Feminine of -án and -ón

Feminine of Words in -án and -ón

Level 2

Most words in -án make the feminine in -á (irmán → irmá), and most words in -ón make it in -oa (león → leoa). Words that describe someone in a teasing or critical way use -ana and -ona instead.

How It Works

-án → -á

This is the normal pattern for nouns and adjectives in -án, including many nationality and place words:

  • irmán → irmá (brother, sister)
  • curmán → curmá (cousin)
  • cidadán → cidadá (citizen)
  • alemán → alemá (German)
  • catalán → catalá (Catalan)
  • ourensán → ourensá (from Ourense)
  • san → sa (healthy): unha comida sa (a healthy meal)

-án → -ana

Words that describe a person in a teasing, critical or insulting way keep the n and add -a: folgazán → folgazana (lazy), lacazán → lacazana (lazy), charlatán → charlatana (chatterbox), mentirán → mentirana (liar).

-ón → -oa

When -ón is simply part of the word, the feminine is -oa: león → leoa (lion, lioness), campión → campioa (champion), patrón → patroa (boss, owner), anfitrión → anfitrioa (host), bretón → bretoa (Breton). Ladrón (thief) has two feminines: ladroa and ladra.

-ón → -ona

When -ón is a suffix that makes a word bigger or more critical, the feminine is -ona: preguntón → preguntona (nosy, always asking), abusón → abusona (bully), faltón → faltona (rude), mullerona (big woman).

Plurals

Add -s as usual: irmáns, irmás; alemáns, alemás; leóns, leoas; folgazáns, folgazanas.

Tip: if you are not sure which group a word belongs to, check it in the dictionary of the Real Academia Galega. The -á and -oa pattern covers most everyday words.

Examples (6)

  1. O meu irmán vive en Vigo e a miña irmá vive en Lugo.

    My brother lives in Vigo and my sister lives in Lugo.

    Irmán becomes irmá: the n drops and the accent stays.

  2. A nosa veciña é alemá, pero fala moi ben galego.

    Our neighbour is German, but she speaks Galician very well.

    Nationality words in -án follow the same -á pattern.

  3. A leoa coida das súas crías.

    The lioness looks after her cubs.

    León becomes leoa.

  4. Ela foi a campioa do torneo.

    She was the champion of the tournament.

    Campión becomes campioa.

  5. Non sexas tan preguntona!

    Don't be so nosy!

    Preguntón is a critical word built with the -ón suffix, so its feminine is preguntona.

  6. Intento levar unha vida sa.

    I try to lead a healthy life.

    San (healthy) has the short feminine sa.

Common Mistakes

  • Keeping the n in the feminine of irmán, as in Spanish hermana.

    A miña irmana chámase Uxía.
    A miña irmá chámase Uxía.

    Ordinary words in -án make the feminine in -á. Only teasing or critical words such as folgazana use -ana.

  • Using Spanish-style -ona for a word whose feminine is -oa.

    A leona durmía á sombra.
    A leoa durmía á sombra.

    When -ón is just part of the word, as in león, campión and patrón, the feminine is -oa.

  • Using -á for a critical word that needs -ana.

    Esa rapaza é moi folgazá.
    Esa rapaza é moi folgazana.

    Folgazán, lacazán and charlatán describe people critically, so they form the feminine in -ana.

How It Connects

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

Feminine of -án and -ónLevel 2Feminine of Words in -án and -ón

Learn This First

Some -án and -ón words have special feminine forms without n.

Words in This Pattern

-ón