Professions in Spanish
In general, Spanish profession nouns change according to the gender of the person they refer to. Let's learn the rules for forming profession nouns and, of course, the exceptions to these rules.
Nouns with O/A Forms
Many profession nouns have masculine forms that end in o. These forms can be made feminine by changing the o to an a. Here is a list of very common examples of this type of profession noun.
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| doctor | engineer | ||
| surgeon | teacher | ||
| architect | archaeologist | ||
| lawyer | stylist | ||
| biologist | butcher | ||
| carpenter | clown | ||
| pharmacologist | chemist | ||
| fireman | gardener | ||
| geologist | gynecologist | ||
| secretary | jeweler | ||
| librarian | mailperson | ||
| mechanic | minister | ||
| musician | nurse | ||
| photographer | politician | ||
| psychologist | scientist | ||
| waiter | cook |
Exceptions
The masculine and feminine forms of the following nouns are the same. Only the article changes to match the gender of the person.
Nouns that End in a Consonant
There are also many profession nouns with masculine forms that end in a consonant. These forms can be made feminine by adding an a to the end of the masculine form. Here is a list of very common examples of these profession nouns.
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| teacher | dancer | ||
| administrator | ambassador | ||
| director | trainer | ||
| programmer | editor | ||
| farmer | fisher | ||
| investigator | captain | ||
| pastor | salesperson | ||
| translator | writer |
Nouns that Don't Change
There are also many profession nouns that always have the same form.
- If a noun ends in -ista, -ia, or e, only the article changes to match the gender of the person.
- There are also some nouns that always end in a, regardless of whether they are masculine or feminine. Most of these end in -ta.
| Masculine Form | Feminine Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| dentist | ||
| police officer |
Here is a list of common professions that follow this rule.
| accountant | poet | ||
| athlete | guard | ||
| psychiatrist | therapist | ||
| assistant | president | ||
| detective | flight attendant | ||
| agent | interpreter | ||
| singer | social worker | ||
| student | artist | ||
| beautician | office worker | ||
| electrician | florist | ||
| journalist | psychoanalyst | ||
| receptionist | taxi driver |
Exceptions
Not all nouns that end in -ista, -ia, or e follow the above rule. The following masculine nouns have a very different feminine form:
| Masculine Form | Feminine Form | English |
|---|---|---|
| sales clerk | ||
| duke / duchess | ||
| mayor |
Remember, the rules above are more like generalizations for groups of nouns. There are many exceptions to these rules, but the majority of profession nouns you come across will follow them.
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