Abstract Nouns
In this lesson you'll learn how abstract nouns are created in Spanish by adding suffixes to verbs, adjectives, and other nouns.
Flashcards and a quiz are included to help you learn the abstract nouns introduced in this lesson.
Abstract Nouns
Abstract nouns are nouns that name concepts, ideas, and qualities. In Spanish, abstract nouns are often created by adding suffixes to verbs and adjectives. There are many suffixes in Spanish. In this section we'll cover some of the more common ones.
The suffixes ción and sión
The suffixes ción and sión are used to create an abstract noun from a verb. These nouns are feminine. The plural forms are ciones and siones.
| la explicación | the explanation |
| la motivación | the motivation |
| la nación | the nation |
| la ocupación | the occupation |
| la tradición | the tradition |
| la comprensión | the understanding |
| la conclusión | the conclusion |
| la tensión | the tension |
The suffix dad
The suffix dad is added to adjectives to form a noun that defines the concept of the adjective.
| la ansiedad | the anxiety |
| la bondad | the goodness |
| la felicidad | the happiness |
| la necesidad | the necessity, the need |
| la oscuridad | the darkness |
| la profundidad | the depth |
| la seguridad | the security |
The suffix eza
This suffix eza is often used with adjectives to create an abstract noun that defines the concept or idea of the adjective. These nouns are feminine.
| la belleza | the beauty |
| la certeza | the certainty |
| la pureza | the purity |
| la naturaleza | the nature |
| la tristeza | the sadness |
The suffix anza
The suffix anza creates the noun form of some verbs.
| la enseñanza | the education |
| la esperanza | the hope |
| la semejanza | the similarity |
| la venganza | the vengeance |
The suffix encia
The suffix encia creates the noun form of some verbs.
| la dependencia | the dependence |
| la experiencia | the experience |
| la frequencia | the frequency |
| la violencia | the violence |
The suffix miento
The suffix miento is often added to a verb to create a noun. These nouns are masculine.
| el descubrimiento | the discovery |
| el movimiento | the movement |
| el pensamiento | the thought |
The suffix tud
The suffix tud is added to adjectives to form a noun that defines the concept of the adjective.
| la longitud | the length |
| la magnitud | the magnitude, size |
| la quietud | the stillness |
| la similitud | the similarity |
The suffixes or and ante
These suffixes or and ante are added to a verb to denote the person doing the action.
| el jugador | the player (male) |
| la jugadora | the player (female) |
| el cantante | the singer (male) |
| la cantante | the singer (female) |
| el trabajador | the worker (male) |
| la trabajadora | the worker (female) |
Flashcards
Here are some flashcards to help you learn the abstract nouns included in this lesson.
Practice Section
Write the Spanish noun for each question. Make sure to use the correct definite article.
| the explanation | |
| the darkness | |
| the beauty | |
| the hope | |
| the conclusion | |
| the experience | |
| the movement | |
| the happiness | |
| the thought | |
| the length |
Quiz
Here is a quiz to help you learn the abstract nouns included in this lesson.