by Max Wheeler
hereu (m.) pubilla (f.) heir/heiress of family fortune
home (m.) dona (f.) man/husband/woman/wife
marit (m.) muller (f.) husband/wife
oncle (m.) tia (f.) uncle/aunt
príncep (m.) princesa (f.) prince/princess
ase (m.) somera (f.) stallion donkey/jenny (female donkey)
boc/cabró/cabrot (m.) cabra (f.) billy goat/nanny goat
cavall (m.) egua/euga (f.) stallion/mare
gall dindi or indiot (m.) polla díndia (f.) turkey
marrà (m.) ovella (f.) ram/ewe
pore (m.) truja (f.) pig/hog/sow
toro or brau (m.) vaca (f.) bull/cow
bou (m.) ox
1.1.5 Nouns of Common Gender
There is a considerable number of nouns of common gender referring to humans. The same form is used with both masculine and feminine articles, for example, una asteca ‘a female Aztec’, un asteca ‘a male Aztec’/‘an Aztec (sex unspecified)’.
There is a substantial number of common gender nouns ending in -a; the following are a representative sample:
asteca (m./f.) Aztec
belga (m./f.) Belgian
carca (m./f.) reactionary
Col·lega (m./f.) colleague
demòcrata (m./f.) democrat
dormilega (m./f.) sleepy-head
Note dormilec (m.) is also found
electricista (m./f.) electrician
extra (m./f.) (film) extra
ganàpia (m./f.) childish person
gimnasta (m./f.) gymnast
hipòcrita (m./f) hypocrite
indígena (m./f) native
judoka (m./f.) practitioner of judo
pastifa (m./f) botcher
terapeuta (m./f.) therapist
Metaphorical/metonymic transfers
Certain nouns ending in -a, regularly feminine and denoting inanimates in their literal sense, are also applied metaphorically or metonymically to humans; many of these are pejorative. Dictionaries record some as masculine only (in their transferred sense); others as masculine or feminine. These assignments are recorded below. There is little doubt that all of them can in fact be feminine if required.
barra (m.) shameless person < barra (f.) impudence
canalla (m.) cad < canalla (f.) (arch.) riff-raff
consueta (m./f) prompt < consueta (f.) book of rituals
cràpula (m.) drunkard, debauchee < cràpula (f.) drunkenness
estafa (m./f.) swindler < estafa (f.) swindle
fanfàrria (m./f.) braggart < fanfàrria (f.) bluster
fava (m./f) indecisive person < fava (f.) broad bean
guàrdia (m./f.) police officer < guàrdia (f.) protection, police force
mala pinta (m./f.) rotter < mala pinta (f.) bad blotch
mandra (m./f.) lazybones < mandra (f.) sloth, disinclination
manta (m./f.) lazybones < manta (f.) blanket
marieta (m.) poof < marieta (f.) ladybird
maula (m./f) fraud < maula (f.) dirty trick, fraud
ordenança (m.) batman < ordenança (f.) ordinance
paleta (m./f.) bricklayer, building worker < paleta (f.) trowel
peça (m./f.) bad sort < peça (f.) piece
poca-solta (m./f.) idiot < poca solta (f.) little sense
pocavergonya (m./f) shameless person < poca vergonya (f.) little shame
policia (m./f.) police officer < policia (f.) police
trafica (m./f) con-man < trafica (f.) trick
etc.
A few words similar in meaning to some of those above seem to be derived directly from verbs of Conjugation I, such as:
bada (m./f) look-out < badar open (eyes, etc.)
guaita (m./f.) watchman < guaitar look out
guarda (m./f.) guard < guardar guard
mossega (m./f.) profiteer < mossegar bite, look for profit
espia (m./f.) spy < espiar Spy
guia (m./f.) guide < guiar guide
llepa (m./f.) bootlicker < llepar lick
pispa (m./f.) pickpocket < pispar pinch, steal
Just as consueta and paleta (see above) are applied both to the objects and the persons who habitually use them, so nouns denoting performers may also be derived directly from the name (feminine noun) of the musical instruments they play:
viola (m./f.) viola player trompeta (m./f.) trumpeter
trompa (m./f.) horn player flauta (m./f.) flautist
corneta (m./f.) bugler
Compound nouns
A compound noun which denotes a human can be used in the same form as either masculine or feminine, whatever its structure, or whatever the underlying gender of any noun(s) it contains. For example:
un/una adobacadires a person who repairs chairs
un/una guardabarrera a level-crossing gate keeper
un/una llepafils a fussy eater
un/una mastegaparaules a person who talks with their mouth closed
un/una portaveu a spokesperson
un/una somiatruites a dreamer
un/una tastaolletes a dilettante
Similarly:
pell-roja (m./f.) redskin pocatraça (m.lf) bungler
setciències (m./f.) know-all plats-i-olles (m./f.) crockery seller
malànima (m./f.) villain vetesifils (m./f.) haberdasher
passavolant (m./f.) occasional customer capicausa (m./f.) etc. instigator
Nouns in -Aire
The common agent suffix -aire is invariable, for example:
captaire (m./f) beggar terrissaire (m./f.) potter etc.
Nouns in -ant, -ent
The vast majority of nouns referring to humans ending in -ant or -ent are also invariable, such as:
gerent (m./f.) manager
televident (m.lf) (television) viewer
vianant (m.lf) pedestrian
etc.
A couple of dozen do form feminines in -a however. These feminines are:
-ant
acompanyanta companion, accompanist
ajudanta assistant
berganta rascal
comedianta comedian, hypocrite
comercianta trader
congreganta member of congregation
dibuixanta draughtsman, designer
estadanta resident
estudianta student
fíguranta walk-on part
geganta giantess
infanta princess
santa saint
viatjanta traveller
-ent
aprenenta apprentice
assistenta attendant, social worker
clienta client
dependenta shop assistant
intendenta supervisor
parenta relative
presidenta president
pretendenta pretender, claimant, suitor
regenta manager
serventa servant
Nouns in -al, -ar, -ble
The majority of nouns ending in stressed -al, -ar, or -ble are also invariable, such as: el/la corresponsal ‘(newspaper) correspondent’, esquimal ‘Eskimo’, el/la rival ‘rival’, etc.; auxiliar ‘assistant’, balear ‘native of the Balearic islands’, escolar ‘(primary-school) pupil’, etc.; comptable ‘accountant’, doble ‘double’, noble ‘noble’, etc. There are only a few exceptions where -a is added to these endings to make a feminine, namely:
-al
col·legiala (secondary) schoolgirl
generala mother superior; general’s wife
majorala steward, overseer
manescala vet
menestrala artisan
mariscala wife of marshal or major-general
oficiala official, clerk
-ar
avara miser
-ble
deixebla disciple, student
condeixebla fellow student
Other nouns of common gender, denoting humans
The number of other common gender human nouns is not large; the following is a fairly comprehensive list:
afí (m./f.) relation by m
arriage
almohade (m./f.) Almohad(e)
almoràvit (m./f.) Almoravid(e)
amateur (m./f.) amateur
àrab (m./f.) Arab
artífex (m./f.) craftsman, artificer
banau (m./f) nincompoop, sucker
bengalí (m./f.) Bengali
berber (m./f.) Berber
bus (m./f.) diver
cafre (m./f.) brutal person
cap (m./f.) head, chief
còmplice (m./f.) accomplice
cònjuge (m./f) spouse
conserge (m./f.) concierge
consort (m./f.) consort
contralt (m./f.) contralto, alto
daixonses (m./f) so-and-so
dallonses (m./f) so-and-so
esnob (m./f.) snob
etíop (m./f.) Ethiopian
extraterrestre (m./f) extraterrestrial
fan (m./f.) fan
golafre (m./f.) glutton
hemeralop (m./f) sufferer from day blindness
nictalop (m./f.) sufferer from night blindness
heretge (m./f.) heretic
hindú (m./f.) Hindu
ianqui (m./f.) yankee
intèrpret (m./f.) interpreter
iogui (m./f) yogi
jove (m./f) young man/woman
lladre (m./f.) thief
manxú (m./f.) Manchu
màrtir (m./f.) martyr
miop (m./f.) short-sighted person
model (m./f.) model
mossàrab (m./f.) Mozarab
mudèjar (m./f.) Mudejar
muladí (m./f.) (descendant of Hispano-gothic convert to Islam)
muslim (m./f.) Muslim
negroide (m./f.) negroid
nyau-nyau or nyeu-nyeu (m./f.) hypocrite
nyicris (m./f.) weakling
orfebre (m./f.) goldsmith
papú (m./f.) Papuan
partícip (m./f.) participant, partaker
pilot (m./f.) pilot
ramarol (m./f) fidget
rebel (m./f.) rebel
repòrter (m./f.) reporter
salvatge (m./f.) savage
sequaç(m./f) follower, partisan (Note f.pl. is sequaces)
soprano (m./f.) soprano
testimoni (m./f) Witness
tiple (m./f) treble, soprano
víking (m./f.) Viking
zulu (m./f.) Zulu
1.1.6 Nouns of Fixed Gender
A very few nouns referring to people are of fixed gender, that is, they retain the same form and grammatical gender whether a male or a female is referred to. Some (i) are basic nouns; others (ii) are terms applied metaphorically to humans, as are (iii) titles of address.
bebè (m.) baby
criatura (f.) baby
individu (m.) individual
persona (f.) person
personatge (m.) character, personage
víctima (f.) victim
àngel (m.) angel
celebritat (f.) celebrity
desastre (m.) disaster
estrella (f.) star
geni (m.) genius
patum (f.) celebrity
visita (f.) visitor
altesa (f.) Highness
eminència (f.) Eminence
excel·lència (f.) Excellency
majestat (f.) Majesty
santedat (f.) Holiness
senyoria (f.) Lordship
When these terms are applied to a human whose biological gender is known, the agreement of a predicative adjective or pronoun will typically follow the biological gender: Sa santedat el Papa està malalt ‘His Holiness the Pope is ill’, Ses alteses reials els prínceps estan molt complaguts del viatge ‘Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess are very pleased with their trip’, Quina criatura! Que és petit! ‘What a (nice) baby! How small he is!’, but Les víctimes foren hospitalitzades ‘The victims (sex unknown) were taken to hospital’.
1.1.7 Gender of Animal Names
For the most part, only familiar or domestic animals and birds have separate forms for the male and the female of the species. Some of these, where the masculine and feminine words are unrelated, such as cavall (m.) ‘horse’, ‘stallion’, egua (f.) ‘mare’, have been mentioned above (1.1.4). Those where the masculine form is derived from the feminine with the suffix -ot were listed at 1.1.3, and feminines with special suffixes at 1.1.2. The remaining cases of animal names where a regularly formed masculine and feminine pair exists are these:
ànec(m.) ànega (f.) duck
cérvol (m.) cérvola (f.) stag/doe
colom (m.) coloma (f.) pigeon, dove
conill (m.) conilla (f.) rabbit
elefant (m.) elefanta (f.) elephant
garrí (m.) garrina (f.) piglet
gat (m.) gata (f.) cat
gos (m.) gossa (f.) dog/bitch
jònec (m.) jònega (f.) bovine under two years old
lleó (m.) lleona (f.) lion/lioness
lleopard (m.) lleoparda (f.) leopard
llop (m.) lloba (f.) wolf
mul (m.) mula (f.) mule
ós (m.) óssa (f.) bear
paó (m.) paona (f.) peacock/peahen
or pavó (m.) pavona (f.)
poll (m.) polla (f.) chick, chicken (not poll (m.) ‘louse’)
pollí (m.) pollina (f.) young ass
porcell (m.) porcella (f.) piglet
primal (m.) primala (f.) sheep or goat between one and two years old
rue (m.) ruca (f.) ass
vedell (m.) vedella (f.) calf (under one year old)
xai (m.) xaia (f.) lamb
A few apparent gender pairs may be misleading. The masculine and feminine words either denote different creatures, or are used equivalently, without regard to biological gender:
cuc (m.) worm, maggot cuca (f.) bug, insect
llagost (m.) locust llagosta (f.) 1 locust (= llagost),2 grasshopper, 3 lobster
falcillot (m.) = falcilla (f.) swift
granot (m.) = granota (f.) frog
rat (m.) = rata (f.) rat
talp (m.) = talpa (f.) mole
If you want to distinguish the sex of any other animal you add mascle ‘male’ or femella ‘female’ to the invariable noun, for example, un lloro mascle ‘a male parrot’, un lloro femella ‘a female parrot’, una rata mascle ‘a male rat’, una rata femella ‘a female rat’.
1.2 GENDER OF NOUNS REFERRING TO NON-DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND INANIMATE OBJECTS
The grammatical gender of nouns referring to non-domestic animals and inanimate objects or concepts is largely unpredictable on semantic grounds alone. From the phonological or orthographic form, though, it is often possible to infer what the gender will be. As a broad generalization, we can say that nouns ending in unstressed -a are feminine; the rest are masculine. However, there is a significant number of exceptions, on both sides; some guidance can be given on these, in terms of form, meaning, or structure.
1.2.1 NOUNS ENDING IN -a
Most nouns ending in unstressed -a are feminine. As seen above, the affix -a is also the major one used to derive feminine nouns and adjectives from masculine ones. Thus:
capsa (f.) little box França (f.) France
història (f.) history, story Tarragona (f.) Tarragona
cama (f.) leg
Curiously, feminine names of towns, cities, and countries are preceded by invariant tot ‘all’, mig ‘half rather than the feminine forms tota, mitja: tot Catalunya ‘all Catalonia’, Mig Girona va quedar a les fosques ‘Half Girona was in darkness’.
1.2.1.1 Nouns Ending in -Ma
But many nouns ending in -ma are masculine (mostly words borrowed from Greek, often with the same or similar form in English). For example:
drama (m.) drama
melodrama (m.) melodrama
Specifically, all those ending in -grama are masculine, such as:
anagrama (m.) anagram
diagrama (m.) diagram
epigrama (m.) epigram
programa (m.) programme, program
etc.
&
nbsp; And all those ending in -orama are masculine, such as:
panorama (m.) panorama
etc.
Most of those of three or more syllables ending in -ema are masculine, such as:
cinema (m.) cinema
dilema (m.) dilemma
emblema (m.) emblem
ènema (m.) enema
esquema (m.) outline, draft
estratagema (m.) stratagem
poema (m.) poem
problema (m.) problem
etc.
But half a dozen in -ema are feminine, of which diadema (f.) ‘diadem’ and verema (f.) ‘grape harvest’ are reasonably common.
Those ending in -gma are mostly masculine, such as:
diafragma (m.) diaphragm estigma (m.) stigma
paradigma (m.) paradigm dogma (m.) dogma
enigma (m.) enigma etc.
but flegma ‘phlegm’ is feminine.
Those of three or more syllables in -oma are mostly masculine, such as:
axioma (m.) axiom idioma (m.) language
carcinoma (m.) carcinoma símptoma (m.) symptom
diploma (m.) diploma etc.
But feminine are: aroma (f.) ‘aroma’, coloma (f.) ‘(female) dove’, ‘pigeon’, majordoma (f.) ‘(female) house keeper’, maroma (f.) ‘thick rope’, paloma (f.) ‘parasol mushroom’.
Most of those ending in -sma are masculine (mostly technical), such as:
cisma (m.) schism plasma (m.) plasma
fantasma (m.) phantom prisma (m.) prism
miasma (m.) miasma etc.
But several in -sma are feminine, namely:
asma (f.) asthma maresma (f.) salt marsh
esma (f.) instinct morisma (f.) Moorish crowd
desesma (f.) dismay onosma (f.) saxifrage
cinquagesma (f.) quinquagesima xusma (f.) rabble
quaresma (f.) Lent
Of those ending in -auma or -euma, trauma ‘trauma’, reuma ‘rheumatism’ and a number of technical words are masculine; but catabauma ‘den’ and fleuma ‘ribbonfish’ are feminine.
Of those ending in -erma, derma ‘corium’ and words derived from it are masculine. Esperma ‘sperm’ is feminine, as are angiosperma and centrosperma; however episperma and other compounds of -sperma are masculine.
1.2.1.2 The Suffix -Cida
The suffix -cida ‘-cide’ is masculine if it refers to a product. (It has regular common gender when it denotes humans, as in suïcida ‘(person who commits) suicide’):