femenino
/feh-meh-NEE-noh/
feminine
When used as an adjective, 'femenino' describes qualities traditionally associated with women, such as grace and softness.
femenino(adjective)
feminine
?relating to qualities or characteristics traditionally associated with women
,female
?relating to biological sex
womanly
?having qualities appropriate to a woman
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
As an adjective, 'femenino' must change to match the noun it describes. If the noun is plural and feminine, it becomes 'femeninas' (e.g., 'las voces femeninas').
⭐ Usage Tips
Choosing the Right Word
Use 'femenino' to describe qualities or characteristics (like voice or style). Use 'mujer' or 'chica' when referring directly to the person.
As an adjective, 'femenino' is used to classify nouns belonging to the feminine grammatical gender.
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying Feminine Nouns
Most words ending in -a, -ción, -sión, -tad, and -dad are feminine, but remember there are exceptions, like 'el día' (the day).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender vs. Sex
Mistake: "Thinking a word is feminine only because it refers to a female person or object."
Correction: Grammatical gender is often arbitrary: 'la persona' (the person) is always feminine, even if the person is male. 'El sol' (the sun) is masculine.
As a noun, 'el femenino' refers to the linguistic category of the feminine gender itself.
femenino(noun)
the feminine gender
?linguistic category
,the feminine
?the concept of femininity/female characteristics
📝 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.
💡 Grammar Points
Noun Gender Paradox
When 'femenino' is used as a noun meaning 'the feminine gender/concept,' it always takes the masculine article 'el' ('el femenino'). This is because the word 'el género' (the gender) is masculine.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: femenino
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'femenino' to describe a group of friends?
📚 More Resources
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'.