1. Nouns ending in certain suffixes are usually feminine. They include –ción (usually the equivalent of “-tion”), –sión, -ía (usually equivalent of “-y”, although not in the diminutive sense), -za, –dad (often used like “-ty”) and –tis is (“-it is).
La nación (nation) La felicidad (happiness)
La ocasión (occasion) La caridad (charity)
La economía (economy) La meningitis (meningitis)
La pobreza (poverty)
2. Nouns of greek origin ending in –ma are usually masculine.
El problema (problem) El poema (poem)
El drama (drama) El tema (subject)
3. Nouns ending in an accented vowel are usually masculine.
El sofá (sofa) El tabú (taboo)
El chalé (detached house) El rubí (ruby)
4. Nouns with certain endings are usually masculine. These include –aje (usually the equivalent of “-age”), -ambre and –or. An exception is la flor (flower).
El mensaje (message) El viaje (trip)
El hambre (hunger) El calambre (cramp)
El calor (heat) El dolor (pain)
5. Infinitives used as nouns are masculine.
El fumar (smoking) El cantar (singing)
El viajar (travelling) El escuchar (listening)
6. Months and days of the week are masculine
Enero es frío (January is cold) El lunes (Monday)
7. Letters are feminine while numbers are masculine
La d (d) El 7 (seven)