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Spanish nouns with two genders: masculine and feminine
Some Spanish nouns can have both genders (masculine and feminine) without a change of meaning according to different circumstances (e.g. geographical, register of the language etc.). Whether to use the masculine or feminine form is decided by the speaker.
Have a look and listen to these examples:
1. Necesito una sartén limpia para cocinar.
2. Necesito un sartén limpio para cocinar. I need a clean pan in order to cook.
1. No quiero que tomes tanto azúcar.
2. No quiero que tomes tanta azúcar. I don´t want you to eat so much sugar.
- "Tilde" is more often feminine than masculine, but both genders are correct.
- "Mar" is more poetic when it's feminine and more general when it's masculine. Although it's also used in the feminine form by people who live on the sea, like fishermen and sailors.
- "Azúcar" is more commonly feminine in southern Spain and some Latin American countries.
- "Calor" is more commonly feminine in southern Spain and some Latin American countries.
- "Sartén" is more often feminine than masculine, but both genders are correct.
As a non-native speaker, the only way to know if a noun has two genders is to check with the dictionary.
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