Less than an hour ago, I heard an “extranjero” (foreigner) make a common error when speaking Spanish. While the error is still fresh in my mind, I want to send you an email about it so that you never make this mistake.
This is what happened . . . .
This evening, I noticed that the bookshelf that I currently have is too small for my constantly growing collection of learning-Spanish books. So I went shopping for a “biblioteca” here in Medellín, Colombia.
How To Say Bookshelf In Spanish
I know you are probably wondering “Patrick, why would you go shopping for a library?”
Don’t feel bad. My Spanish books also taught me that the word “biblioteca” only means “library.”
But in Latin America, “biblioteca” not only means library. “Biblioteca” also means “bookshelf.”
How To Say Backpacker In Spanish
While I was at the “mueblería” (furniture store) I saw a twenty-something year old guy who looked like a “mochilero.”
“Mochilero” means “backpacker” and it comes from the word “mochila” which means “backpack.”
A lot of “backpackers” from Europe come to visit Colombia and other countries in South America.
The “mochilero” was with a Colombian friend who was apparently shopping for a couch. Then I heard the “mochilero” incorrectly say to his friend the following:
Te gusta la sofá.
You like the sofa.
Did you spot the error?
In general, Spanish nouns that end with the letter “o” are masculine. And Spanish nouns that end with the letter “a” are feminine.
But there are exceptions to this rule. And “sofa” or “el sofá” is one of them.
Por eso – for that reason – he should have said:
Te gusta el sofá.
You like the sofa.
Here is a list of some more words that are exceptions to the general rule that nouns that end with “o” are masculine and nouns that end with “a” are feminine:
1. el drama – drama
2. el clima – climate
3. el problema – problem
4. el fantasma – ghost
5. el poema – poem
6. el idioma – language
7. el tema – theme
8. el sistema – system
9. el mapa – map
You may have noticed that many of the above words end with “ma.” But do NOT make the mistake of thinking that every Spanish word that ends with “ma” is masculine.
Many Spanish words that end with “ma” are feminine.
Por ejemplo – for example:
1. la rama – branch
2. la firma – signature
3. la cama – bed
4. la broma – joke
Here’s another word for “shelf”
Estante
But “estante” means “shelf” in general while “biblioteca” means a “shelf” that is specifically used for books, such as a bookcase.
Voy a poner el plato en el estante.
I am going to put the plate on the shelf.
