

In Spanish, all nouns are either masculine or feminine.Often, nouns end in ‑o if they’re masculine and ‑a if they’re feminine.

• el niño
  • the boy
• la niña
  • the girl

Notice how you use el if the word is masculine and la if the word is feminine.

The apple is a girl(?!)

It’s not just people that are masculine or femininein Spanish. Objects are, too!

• el pan
  • the bread
• la manzana
  • the apple

Not sure what gender something is? Look at the the! If a word uses el, it’s masculine. If it uses la, it’s feminine.

I think, therefore…

In English, verb forms change depending on who’s doing the action. For example, we say I am, you are, and she is. In Spanish, you do the same thing.

• Yo soy una niña. Tú eres un niño.
  • I am a girl. You are a boy

Greetings

Many Spanish greetings depend on the time of day.

• Buenas tardes
  • Good afternoon

Buenas noches can mean both Good evening and Good night.

• Buenas noches
  • Good evening / Good night

Spanish sounds

Spanish pronunciation is easier than you think! In general, Spanish vowels are always pronounced the same way.

• For example, the a in adiós sounds the same as the a in cama.

  • a

  • cama

  • As in father.

  • e

  • leche

  • As in set.

• niño

  • As in Lisa.

• como

  • As in gold.

• mucho gusto

  • As in dude.