Nouns: forming feminine and plural nouns; infinitives used as nouns

Q: How do you form the feminine version of masculine nouns ending in -o that refer to people or animals?

Replace the final -o with an -a .

Q: How do you form the feminine version of masculine nouns ending in -or ?

Keep the ending and add an -a (changing -or to -ora ).

Q: How do you form the plural of Spanish nouns ending in a consonant?

Add -es to the end of the singular noun.

Q: What spelling change occurs when making nouns that end in -z plural?

The -z changes to -c before adding -es (ending in -ces ).

Q: What happens to the accent mark when pluralising nouns ending in -ión ?

The written accent is dropped when adding -es (e.g. opinión → opiniones ).

Q: How do you translate an English "-ing" activity when it acts as the subject or object of a sentence?

Use the Spanish infinitive verb form (ending in -ar , -er , or -ir ), optionally preceded by el .

Spanish 8692 · AQA GCSE · 6 min read · Updated: 7 Sept 2026

Mastering Spanish Nouns: Feminine Forms, Plurals, and Infinitives

Welcome to your complete revision guide for Spanish nouns under the AQA GCSE (8692) specification. Nouns are the foundational building blocks of Spanish sentences—they name people, places, things, and ideas. In Spanish, every noun has a gender (masculine or feminine) and a number (singular or plural).

In this guide, we will break down the essential rules step-by-step so you can confidently recognise and form feminine nouns, create plurals accurately, and understand how Spanish verbs (infinitives) can step in and act as nouns. Don't worry if grammar sometimes feels tricky; by following these simple patterns, you will easily master this topic!

Part 1: Forming Feminine Nouns (People and Animals)

When talking about people and animals, you often need to change a masculine noun into its feminine equivalent. Here are the core patterns required for your exam:

1. The Standard Rule: -o changes to -a

Most masculine nouns referring to people or animals end in -o. To make them feminine, simply replace the -o with an -a.

• el vecino (the male neighbour) \(\rightarrow\) la vecina (the female neighbour)
• el gato (the male cat) \(\rightarrow\) la gata (the female cat)
• el hermano (the brother) \(\rightarrow\) la hermana (the sister)

2. The Consonant Rule: -or adds -a

When a masculine noun ends in -or, do not remove anything. Simply add an -a to the end.

• el profesor (the male teacher) \(\rightarrow\) la profesora (the female teacher)
• el doctor (the male doctor) \(\rightarrow\) la doctora (the female doctor)
• el escritor (the male writer) \(\rightarrow\) la escritora (the female writer)

3. Invariant Nouns: No Ending Change (-ante, -ente, -ista)

Some nouns stay exactly the same in both masculine and feminine forms. You indicate the person's gender purely by changing the article (el to la or un to una). This rule applies especially to nouns ending in:

• -ante: el estudiante (the male student) \(\rightarrow\) la estudiante (the female student)
• -ente: el gerente (the male manager) \(\rightarrow\) la gerente (the female manager)
• -ista: el artista (the male artist) \(\rightarrow\) la artista (the female artist)
• -ista: el dentista (the male dentist) \(\rightarrow\) la dentista (the female dentist)

4. Distinct Vocabulary Pairs & Modern Job Titles

• Distinct pairs: Some nouns have distinct individual words for male and female family members rather than following a standard suffix rule (for example, el hijo for "son" vs. la hija for "daughter", or el padre for "father" vs. la madre for "mother"). These are learned as core vocabulary items.
• Job titles in modern usage: In modern Spanish, job titles are evolving. While many follow standard patterns, some titles allow flexibility. The AQA exam board shows appropriate tolerance for standard variations in job titles (for instance, both la jefe and la jefa are recognised).

Key Takeaways for Feminine Nouns:

• -o \(\rightarrow\) -a
• -or \(\rightarrow\) -ora
• -ante / -ente / -ista \(\rightarrow\) keep the ending, change el to la!

Part 2: Forming Plural Nouns

Making nouns plural in Spanish follows clear spelling patterns based on how the singular word ends.

1. Words Ending in a Vowel: Add -s

If a noun ends in an unstressed vowel (-a, -e, -i, -o, -u), simply add -s.

• la casa \(\rightarrow\) las casas (houses)
• el libro \(\rightarrow\) los libros (books)
• el parque \(\rightarrow\) los parques (parks)

2. Words Ending in a Consonant: Add -es

If a noun ends in a consonant, add -es.

• el papel \(\rightarrow\) los papeles (papers)
• la ciudad \(\rightarrow\) las ciudades (cities)
• el profesor \(\rightarrow\) los profesores (teachers)

3. The -z to -ces Spelling Change

In Spanish spelling, the letter z changes to c before the letter e. Therefore, any noun ending in -z replaces the -z with -c before adding -es.

• la luz (light) \(\rightarrow\) las luces (lights)
• el pez (fish) \(\rightarrow\) los peces (fishes)
• el lápiz (pencil) \(\rightarrow\) los lápices (pencils)
• la vez (time/occasion) \(\rightarrow\) las veces (times)

4. The -ión Rule: Dropping the Written Accent

Nouns ending in -ión are feminine and carry a written accent in the singular. When you make them plural by adding -es, the natural stress stays on the exact same syllable, which means you must remove the written accent.

• la opinión \(\rightarrow\) las opiniones (opinions)
• la estación \(\rightarrow\) las estaciones (stations / seasons)
• la lección \(\rightarrow\) las lecciones (lessons)

Top Examiner Pitfall to Avoid:

Never write *opiniónes or *estaciónes! Always drop the accent when making -ión nouns plural: opiniones, estaciones.

Part 3: Infinitives Used as Nouns & Language Names

In Spanish, a verb can sometimes step up and do the job of a noun. Here is how that works for your GCSE:

1. Translating the English "-ing" Activity

In English, we often use the -ing form of a verb as a noun (called a gerund). For example: "Swimming is fun" or "Smoking is bad".

In Spanish, you must use the infinitive (the base form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir) when an activity acts as the subject or object of a sentence. You can include the masculine article el, though it is often optional.

• Fumar es malo para la salud. (Smoking is bad for your health.)
• El leer es mi pasatiempo favorito. (Reading is my favourite hobby.)
• Me gusta nadar. (I like swimming / I like to swim.)

Common Mistake Alert:

Do not translate "Smoking is bad" using the Spanish present participle (*Fumando es malo). In Spanish, -ando/-iendo forms are only used for continuous actions in progress (e.g., estoy fumando). When acting as a noun, always use the infinitive: Fumar.

2. Languages as Nouns (Nominalisation)

Adjectives of nationality/language in their masculine form are used as nouns to refer to the language itself. Simply add the masculine article el.

• el francés (French / the French language)
• el español (Spanish / the Spanish language)
• el inglés (English / the English language)

Example: Hablo el francés y el español con fluidez. (I speak French and Spanish fluently.)

Quick Revision Checklist

Before sitting your exam, make sure you can answer YES to these questions:

• Can you turn el profesor into la profesora? (Consonant rule: add -a)
• Do you remember to keep el/la estudiante and el/la artista invariant?
• Can you change lápiz to lápices? (Change -z to -c before adding -es)
• Do you remember to drop the accent mark on plurals like habitaciones and estaciones?
• Do you know to write Hacer ejercicio es importante instead of *Haciendo ejercicio?

Quick check

Can you answer these now?

Open each question to check the key ideas from this chapter.

How do you form the feminine version of masculine nouns ending in -o that refer to people or animals?

Replace the final -o with an -a.

How do you form the feminine version of masculine nouns ending in -or?

Keep the ending and add an -a (changing -or to -ora).

How do you indicate feminine gender for nouns ending in -ante, -ente, or -ista?

Keep the noun ending unchanged and simply switch the masculine article to feminine (e.g. el to la).

How are distinct family pairs and evolving job titles handled for gender in Spanish?

Distinct family pairs use completely different words, while modern job titles often follow standard patterns or allow flexible feminine forms (such as la jefe or la jefa).

How do you form the plural of Spanish nouns ending in an unstressed vowel?

Add -s to the end of the singular noun.

How do you form the plural of Spanish nouns ending in a consonant?

Add -es to the end of the singular noun.

What spelling change occurs when making nouns that end in -z plural?

The -z changes to -c before adding -es (ending in -ces).

What happens to the accent mark when pluralising nouns ending in -ión?

The written accent is dropped when adding -es (e.g. opinión → opiniones).

How do you translate an English "-ing" activity when it acts as the subject or object of a sentence?

Use the Spanish infinitive verb form (ending in -ar, -er, or -ir), optionally preceded by el.

How do you refer to languages as nouns in Spanish?

Use the masculine singular nationality/language adjective preceded by the masculine article el.

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