A Comprehensive Guide to Spanish Determiners and Nouns
Posessives
Forms
Possessives have shorter and fuller forms:
Shorter Forms
- Singular: mi, tu, su
- Plural: mis, tus, sus
These forms are unstressed and need to rely on another word phonetically. They are not compatible with any other determiner except demonstratives, “otro” and its variants, and numerals.
Full Forms
- Masculine Singular: mío, tuyo, suyo
- Feminine Singular: mía, tuya, suya
- Masculine Plural: míos, tuyos, suyos
- Feminine Plural: mías, tuyas, suyas
The full forms show differences in gender and number, and also differences between one possessor and several possessors.
Usage Notes
- Forms with one owner: mío, mía, tuyo, tuya, suyo, suya
- Forms with several owners: nuestro/a/os/as, vuestro/a/os/as
- “Suyo”, “suya”, “suyos”, “suyas” can refer to one or several owners.
- Full forms always follow the noun.
- Tonic possessive determiners can never be substantiated by an adjective or article, but they can perform the role of a pronoun.
- The full forms “mío”, “tuyo”, “suyo” and their variants always modify the noun, like any adjective.
- The forms “nuestro” and “vuestro” and their variants can function as modifiers or determiners.
Whose
The possessive “whose” does not replace an accompanying noun but refers to another noun.
Quesuísmo
“Quesuísmo” is a slang term for the incorrect substitution of “cuyo” and its variants with “que + su”.
Common Mistakes
- It is wrong to use “cuyo” and its variants without possessive meaning.
- In some constructions, the relative “que” presents a demonstrative value, not possessive.
- Possessive feminine nouns beginning with “a” or “ha” use the normal feminine form of the tonic determiner.
Indefinite Determiners
Indefinite determiners update a noun but can also function as pronouns. These determiners refer to vague and indeterminate quantities and are opposed to numerals. They are incompatible with non-count nouns in the plural unless referring to classes or properties.
Examples
- un, una, unos, unas
- algún, alguna, algunos, algunas
- ningún, ninguna, ningunos, ningunas
- cualquier, cualquiera, cualesquiera
- otro, otra, otros, otras
Usage Notes
- The indefinite determiners “un”, “algún”, “ningún” and their variants are shorter forms and always precede nouns.
- The forms “uno” and “ninguno” are always placed after the noun, while “algún”, “alguna”, “algunos”, and “algunas” can be placed before or after.
- Indefinite determiners are compatible with articles, demonstratives, and possessives, but only allow “otro” and its variants to follow.
- They can function as pronouns when the noun is not explicit and have the ability to be substantiated (e.g., “Ningún tonto”, “Un guapo”).
Numeral Determiners
Numeral determiners can be cardinal, ordinal, partitive, or multiplicative.
Cardinal Numbers
Cardinal numbers always indicate an exact amount. They can act as determiners or pronouns and can be simple or compound. When placed after the noun, they acquire ordinal value. They can be combined with articles (e.g., “los dos versos”), demonstratives (e.g., “estos tres versos”), apocopated possessives (e.g., “mis tres casas”), and full possessives (e.g., “las dos casas mías”).
Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers indicate order or succession (e.g., “cuarto”, “quinto”). They always modify the noun and can never be determiners, pronouns, or substantives. Like adjectives, ordinals can be substantiated (e.g., “Primero”).
Partitive Numbers
Partitive numbers are formed with the suffix “-avo” and indicate the equal division of a unit (e.g., “doceavo”). They should not be confused with ordinal numbers.
Multiplying Numbers
Multiplying numbers are modifiers of the noun and can also be substantiated.
Dual Numbers
“Ambos” and “ambas” are equivalent to “los dos” and “las dos”. They require their referents to have been mentioned before in the context and function as determiners. They can also be pronouns but cannot be substantiated.
Nouns
Nouns describe people, animals, things, or abstract concepts. They represent independent existence or qualities. Some argue that the traditional definition is not entirely accurate.
Classes of Nouns
- Concrete (e.g., “pluma”)
- Abstract (e.g., “fe”)
- Singular (e.g., “pino”)
- Collective (e.g., “alameda”)
- Common (e.g., “río”)
- Proper (e.g., “Teide”)
- Animate (e.g., “niño”)
- Inanimate (e.g., “piedra”)
- Countable (e.g., “libro”)
- Uncountable (e.g., “plata”)
Functions of Nouns
- Substantive Core: The noun functions as the core of a noun phrase, around which other elements converge (determiners, prepositional phrases, clauses, etc.).
- Noun Phrase: Within a noun phrase, the noun can be:
- Subject
- Attribute
- Direct Object
- Indirect Object
- Situational
Ambiguous Gender in Animate Nouns
Some animate nouns have ambiguous gender and can be accompanied by both masculine and feminine adjectives without semantic or grammatical differences. However, differences may occur in register or style.