If you’re learning Portuguese, one of the first grammar topics you’ll face is noun gender in Portuguese. Unlike English, which has no gender for most nouns, Portuguese assigns every noun a gender: masculine or feminine. But don’t worry—this article will guide you step by step, with simple rules, clear examples, and tips to help you feel confident when using gendered nouns in Portuguese.
What Does “Gender” Mean in Portuguese?
In Portuguese, every noun is either masculine or feminine. This gender affects the articles, adjectives, and sometimes even verbs that go with the noun.
- Masculine nouns often go with “o” or “um”.
- Feminine nouns often go with “a” or “uma”.
In English, you say:
- The book, a table
In Portuguese, you say:
- O livro (the book) → masculine
- A mesa (the table) → feminine
1. Common Endings: Masculine vs. Feminine
Here are some general rules that help you guess the gender of a noun.
Masculine Nouns
Usually end in -o or other consonants.
Examples:
- o carro (the car)
- o livro (the book)
- o computador (the computer)
- o telefone (the telephone)
Feminine Nouns
Usually end in -a or -dade, -ção, -agem.
Examples:
- a casa (the house)
- a cadeira (the chair)
- a liberdade (freedom)
- a situação (the situation)
- a viagem (the trip)
2. Exceptions to the Rules
Like many languages, Portuguese has exceptions. Some nouns don’t follow the typical endings.
Examples:
- o dia (the day) → ends in -a, but it’s masculine
- a mão (the hand) → ends in -o, but it’s feminine
💡 Tip: Always learn a new noun with its article (o/a/um/uma). That way, you’ll always know its gender.
3. People and Gender
When talking about people, the noun usually changes form to match the person’s gender.
| English | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|
| the student | o aluno | a aluna |
| the teacher | o professor | a professora |
| the friend | o amigo | a amiga |
In most cases, just change the -o to -a.
4. Adjective Agreement
Adjectives must also match the gender and number of the noun.
Examples:
- O carro vermelho = The red car (masculine)
- A flor vermelha = The red flower (feminine)
- Os carros vermelhos = The red cars (masculine plural)
- As flores vermelhas = The red flowers (feminine plural)
5. Practice Exercise
Which article would you use with these nouns?
- ___ relógio (watch)
- ___ mochila (backpack)
- ___ problema (problem)
- ___ cidade (city)
Answers:
- O relógio (masculine)
- A mochila (feminine)
- O problema (masculine, even though it ends in -a)
- A cidade (feminine)
Final Tips
- Don’t stress over gender! Native speakers will understand you even if you mix it up sometimes.
- As you learn new vocabulary, always study the article with the noun.
- Flashcards with o/a included can help reinforce memory.
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