Place of origin and exceptions to the z and l rule

George C.C1Kwiziq community member

Place of origin and exceptions to the z and l rule

The exceptions are both words that describe places of origin.  Is this a pattern or are these two examples that just happened to be place names.  I can see three possibilities:

1) When you have a place of origin adjective (from Spain, from Analusia) you always use gendered plural endings.

2) When you use gendered plural endings for adjectives ending in z or l you always use gendered plural endings

3) It's just a coincidence in the examples and neither 1 or 2 is a pattern.

Which one of these cases is closest to being correct?

Asked 3 years ago
InmaNative Spanish expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hola George

These two exceptions are to do with two adjectives that refer to origin (from Andalusia and from Spain) We use the -as and -es endings for their plural to refer to women/girls form Andalusia or Spain or to refer to men/boys from Andalusia or Spain respectively.

I can't think of any other adjectives ending in -z or -l referring to places of origin, so yes, it is a coincidence that it is just these two. 

Any other adjective that ends in -z or -l (e.g. feliz, capaz, feroz, leal, legal, frontal...etc) have the only plural ending -es for male and female.

Saludos

Inma

Place of origin and exceptions to the z and l rule

The exceptions are both words that describe places of origin.  Is this a pattern or are these two examples that just happened to be place names.  I can see three possibilities:

1) When you have a place of origin adjective (from Spain, from Analusia) you always use gendered plural endings.

2) When you use gendered plural endings for adjectives ending in z or l you always use gendered plural endings

3) It's just a coincidence in the examples and neither 1 or 2 is a pattern.

Which one of these cases is closest to being correct?

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