Spanish nouns, which are Spanish words that identify a person, place, thing, or idea, are indispensable building blocks of communication. Sentences in Spanish might contain several nouns, allowing you to name what you’re referring to. That’s why the Spanish word for “noun” is el nombre (name), but you may also hear it called sustantivo/substantivo.
In this guide, we’ll share several Spanish nouns lists, explain how to know if nouns are feminine or masculine, and give you some tips for using them in sentences. Ready to learn even more? Rosetta Stone can teach you how to learn Spanish no matter what level you’re already at, with bite-sized lessons and an immersive learning environment!
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Identifying Spanish nouns
Within the general category of naming words, Spanish nouns also come in several types. Knowing the attributes of these different categories can help you put together sentences following Spanish grammar rules and understand the language at a deeper level.
| Noun Type | Definition | Examples |
| el nombre propio (proper noun) | the specific name of an individual, a place, or a unique thing; begins with a capital letter | Victoria El Salvador La Sagrada Familia (a specific basilica in Barcelona) |
| el nombre común (common noun) | the generic name for a class or category of person, place, thing, or concept; does not refer to a specific individual or unique thing | la mujer (the woman) el país (the country) la basílica (the basilica) |
| el nombre contable (countable noun) | a quantity of the noun can be determined; it can be preceded by a cardinal number (e.g., six, fourteen, ninety) | tres hombres (three men) cincuenta estrellas (fifty stars) mil pesos (a thousand pesos) |
| el nombre incontable (uncountable noun/mass noun) | cannot be counted or preceded by a number since it is abstract, or can be divided infinitely; not a countable noun | el agua (water) la arena (sand) la felicidad (happiness) |
| el sustantivo compuesto (compound noun) | can be divided into two or more distinct words; the combination of these words forms a new meaning | el abrelatas (the can opener; literally “open cans”) el rompecabezas (the puzzle; literally “break heads”) el limpiaparabrisas (the windshield wiper; literally “clean stop breezes”) |
| el sustantivo masculino (masculine noun) | a noun having masculine grammatical gender | el cuchillo (the knife) el coche (the car) el periódico (the newspaper) |
| el sustantivo feminino (feminine noun) | a noun having feminine grammatical gender | la cuchara (the spoon) la fresa (the strawberry) la botella (the bottle) |
| el sustantivo singular (singular noun) | refers to only one person or thing, or a collective noun treated as a single unit | el rey (the king) la reina (the queen) el equipo (the team) |
| el sustantivo plural (plural noun) | refers to more than one person or thing | los reyes (the kings) las reinas (the queens) los jugadores (the players) |
| el sustantivo concreto (concrete noun) | refers to something you can experience with your senses, including material or physical objects | el piano (the piano) la lámpara (the lamp) la cama (the bed) |
| el sustantivo abstracto (abstract noun) | refers to a quality or non-material concept; something intangible | la paz (peace) la niñez (childhood) el amor (love) |
Feminine nouns in Spanish
The categories of feminine or masculine Spanish nouns seldom have much to do with gender. They are best thought of as arbitrary grammatical categories and a remnant of Latin, from which Spanish and other Romance languages have evolved.
Still, since grammatical gender is often important for following Spanish gender rules, it’s critical to be able to identify feminine vs. masculine nouns in Spanish.
While there are exceptions, one of the easiest guidelines is that if a noun ends in “-a” it’s most likely a feminine noun.
| Feminine Spanish Noun Ending in “-a” | English Meaning |
| la alegría | joy |
| la cámara | the camera |
| la chica | the girl |
| la escuela | the school |
| la hoja de papel | the sheet of paper |
| la hora | the time |
| la marca | the brand |
| la oruga | the caterpillar |
| la puerta | the door |
| la risa | laughter |
| la ventana | the window |
| la vida | life |
There are exceptions, though! As you learn Spanish, take note of when Spanish nouns don’t follow expected patterns. These, for example, end in “-o,” so it’d be easy to incorrectly categorize them as masculine, but they are decidedly feminine nouns in Spanish.
| Feminine Spanish Noun Ending in “-o” | English Meaning |
| la demo | the demo |
| la foto | the photograph |
| la mano | the hand |
| la moto | the motorcycle |
| la radio | the radio |
| la soprano | the soprano |
When nouns don’t end in “-a” or “-o,” it’s important to simply memorize their grammatical gender. Nouns that end in “-e” can be either masculine or feminine.
| Feminine Spanish Noun (Other Endings) | English Meaning |
| la carne | meat |
| la clase | class |
| la gente | people |
| la juventud | youth |
| la llave | the key |
| la luz | light |
| la mujer | the woman |
| la noche | night |
| la sangre | blood |
| la tarde | the afternoon |
Masculine nouns in Spanish
Knowing if a noun is masculine or feminine in Spanish is important for following grammar rules, such as choosing the correct Spanish pronouns so you avoid repetition.
Generally, if you encounter a Spanish noun that ends in “-o,” your safest assumption is that it’s a masculine Spanish noun.
| Masculine Spanish Noun Ending in “-o” | English Meaning |
| el año | the year |
| el bolígrafo | the pen |
| el colegio | the school |
| el futuro | the future |
| el juego | the game |
| el mundo | the world |
| el negocio | the business |
| el precio | the price |
| el sentimiento | the feeling |
| el sueño | sleep/the dream |
| el tiempo | the weather |
| el trabajo | the work |
Most words ending in “-a” appear to be feminine nouns in Spanish, but many words ending in “-ma,” “-pa,” and “-ta” are the exception. Being of Greek origin, they remain in the masculine category, even though they end in “-a.”
Words with the suffix “-ista” can also be masculine if they refer to a male. It’s best to think of these as exceptions and not the rule!
| Masculine Spanish Noun Ending in “-a” | English |
| el alma | the soul |
| el atleta | the athlete |
| el clima | the weather/the climate |
| el idioma | the language |
| el planeta | the planet |
| el poeta | the poet |
| el problema | the problem |
| el tema | the theme/topic |
| el dentista | the dentist |
| el deportista | the sportsman |
| el electricista | the electrician |
| el periodista | the journalist |
When Spanish nouns end in something other than “-o” or “-a,” it’s important to learn their gender as you’re learning the word.
| Masculine Spanish Noun (Other Endings) | English |
| el aceite | the oil |
| el chocolate | the chocolate |
| el coche | the car |
| el lápiz | the pencil |
| el pez | the fish |
| el reloj | the watch/the clock |
| el sartén | the pan |
| el tiburón | the shark |
Spanish nouns that change meaning with gender
Most of the time, you’ll probably be understood even if you make a mistake in a noun’s gender. For example, if you order el pizza instead of la pizza (pizza), you’ll probably still be served without a second thought. However, a few nouns in Spanish actually change meaning depending on the gender. When in doubt, the Spanish Dictionary can help you determine the correct noun for your situation.
| Masculine Spanish Noun | Feminine Spanish Noun |
| el capital (the capital of a country or state) | la capital (the money/financial capital) |
| el coma (the coma; state of unresponsiveness) | la coma (the comma; punctuation) |
| el cometa (the comet) | la cometa (the kite) |
| el corte (the cut) | la corte (the court) |
| el cura (the priest) | la cura (the cure/treatment) |
| el final (the ending) | la final (the final; last game in a tournament) |
| el frente (the front; war or meteorological) | la frente (the forehead) |
| el Papa (the Pope) | la papa (the potato) |
Spanish nouns that differ from English in number
Sometimes we use nouns in the singular in Spanish that are typically used in the plural in English, and vice versa. Here are a few examples to keep in mind.
Typically plural in Spanish but singular in English
- los celos (jealousy)
- los consejos (advice)
- los muebles (furniture)
- las vacaciones (vacation)
Typically singular in Spanish but plural in English
- la batería (the drums)
- el contenido (the contents)
- la escalera (the stairs)
- la gente (people)
- la ropa (clothes)
- la vajilla (dishes)
Spanish nouns lists for everyday words
When you start to master the basics of Spanish and put your own sentences together, you’ll need a lot of vocabulary for people, places, and things. Most of our everyday interactions will center around these common Spanish nouns.
The more nouns you know in Spanish, the better you’ll be able to hold a conversation, make plans, get directions, and identify items in your immediate environment. There are plenty more categories to be sure, but these lists will help give you a foundation of common people, places, and things.
Common Spanish nouns: people
Spanish nouns for people typically come in two forms—one masculine and one feminine. There are exceptions, however, such as la persona (the person) and la gente (people), which are always masculine nouns in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| el amigo/la amiga | the friend |
| el chico/la chica | the boy/the girl |
| el hombre | the man |
| la gente | the people |
| el joven/la joven | the young person |
| el muchacho/la muchacha | the teenager |
| la mujer | the woman |
| el niño/la niña | the child |
| la persona | the person |
| el señor/la señora | the adult man/woman |
| el vecino/la vecina | the neighbor |
Common Spanish nouns: places in the city
When you’re traveling or making plans, knowing Spanish nouns for common places and buildings can help you get directions and gain access to services. Some of the most common Spanish nouns for buildings and locations can help you build your itinerary.
| Spanish | English |
| el aeropuerto | the airport |
| el apartamento/el piso | the apartment |
| la avenida | the avenue |
| el banco | the bank |
| el bar | the pub/the bar |
| la biblioteca | the library |
| la calle | the street |
| la carnecería | the butcher |
| la casa | the house |
| el centro | the city center |
| el cine | the movie theater |
| la ciudad | the city |
| el colegio | the school |
| el correo/los correos | the post office |
| la escuela | the school |
| la estación | the station |
| la farmacia | the pharmacy |
| el hospital | the hospital |
| el hotel | the hotel |
| la librería | the book store |
| el mercado | the market |
| el museo | the museum |
| la oficina | the office |
| la panadería | the bakery |
| el parque | the park |
| la peluquería/el salón de belleza | the hairdresser/the salon |
| la piscina | the pool |
| la plaza | the square |
| el restaurante | the restaurant |
| el supermercado | the supermarket |
| el taller | the workshop |
| el teatro | the theater |
| la tienda | the store/the shop |
| la universidad | the university/college |
Common Spanish nouns: house and home
If you have the opportunity to visit a Spanish speaker at home, stay with a host, or even if you’re just browsing real estate listings, it’s important to be able to identify various home items in Spanish using the correct nouns.
| Spanish | English |
| la alfombra | the rug/the carpet |
| la almohada | the pillow |
| el armario | the wardrobe/the closet/the cupboard |
| el ático | the attic |
| la bañera/la tina | the bath/the tub |
| el baño | the bathroom |
| la cama | the bed |
| la cocina | the kitchen |
| el comedor | the dining room |
| el dormitorio/el cuarto/la habitación | the bedroom |
| la ducha | the shower |
| la escalera | the stairs |
| el fregadero | the kitchen sink |
| el garaje | the garage |
| el inodoro/el retrete | the toilet |
| la lámpara | the lamp |
| el lavabo | the sink |
| la lavadora | the washing machine |
| el lavaplatos | the dishwasher |
| la mesa | the table |
| el salón/la sala (de estar) | the living room |
| la secadora | the dryer |
| la silla | the chair |
| el sillón | the armchair |
| el sofá | the sofa/the couch |
| el sótano | the basement |
Common Spanish nouns: classroom and office objects
Specific nouns for everyday classroom and office objects may vary according to the regional dialect of Spanish, but the standard words are usually understood.
| Spanish | English |
| la bandera | the flag |
| el bolígrafo/la pluma | the pen |
| la carpeta | the folder/the binder |
| la computadora/el ordenador | the computer |
| el cuaderno | the notebook |
| el diccionario | the dictionary |
| el escritorio | the (large) desk |
| el estudiante/la estudiante/el alumno/la alumna | the student/the pupil |
| el lápiz | the pencil |
| el libro | the book |
| el mapa | the map |
| el marcador | the marker |
| la pantalla | the screen |
| el papel | the paper |
| el pegamento | the glue |
| la pizarra | the whiteboard |
| el profesor/la profesora/el maestro/la maestra | the teacher |
| el pupitre | the student desk |
| la tarea/los deberes | the homework |
| las tijeras | the scissors |
Common Spanish nouns: nature
This list of common Spanish nouns will help you identify your outdoor surroundings. Explore the landscape and plan an excursion with the correct nouns for these nature nouns.
| Spanish | English |
| el árbol | the tree |
| el bosque | the forest |
| el campo | the countryside |
| el cielo | the sky |
| el desierto | the desert |
| la estrella | the star |
| la flor | the flower |
| las hojas | the leaves |
| el lago | the lake |
| la luna | the moon |
| el mar | the sea |
| la montaña | the mountain |
| el océano | the ocean |
| el paisaje | the landscape |
| la planta | the plant |
| la playa | the beach |
| la reserva natural | the reserve |
| el río | the river |
| el sol | the sun |
| la tierra | the land |
| la Tierra | the Earth |
| el valle | the valley |
Common Spanish nouns: money and payment
These common money-related nouns can help you with basic transactions in Spanish.
| Spanish | English |
| el billete/el boleto | a ticket |
| la caja | the cash register/the till |
| el cajero automático | the ATM |
| el cambio | the change |
| el cheque | the check |
| el descuento/la rebaja | the discount |
| el dinero | the money |
| el dinero en efectivo | cash |
| la etiqueta | the tag |
| la moneda | coin |
| el precio | the price |
| la propina | the tip |
| el recibo | the receipt |
| la tarifa | the rate/the fare/the fee |
| la tarjeta de crédito | the credit card |
| la tarjeta regalo | the gift card |
Common Spanish nouns for learning Spanish
You’ll probably pay more attention to the specifics when you’re learning Spanish than in your first language. Breaking down the details of each language skill can improve your communication. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
| Spanish | English |
| el acento | the accent (regional way of pronouncing) |
| la comprensión | comprehension |
| la conversación | conversation |
| la frase | the sentence |
| el idioma | the language |
| la lectura | reading |
| la palabra | word |
| el párrafo | the paragraph |
| la pregunta | the question |
| la pronunciación | pronunciation |
| el significado | meaning |
| la tilde | the accent (written punctuation) |
| la traducción | the translation |
Master common Spanish nouns with Rosetta Stone
Vocabulary lists are helpful when you’re learning a language, especially when you’re learning lists of Spanish nouns to help you communicate.
To truly solidify your ability to comprehend and use Spanish nouns, Rosetta Stone uses a natural method of introducing each noun in meaningful contexts, meaning you won’t need to rely solely on memorizing long lists to learn a new language. Find out how Rosetta Stone works to help you keep growing your exciting new vocabulary!
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