A question on masculine and feminine.

Question

Hello

I'm aware that words such as 'agua' actually use masculine articles, but I was wondering if the descriptive word used after them takes its gender from the article or the noun?

For example, El agua sucio or El agua sucia.

Does the descriptive word (Sucio) take the gender from the article (El) or the noun (Agua)

It's probably a simple one for you experts.

Louis

Answer 1

It takes the gender from the noun.

El agua sucia.

El hada malvada.

Answer 2

The only reason for gender change of article in these cases is for ease of pronunciation of the feminine noun with a stressed first sylable with an "a" sound following "la", there is no need to change the adjective because this problem of pronunciation doesn´t exist.

As aileribel mentions, the singular forms only change the gender of the article, but in plural there is no change, ie: Las aguas sucias / Las hadas malvadas.

Hi Julian , it is the same in Italian , it must sound right , sometimes forget the grammar and go for the sound , Italians will forgive bad grammar but not a crude sounding sentence. - ray76, Mar 13, 2016

Yes Ray, it has to sound right as you have said, as well. - 00cc0117, Mar 13, 2016

Answer 3

when a femenine noun starts with "A" it takes the masculin articles.

eg. El agua/ el azúcar / el área/ un hacha/ un arma

but you MUST say ESTA agua/área/hacha/arma etc... and NOT este agua/área/hacha/arma etc...

also in plural LAS armas/ hachas ... AND NOT los armas/ hachas

thanks fot the question I just learnt the reason xd (native speaker)

Thanks for being on this forum with us. Fernand. - 00cc0117, Mar 13, 2016

Here is a vote amigo. - 00cc0117, Mar 13, 2016

I forgot to say that azúcar can be used in masculine or femenine depending on where you are eg. el azúcar blanca(where I live) el azúcar blanco(other countries) - fernand2017, Mar 13, 2016

PD: thanks :D - fernand2017, Mar 13, 2016

Don't forget to capitalize, amigo. :) - rac1, Mar 13, 2016

Answer 4

This is a silly rule. Why is "la agua" not okay, but "va a hacer" is okay?

PS: I know it is just a rule, but it just seems silly to me. And I like to complain about it every chance I get. jajaja.

"Rules" to the foreign learner of Spanish are merely observations on the way Spanish speaker say things. OK? - Daniela2041, Mar 16, 2016

typo---"speakers" - Daniela2041, Mar 16, 2016

I had the same thought. Maybe there's just no way around "va a hacer." - AnnRon, Mar 16, 2016