femenino
“femenino” means “feminine” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
feminine, female
Also: womanly
📝 In Action
Ella tiene una voz muy suave y femenina.
A1She has a very soft and feminine voice.
Las hormonas femeninas son esenciales para su desarrollo.
A2Female hormones are essential for her development.
El equipo femenino ganó el campeonato.
A1The female team won the championship.
feminine
📝 In Action
La palabra 'mesa' es de género femenino.
A2The word 'table' is of feminine gender.
Usamos el artículo 'la' con sustantivos femeninos.
B1We use the article 'la' with feminine nouns.
the feminine gender, the feminine
📝 In Action
En español, el femenino se marca generalmente con la vocal 'a'.
B2In Spanish, the feminine is generally marked with the vowel 'a'.
Su trabajo explora el concepto del femenino en la literatura clásica.
C1His work explores the concept of the feminine in classic literature.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: femenino
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'femenino' to describe a group of friends?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word *femininus*, which itself is derived from *femina*, meaning 'woman' or 'female.' It has been used in Spanish since the Middle Ages.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'femenino' only used for people?
No. It is often used for objects, ideas, or concepts to indicate the grammatical gender ('la casa es femenina'). It can also describe characteristics (e.g., 'un estilo femenino' - a feminine style).
If I am talking about 'the feminine' as a concept, why do I say 'el femenino' (masculine article)?
When you use 'femenino' as a noun to talk about the grammatical category or abstract concept, you are technically shortening 'el género femenino' (the feminine gender). Since 'género' is a masculine word, the shortened form 'el femenino' keeps the masculine article 'el'.