Tigre is a masculine noun in Spanish, primarily used to refer to a male tiger. However, Spanish distinguishes the gender of many animals, and there is a specific feminine form, tigresa, to denote a female tiger.
Understanding Animal Gender in Spanish
In Spanish, all nouns have a grammatical gender, either masculine or feminine. For many animals, there are specific words or forms to indicate whether the animal is male or female. This is distinct from the biological sex of the animal.
The Case of Tigre
The word for "tiger" in Spanish provides a clear example of how gender is often differentiated:
| English Term | Masculine Form | Feminine Form |
|---|---|---|
| Tiger | tigre | tigresa |
| Dog | perro | perra |
As shown, tigre is the masculine form, referring to a male tiger, while tigresa is its feminine counterpart.
When speaking generally about tigers, or a group of tigers that includes both males and females, the masculine form tigre is commonly used, often with a masculine article (e.g., los tigres – "the tigers"). However, when the specific sex of the animal is known or needs to be emphasized, the appropriate gendered term is used:
- El tigre: The male tiger
- La tigresa: The female tiger
