Compound Words

Level 4

Put a verb and a noun together to name what a thing does: abre + latas → abrelatas (can opener). If the compound ends in -s, the plural looks the same: o paraugas, os paraugas.

How It Works

Verb + noun

The most common pattern joins a verb form with the noun it acts on:

  • abrir + latas → abrelatas (can opener)
  • parar + augas → paraugas (umbrella)
  • gardar + roupa → gardarroupa (wardrobe)
  • sacar + rollas → sacarrollas (corkscrew)
  • lavar + louza → lavalouza (dishwasher)
  • pasar + tempo → pasatempo (hobby)

Gender

Most of these words are masculine: o abrelatas, o paraugas, o gardarroupa. A few are not: a lavalouza is feminine. See noun gender.

Plural

  • Ending in -s: the form does not change. un abrelatas, dous abrelatas. Only the article shows the number, as with other invariable nouns.
  • Ending in a vowel: add -s. o gardarroupa, os gardarroupas; o pasatempo, os pasatempos.

Spelling

A single r between vowels has a soft sound, so when the second word begins with r, write rr: gardarroupa, sacarrollas.

Two-word compounds

Some compounds stay as separate words, such as garda civil. Check the dictionary when you are not sure.

Examples (6)

  1. Onde está o abrelatas?

    Where is the can opener?

  2. Colle o paraugas, que vai chover.

    Take the umbrella, because it is going to rain.

  3. Na entrada hai tres paraugas mollados.

    There are three wet umbrellas in the entrance.

    Paraugas ends in -s, so the plural has the same form.

  4. Garda os abrigos no gardarroupa.

    Put the coats in the wardrobe.

    Garda + roupa is written with rr.

  5. Metiches os pratos na lavalouza?

    Did you put the plates in the dishwasher?

    Lavalouza is feminine: na lavalouza.

  6. O meu pasatempo favorito é ler.

    My favorite hobby is reading.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing a single r where the second word starts with r.

    Garda os abrigos no gardaroupa.
    Garda os abrigos no gardarroupa.

    Between vowels a single r sounds soft. Write rr to keep the strong r of roupa.

  • Dropping the final -s in the singular.

    Pásame o abrelata, por favor.
    Pásame o abrelatas, por favor.

    The compound is abrelatas in both the singular and the plural.

  • Using the masculine for lavalouza.

    Baleira o lavalouza, por favor.
    Baleira a lavalouza, por favor.

    Lavalouza is feminine in Galician, even though the Spanish word for dishwasher is masculine.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Compound WordsLevel 4

Learn This First

Compounds combine words into a lexical unit with its own gender and spelling.