When saying "You're an angel," to a girl/woman, which is correct: "Eres un angel" or "Eres una angela"?

Question

When saying "You're an angel," to a girl/woman, which is correct: "Eres un angel" or "Eres una angela"?

'Eres una angela' doesn't sound correct, but it conforms with Spanish-language gender rules.

Answer 1

I think you're thinking more of adjectives than nouns. Ángel is the noun which is masculine. angélico, angélica are the adjectives.

You may also be thinking of the common Christian name Angela.

Just to mention it, the topic of whether there are, indeed, female angels is somewhat controversial.

actually you would not say angélica, but say angelical. - zenejero, OCT 12, 2009

You're correct. It seems that angélica is a plant. - 0074b507, OCT 12, 2009

Gfreed, thank you very much, but it's not the name Angel or Angela that I was referring to, but the adjective used when complimenting someone. - Hombre47eeuu, OCT 13, 2009

Answer 2

You would really say 'Eres un ángel'. Even though as you say 'it conforms with the gender rules', some things keep the generic or other times male gender, as is the case with angel.

Zenejero, gracias a míl; me has ayudado más que supieras. - Hombre47eeuu, OCT 13, 2009