Grammar Nouns Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a noun?

A

Nouns anwer the question ¿Quién es? and ¿Qué es? They are the labels we attach to everything in the world around us or in our own minds: people, animals, things, events, processes, ideas.

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2
Q

What is a noun phrase?

A

The noun phrase often consists of more than just a noun – it is extended so as to provide more information from: determiners, adjectives and adjectival phrases, relative clauses, and prepositional phrases. To avoid repetition, noun phrases are often represented by pronouns.

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3
Q

What is a proper noun?

A

A proper noun is the name of a particular individual person, animal, place or thing. Proper nouns in Spanish always begin with a capital letter except for: names of days, months, and seasons; and titles.

Mi hija Julia estudia física en la Universidad de Salamanca.

All other nouns are common nouns.

Mi hija estudia física en la universidad.

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4
Q

What are the genders in Spanish?

A

Masculine

Feminine

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5
Q

What gender are human beings and animals?

A
masculine or feminine
El hombre
El hijo
El panadero
El toro
El león
La mujer
La hija
La panadera
La vaca
La Leona
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6
Q

What gender are fruit trees?

A
masculine
El cerezo (cherry tree)
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7
Q

What gender are rivers, oceans, seas, lakes, and mountains?

A

masculine
El Atlántico
El Amazonas

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8
Q

What gender are numbers, months and dats?

A

masculine

Un setenta y cinco por ciento

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9
Q

What gender are the infinitives of verbs?

A

masculine

El fumar es malo para la salud.

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10
Q

What gender is the fruit of the tree?

A
feminine
La cereza (cherry)
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11
Q

What gender are the letters of the alphabet?

A

feminine

Una g

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12
Q

What gender are islands?

A

feminine
(as “isla” is understood)
Las Canarias

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13
Q

what gender are medical terms ending on -osis or -itis?

A

feminine

La diagnosis

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14
Q

what gender are most countries?

A

masculine
El Canadá
El México

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15
Q

What genders are countries if they’re not stressed?

A

feminine
La España
La Argentina

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16
Q

What gender are words that end in -ma

A

masculine
El clima
El tema

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17
Q

what gender are words that end in -ión?

A

feminine

La revolución

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18
Q

what gender are words that end in -dad, -tad, -tud

A

feminine

La bondad

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19
Q

what gender are words that end in -umbre?

A

feminine

la cumbre

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20
Q

what gender are words that end in -ie?

A

feminine

la superficie

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21
Q

what gender are words that end in -is?

A

feminine

la crisis

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22
Q

In changing to the feminine, some nouns that refer to people or some animals change their article but not their form.
list some

A
El / la agente
El / la artista
El / la atleta
El / la cantante
El / la dentista
El / la joven
El / la mártie
El / la tigre
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23
Q

Sometimes the feminine form of a noun is not predictable from the masculine.
list some

A

El actor la actirz
El emperador la emperatriz
El principe la princesa
El rey la reína

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24
Q

What is the general rule for making plurals out of unstressed vowels

A

add -s
El cine > los cines
La empresa > las impresas

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25
Q

what is the general rule for making plurals out of -é,

A

add -s

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26
Q

what is the general rule for making a plural when the noun ends in a consonant (including y)

A

add -es
El asesor > los asesores
El examen > los exámenes

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27
Q

what is the general rule for making a plural when the noun is a stressed vowel?

A

add -es

El rubí > los rubíes

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28
Q

how do you pluralise an unstressed -es or -is?

A

No change

El lunes > los lunes

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29
Q

how do you pluralise a compound noun ending in -s?

A

No change

El rescacielos > los rascacielos

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30
Q

how do you pluralise certain foreign words?

A

Add –s (unless unpronounceable)
El barman > los barmans
El coñac > los coñacs

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31
Q

what happens to nouns that end in -z in the plural?

A

Change to –c before –es

Una vez > dos veces

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32
Q

what happens to nouns that end in a stressed accent on final syllable when they are made plural

A

Lose accent when –es added

El inglés > los ingleses

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33
Q

what happens to nouns that are stressed on penultimate syllable and end in -en when they are made plural?

A

Add an accent

El examen > los exámenes

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34
Q

When do we use the definite article?

A

The definite article (el, la, los, las) is used when we know precisely what the noun refers.

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35
Q

when is the masculine article el used before feminine nouns?

A

The masculine article el is used for the sake of sound before feminine nouns beginning with stressed a- or –ha in the singular.

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36
Q

is the definite article used When referring to nouns in a general sense

A

USED

Los españoles son famosos por la acogida que dan a los extranjeros.

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37
Q

is the definite article used with titles

A

USED (except when directly addressing)

-Buenos días, señora Ramírex. Veo que el rey Juan Carlos va a visitor esta cuidad.

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38
Q

is the definite article used With a proper name when it is qualified by an adjective?

A

USED

Mi hija Isabel es un buen ejemploy para la joven Carmencita.

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39
Q

is the definite article used With body parts or clothing?

A

USED

Abre la boca.

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40
Q

is the definite article used When expressing percentages

A

USED

El noventa por cienta de los que van al dentist tienen que ser atendidos.

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41
Q

is the definite article used With weights or measures to express per kilo, etc.

A

USED

Los tomates están a siete pesos el kilo.

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42
Q

is the definite article used To express on a day / date / time

A

USED
Tengo que ir al dentist el nueve de enero. No trabaja los sábados.
son las cuatro y media.

EXCEPT when day is followed by date
Viernes, cinco de agosto

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43
Q

is the definite article used With de to express possession

A

USED

Mi case y la de mi hermano son grandes.

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44
Q

is the definite article used with colours?

A

USED

El verde es el color que más me gusta.

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45
Q

is the definite article used with languages?

A

USED
Hablamos el español

EXCEPT After hablar, aprender, enseñar, leer, practicar, saber and before a language
Te presto el diccionario de chino
Saber hebereo y estudian japonés.

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46
Q

is the definite article used after SER

A

NOT USED
Eso fue el domingo

EXCEPT
After ser meaning to happen / take place
Eso fue el domingo

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47
Q

is the definite article used Before infinitives that function as nouns

A

USED
El estafar es también un vicio.
El robar es malo.

EXCEPT
Before infinitives that function as nouns when the infinitive is the subject of a sentence
Robar es malo.

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48
Q

is the definite article used with Names of rivers, oceans, and mountains

A

USED

El Sena pasa por París y el Támesis por Londres.

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49
Q

is the definite article used When two nouns are joined by de to form a compound noun

A

NOT USED

La chuleta de ternera

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50
Q

is the definite article used after haber?

A

NOT USED

Hay gente en el comedor

51
Q

is the definite article used with unspecified quantity?

A

NOT USED
Guadalupe tiene paciencia.
Toman aspirinas.

52
Q

is the definite article used with a noun in apposition?

A

NOT USED

Lima, capital de Perú, es una ciudad antigua

53
Q

is the definite article used with names of most countries?

A

NOT USED
Hoy en día España es muy distinta de la España del siglo XIX.

EXCEPT when qualified by an adjective

54
Q

is the definite article used With numbers of Popes, monarchs, etc.

A

NOT USED

El actual re yes Juan Carlos Primero.

55
Q

How can a noun be formed from an adjective?

A

An adjective can be made into a noun representing the quality of the adjective by using the pronoun lo (abbreviation of lo que es).

Lo interesante es que mis hijas son unas académicas y mis hijos empresarios.

56
Q

what does it mean to have lo used before a de phrase

A

“the matter concerning”
Lo del ingeniero (the matter concerning the engineer)
Lo de tus documentos (the business about your papers)

57
Q

what does it mean to say “lo” is invariable?

A

the adjective following lo can be masculine or feminine, sungular or plural
Lo bueno (the good part)
Lo fácil (the easy part)
Lo importante es que nosotros pensamos lo mismo

58
Q

Lo + adjective + que

A

“how”

Vi lo listo/a que es (I saw how clever he/she is)

59
Q

how do you form a noun from an infinitive?

A

The infinitive of a verb may be used as a noun (often the equivalent of –ing in English).

Comer muchos caramelos es malo para los dientes.

60
Q

How do you form abstract nouns?

A

-ción or –sión (Often denoting an action / process from a verb) Crear > la creación
Dimitir >la dimisión

-miento (verb to noun) Llamar > el llamiento

-dad, –tad or –tud (from adjective or noun) Bueno > la bondad
Precoz > la precocidad
Libre > la libertad

  • umbre Mucho(s) > la muchedumbre
  • ez Niño > la niñez

-eza or –ura Bello > la belleza
Hermoso > la hermosura

-ido (animal or other noises) Ladrar > el ladrido (barking)
Maullar > el maullido (meow)
Sonar > el sonido

-ada or –ida (actions derived from verbs) Ir > la ida
Llegar > la llegada
Parar > la parade
Salir > la salida

61
Q

when do we use the indefinite article

A

When the indefinite artlce (un, una, unos, unas) is used, we know what type of person or thing the noun refers to but not which individual.

62
Q

when is the masculine used before the feminine indefinite article

A

stressed a- or –ha in the singular.

Para cortar el árbol necetamos un hacha.

63
Q

is the indefinite article used Before predicate nouns that denote profession, occupation, nationality, religion, social status and gender

A
NOT USED
Amparo es violinista
Francisco es carpintero
Esos chicos son argentines
Ester es católica

EXCEPT
If predicate nouns that denote profession, occupation, nationality, religion, social status and gender is modified by a phrase or an adjective
Es una violinista brillante

64
Q

is the indefinite article used before the direct object of tener, llevar, comprar, sacar, hay, etc.

A

NOT USED

  • ¿Hay problema?
  • No, ahora que tengo coche, hay solución.
65
Q

is the indefinite article used after ser?

A

NOT USED

Es cuestión de saber dónde comprarlo.

66
Q

is the indefinite article used before the object of a negative verb.

A

NOT USED

No tengo coche y no veo posibilidad de tenderlo.

67
Q

is the indefinite article used Before a noun in apposition.

A

NOT USED

Granda, ciudad histórica del sur de España, tiene influencia mora.

68
Q

is the indefinite article used after sin, como, con.

A

NOT USED

Estaba con abrigo per sin combraro.

69
Q

is the indefinite article used After qué in exclamations, before tal, medio, otro, or cierto

A

NOT USED

¡Qué rollo! Tenían medio kilo de aquel queso, pero yo quería de otro tipo.

70
Q

what does this mean?
Alguno (algún) – alguna
Algunos – algunas

A

Some,

Tendremos que consultar algún diccionario de español.

71
Q

what does this mean?

Unos – unas

A

Some (a few, not as emphatic)

Hay unos diccionarios en la biblioteca.

72
Q

what does this mean?
Ninguno (ningún) – ninguna
Ningunos – ningunas

A

Not any, no, none
Ningún diccionarios es tan bueno como éste.
No tengo ninguna idea.

73
Q

what does this mean?
Todo – toda
Todos – todas

A

All
Todos nuestros vinos son de Jumilla.

Todo + singular noun = each, every
Todo diccionario es propiedad de la biblioteca.

74
Q

what does this mean?

cada

A

Each, every

Cada día voy a la biblioteca.

75
Q

what does this mean?

Ambos (los dos) – ambas (las dos)

A

Both
Ambos diccionarios son buenos.
Los dos diccionarios son buenos.

76
Q

what does this mean?

Mucho

A

Much, many, a lot

Hay mucho trabajo que hacer y muchas palabras españoles que no conozco.

77
Q

what does this mean?
Demasiado – demasiada
Demasiados – demasiadas

A

Too much, too many

Hay demasiados estudiantes en la biblioteca.

78
Q

what does this mean?

Varios – varias

A

Several

Utilizo varios diccionarios.

79
Q

what does this mean?
Poco - poca
Pocos - pocas

A

Not much, little, a few
Econtré pocos diccionarios en la biblioteca.
Hoy me dieron un poco de ayuda.

80
Q

what does this mean?

Tantos – tantas

A

So much, so many

Hay tantas palabras que aprender.

81
Q

what does this mean?

Más / menos

A

More / less

Me hacen falta más días libres y menos trabajo.

82
Q

How do you pluralise words ending in

  • a
  • e
  • I
  • o
  • u
A

+ s
casa > casas
coche > coches
niño > niños

83
Q

how do you pluralise words ending in consonants

A
\+ es
profesor > profesores
ciudad > ciudades
postal > postales
habitación > habitaciones
84
Q

how do you pluralise words ending in -s (in one syllable words)

A

+ es

mes > meses

85
Q
how do you pluralise words ending in
-ás
-és
-ís
-ós
-ús
(in words of 2+ syllables)
A

+ es
país > países
autobús > autobuses

86
Q

how do you pluralise words ending in

  • as
  • es
  • is
  • os-us
A

no change
lunes > lunes
paraguas > paraguas

87
Q

some nouns only use the plural.

A

gafas
tijeras
pantalones
vaqueros

88
Q

what happens when there is a masculine noun and a feminine noun

A

use the masculine plural

89
Q

The masculine article el is used for the sake of sound before feminine nouns beginning with stressed a- or –ha in the singular.

Para cortar el árbol necetamos un hacha.

But this does not apply to ….

A

But this does not apply to plurals or after adjectives.

Un águila > unas águilas
Un aula > una buena aula
Un hacha > una pequeña hacha
Un ama de casa > una buena ama de casa

90
Q

Is the indefinite article used with quantity?

A

USED
Necesito un lápiz.
Necesitos unas Tijeras.
He comprador unas flores.

91
Q

Do you use the definite article when speaking directly to someone?

A

NOT USED

Buenos días, señor Alonso.
Una llamdada para usted, doctora Blanco.

92
Q

Do you use the definite article with place names (local)?

A

USED
(streets, plazas, avenues, cinemas, theatres, hotels, museums, rivers, lakes, oceans, groups of mountains, deserts)
El Sena pasa por París y el Támesis por Londres.

93
Q

Do you use the definite article with place names (not local)?

A

NOT USED

Islands by themselves or cities, regions, provinces, autonomous communities, countries or continents.

94
Q

Time is told with ?

A
In Spanish, time is told with la / las + horas
La una y diez
Las dos
Las cuatro y cuarto
Las cinco y media
Las seis menos cuarto
95
Q

Definite article
Used / not used?
expressions of place

A
USED
With expressions of place like ir, venir, estar
Ir al banco / ir a la iglesia
Venir al cine / venir del aeropuerto
Estar en el teatro
96
Q

Indefinite article
used / not used?
emphasis

A
USED 
¡Hace un frío tremendo!
¡Cae una nevada grandísima!
¡Hace un calor horroroso!
¡Tengo una sed enorme!
Se puso de un humor
97
Q

Indefinite article
used / not used
refer to something in general

A

USED
Un hospital es un lugar donde se trata a los enfermos.
Un bolígrafo es un objeto que sirve para escribir.

98
Q

Indefinite article
used / not used
to identify something as part of a group

A

USED

  • Qué es eso? -Es una grabadora.
  • Quiénes son las chicas de la foto? -Son unas amigas de Carlos.
99
Q

X can be used in place of a previously used noun.

A

Uno, una, unos, or unas

  • ¿Qué tipo de zapatos quiere? - Quiero unos cómodos.
  • ¿Qué tipo de zapatos quiere? -Quiero unos que sean cómodos.
100
Q

Indefinite article
Used / not used
after uncountable nouns

A

NOT USED

-¿Qué es eso? -Es vino.

101
Q
Indefinite article
used / not used
after uncountable nouns that describe a type, class or quantity
A

USED

He comprado un queso (= un tipo de queso) que te va a gustar.
Es un vino (= un tipo de vino) extraordinario.
Un café (= una taza de cafe), por favor.

102
Q

Indefinite article
used / not used
Before the direct object of a verb when we’re referring to something in general and not concrete.

A

NOT USED

Antonio vende enciclopedias.
No tengo coche.
Rosa lleva siempre vaqueros.
Alberto no como carne.

103
Q

Indefinite article
used / not used
After the second noun in compound nouns formed of noun + preposition + noun

A

NOT USED

Julián es profesor de universidad.
Me han regalado una corbata de seda.
Rosa tiene una colección de sellos.
Luisa es directora de orquesta.
Un café con leche, por favor.
104
Q

Definite article
used / not used
It is clear what the noun is that is referred to because it’s unique, relevant to the situation, or previously mentioned.

A

USED

El Papa es la cabeza de la iglesia católica.
La mujer de Antón es muy simpática.
Ayer estuve con Lola en un restaurante italiano. La cena fue magnífica.
-Y de repente apareció un coche. -¿Quién iba en el coche?

105
Q

Definite article
Used / not used
To describe something specific in an indeterminate person, thing or animal.

A

USED

He roto un cristal > He roto el cristal de una ventana.
Dibujó unas alas. > Dibujó las alas de un pájaro.

106
Q

Definite / indefinite

+adjective to speak about a class or group already mentioned.

A

Indefinite

  • ¿Qué tipo de ordenador busca? -Una potente.
  • ¿Qué tipo de mesa habéis comprado? -Una de metal, muy moderna.
107
Q

Definite / indefinite

+noun to speak of something or someone already mentioned.

A

Definite

  • El blanco es muy elegante. Y a ti, ¿cuál te gusta más?
  • ¿Cuál es tu maleta? -La de plástico.
108
Q

Definite article
used / not used
With title + surname; surname when speaking of a family; newspapers or magazines; monuments or works of art.

A

USED

-¿Has visto a la señorita Moreno?
Estoy en el grupo del profesor Herrero.
Los Pérez son muy agradables.
Cómprame el Hola, por favor.
Hemos visitado la Alhambra.
109
Q

Definite article
used / not used
with months

A

NOT USED

Ana y Pedro se casan en marzo.

110
Q

Definite article
used / not used
musical instruments

A
  • in general USED
    El piano es mi instrumento preferido.
  • with tocar USED
    Me gustaría saber tocar el violín
  • specific instrument NOT USED
    Necesito un piano nuevo.
111
Q

Definite article
used / not used
sports

A
  • in general USED
    El alpinismo es un deporte peligroso.
  • with jugar USED
    Juegas muy bien al tenis
  • otherwise NOT USED
    Mi hijo hace gimnasia y natación.
112
Q

Definite article
used / not used
currency

A

USED

La libra es una moneda fuerte.
La moneda de Venezuela es el bolívar.

113
Q

The majority of nouns for animals are one word for masculine and feminine. How do you differentiate?

A

To indicate the sex, add the words macho or hembra.

Tengo una tortuga macho.
!Mira mamá! Un canguro hembra!

114
Q

Some words are only ever in plural. How do you show quantity?

A

To indicate the exact quantity of such words use un par de.

Un par de pantalones
dos pares de pantalones.

115
Q

Comparison of nouns

What do más and menos mean and when can they be used.

A

In Spanish, más means “greater quantity” and menos means “less quantity”. Más and menos indicate indeterminate quantity. They can only be used when it is clear what is being spoken about.

  • ¿Quieres carne? -No quiero más (carne), gracias.
  • He comprado tres refrescos. -Necesitamos dos más (refrescos) Somos cinco.
116
Q

Comparison of nouns

Can you use un / uno when you’re comparing with más?

A

Note that you can only use uno (not un) if you’re counting with más.

  • Tengo dos hijos. -Yo tengo más. Tengo tres.
  • Tengo dos hijos. - Yo tengo uno más. Tengo tres.
117
Q

Comparison of nouns

Give an example of más / menos + singular uncountable nouns

A

Necesitamos más lluvia.

Hoy hace menos calor.

118
Q

Comparison of nouns

Give an example of más / menos + plural countable nouns

A

Jorge tiene más libros que yo.

Tienes que trabajar menos horas.

119
Q

Comparison of nouns

Explain otro / otra / un / una + singular countable noun

A

Otro / otra
Un / una

+Singular countable noun

+más / menos

Compra otro litro más.
Ahora tenemos un coche menos.

120
Q

Comparison of nouns

Explain otros / otras dos, tres … + plural countable noun

A

(Otros / otras) dos, tres …

+Plural countable noun

+más / menos

Necesitamos dos entradas más.
Estaría mejor con cinco kilos menos.

121
Q

Comparison of nouns

How do you structure a sentence with más / menos and quantity

A

Más de / Menos de

+ quantity

Había más de cien personas en la conferencia.
Este cedé tiene que costar menos de 20 euros.

122
Q

Comparison of nouns

how do you structure comparing the quantity of a noun

A

más / menos

+ noun

(+ que)

En mi barrio hay más árboles que en el tuyo.
Hoy ha venido menos gente que ayer.

123
Q

Comparison of nouns

is que always needed after más / menos + noun

A

Normally, que or como are not used when the comparison is clear.

Hoy hace menos calor. (colder than yesterday) Ahora estoy más tranquilo. (than before)

124
Q

Comparison of nouns

How do you make a comparison of equality?

A

tanto, etc.

+ noun

+ (como)

Esta ciudad tiene tanto tráfico como cualquier otra.
No tengo tantos amigos como mi hermano.