Spanish Nouns Where el/la Changes the Meaning
A few Spanish nouns are really two words: with el and la they mean different things, such as el capital (money) and la capital (the capital city).
The rule at a glance
Same spelling, different article, different word: el capital (money) ≠ la capital (city).
No reliable rule: learn them as pairs; Masculine is often the person in the job: el cura, el guía
capital
el capital · la capital
money · capital city
Madrid es la capital de España
Madrid is the capital of Spain
orden
el orden · la orden
sequence · command
El jefe dio la orden
The boss gave the order
cura
el cura · la cura
priest · cure
Buscan la cura del cáncer
They seek the cure for cancer
policía
el policía · la policía
police officer · police force
Llamé a la policía
I called the police
The pairs
Most nouns have one gender, so the article just follows it: el libro, la mesa. In these pairs the article picks the meaning:
| Noun | el (masculine) | la (feminine) |
|---|---|---|
| capital | money, wealth, investment | capital city |
| orden | order, sequence, arrangement | a command, an instruction |
| cura | a priest | a cure, remedy |
| guía | a male guide | a guidebook, or a female guide |
| policía | a male police officer | the police force, or a female officer |
| papa | the Pope (el papa) | a potato (Latin America; Spain: la patata) |
| corte | a cut (haircut, slice) | a royal court (a law court in Latin America; in Spain: el tribunal) |
| frente | the front (battlefront) | the forehead |
Pairs in context
1. el capital (money) · la capital (city)
Money: Necesitamos más capital – We need more capital
Money: El capital de la empresa es alto – The company capital is high
City: Madrid es la capital de España – Madrid is the capital of Spain
City: Vamos a visitar la capital de México – We're going to visit the capital of Mexico
2. el orden (sequence) · la orden (command)
Sequence: El orden alfabético – Alphabetical order
Sequence: Pon los libros en orden – Put the books in order
Command: El jefe dio la orden – The boss gave the order
Command: Seguir las órdenes – To follow orders
3. el cura (priest) · la cura (cure)
Priest: El cura bendijo la boda – The priest blessed the wedding
Priest: Hablar con el cura – To speak with the priest
Cure: Buscan la cura del cáncer – They seek the cure for cancer
Cure: Encontrar la cura – To find the cure
4. el guía (male guide) · la guía (guidebook, female guide)
Context makes la guía clear: comprar una guía is a guidebook; la guía nos llevó is a (female) guide.
Person: El guía nos llevó al museo – The guide took us to the museum
Book: Compré una guía de viaje – I bought a travel guide
Person: La guía nos explicó la historia del barrio – The (female) guide explained the history of the area to us
5. el policía (officer) · la policía (police force)
Person: El policía me ayudó – The officer helped me
Force: Llamé a la policía – I called the police
Force: La policía investiga el caso – The police are investigating the case
6. el papa (pope) · la papa (potato)
In Spain a potato is la patata; la papa is Latin American.
Pope: El papa visitó España – The Pope visited Spain
Potato: Me gustan las papas fritas – I like chips (Latin America; Spain: patatas fritas)
Common mistakes
Not this (incorrect): Voy al capital de España
But this (correct): Voy a la capital de España – I'm going to the capital of Spain. Capital city = la capital. Money = el capital.
Not this (incorrect): El jefe dio el orden
But this (correct): El jefe dio la orden – The boss gave the order. A command = la orden. A sequence = el orden.
Not this (incorrect): Compré un guía de Madrid
But this (correct): Compré una guía de Madrid – I bought a guidebook to Madrid. Guidebook = la guía. Male guide = el guía.
Not this (incorrect): Me duele el frente
But this (correct): Me duele la frente – My forehead hurts. Forehead = la frente. Front, battlefront = el frente.
Quick check
6 questions1. Madrid es ___ capital de España.
A capital city is la capital; el capital is money.
2. El jefe dio ___ orden de empezar.
A command is la orden; el orden is a sequence or arrangement.
3. Cambia ___ orden de las fotos.
The order of the photos is a sequence: el orden. La orden is a command.
4. ___ cura bendijo la boda.
The priest is el cura; la cura is a cure.
5. Compré ___ guía de viaje.
A guidebook is la guía (una guía).
6. Me duele ___ frente.
The forehead is la frente; el frente is the front.
Choose the article that gives the right meaning:
Going further
Mañana, pendiente, cometa, and the pairs in real situations
Three more pairs
| Noun | el (masculine) | la (feminine) |
|---|---|---|
| mañana | the future | the morning |
| pendiente | an earring | a slope |
| cometa | a comet | a kite |
More pairs in context
Corte (m) = cut: Me gusta tu corte de pelo – I like your haircut
A law court in Spain = el tribunal (la corte = a royal court): El tribunal decidió – The court ruled
Frente (m) = front: Lucharon en el frente – They fought at the front
Frente (f) = forehead: Me golpeé la frente – I hit my forehead
Mañana (m) = future: Nadie sabe qué traerá el mañana – Nobody knows what the future will bring
Mañana (f) = morning: Trabajo por la mañana – I work in the morning
Pendiente (m) = earring: Perdí un pendiente – I lost an earring
Pendiente (f) = slope: La pendiente es muy pronunciada – The slope is very steep
Cometa (m) = comet: Vimos el cometa – We saw the comet
Cometa (f) = kite: Los niños vuelan cometas – The children fly kites
Travel planning
Necesito comprar una guía de la ciudad – I need to buy a city guidebook
El guía turístico nos espera por la mañana – The tour guide is waiting for us in the morning
An emergency
¡Rápido! Llama a la policía – Quick! Call the police
El policía llegó en cinco minutos – The officer arrived in five minutes
La policía investigará el caso – The police will investigate the case
A business meeting
Necesitamos aumentar el capital de la empresa – We need to increase the company's capital
Los documentos deben estar en orden alfabético – The documents must be in alphabetical order
El jefe dio la orden de comenzar el proyecto – The boss gave the order to start the project
Health and religion
Los científicos buscan la cura para el cáncer – Scientists are looking for the cure for cancer
El cura de la iglesia celebró la boda – The church priest performed the wedding
Me golpeé la frente y me salió un moratón – I hit my forehead and got a bruise