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"El gato" is a form of "gato", a noun which is often translated as "cat". "La cosa" is a form of "cosa", a noun which is often translated as "thing". Learn more about the difference between "el gato" and "la cosa" below.
el gato, la gata(
gah
-
toh
)This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).
2. (pejorative) (personal attendant) (El Salvador) (Mexico)
An offensive word or phrase used to degrade a person or group of people based on race, gender, sexual preference, etc. (e.g., redneck).
Regionalism used in El Salvador
Regionalism used in Mexico
b. maid (feminine)
Si quieres café, sírvetelo. No soy tu gata.If you want coffee, get it yourself. I'm not your maid.
a. person from Madrid
¿Qué sabrá ese de flamenco? Es un gato.What does he know about flamenco? He's from Madrid.
A masculine noun is used with masculine articles and adjectives (e.g., el hombre guapo, el sol amarillo).
a. tic-tac-toe (United States)
Regionalism used in the United States
Para jugar gato, solo necesitas un lápiz y un papel.To play tic-tac-toe, you just need a pencil and a piece of paper.
b. noughts and crosses (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
Necesitas una estrategia para ganar al gato.You need a strategy to win noughts and crosses.
la cosa(
koh
-
sah
)A feminine noun is almost always used with feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la mujer bonita, la luna llena).
1. (object)
c. anything
¡Es increíble! Nunca he visto cosa igual.It's incredible! I've never seen anything like it.
d. nothing (in negative clause)
No hay cosa que más odie que las mentiras.There's nothing I hate more than lying.
2. (concern)
b. business
Deja de prestar tanta atención a las cosas del vecino.Stop paying so much attention to the neighbor's business.
a. situation
Pensé que ya se habría resuelto, pero la cosa está complicada.I thought it would have been worked out by now, but the situation is complicated.
4. (colloquial) (male genitalia) (Latin America)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Latin America: all the countries in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Does not include Spain.
a. thing (colloquial)
Después de la circuncisión, puede que le salga costra en su cosa.After the circumcision, he may have a little scab on his thing.
las cosas
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
