Question

I know that there are some words that change definition, depending on whether you say "el" or "la" before the word. One example is LA mañana (morning), as opposed to EL mañana (tomorrow). Can anyone give me more examples of words like that?

Answer 1

Not quite what you are asking but how about El Canada?

Answer 2

also look at : http://spanish.about.com/cs/grammar/a/genderreversal.htm

Answer 3

this was particularly interesting in the about.com website:

...Words whose meaning vary depending on the gender. For example, in some areas, la radio means "the radio," while el radio means "the radius" or "radium." Sometimes la radio is used to refer to the communications medium and el radio for a radio set.....

Answer 4

Yeah! That's exactly what I mean, like how la radio means radio, but EL radio means radius. It's the same base word, but "el" and "la" can totally change the meaning of the word.

Answer 5

El papa = pope
La papa = potato (Latin America)

Answer 6

http://spanish.about.com/od/nouns/a/double_gendered.htm

here is an excerpt from that webpage:

•coma: el coma = coma; la coma = comma
•cometa: el cometa = comet; la cometa = kite
•consonante: el consonante = rhyme; la consonante = consonant
•corte: el corte = cut, blade; la corte = court (law)
•cura: el cura = Catholic priest; la cura = cure
•delta: el delta = delta (of a river); la delta = delta (Greek letter)
•doblez: el doblez = fold, crease; la doblez = double dealing
•editorial: el editorial = editorial (opinion article); la editorial = publishing business
•escucha: el escucha = male sentry or guard; la escucha = female sentry or guard, the act of listening
•final: el final = end; la final = championship game in a tournament
•frente: el frente = front; la frente = forehead
•guardia: el guardia = policeman; la guardia = protection, custody, guard, police force, policewoman
•guía: el guía = male guide ; la guía = guidebook, female guide
•mañana: el mañana = future; la mañana = morning
•margen: el margen = margin; la margen = bank (as of a river)
•moral: el moral = blackberry bush; la moral = morale, morality
•orden: el orden = order (opposite of chaos); la orden = religious order
•ordenanza: el ordenanza = order (opposite of chaos); la ordenanza = orderly
•papa: el papa = pope; la papa = potato
•parte: el parte = document; la parte = portion
•pendiente: el pendiente = earring; la pendiente = slope
•pez: el pez = fish; la pez = tar or pitch
•policía: el policía = policeman; la policía = police force, policewoman
•radio: el radio = radius, radium; la radio = radio (Note: In some areas, radio is masculine in all uses.)
•tema: el tema = subject; la tema = obsession
•terminal: el terminal = electrical terminal; la terminal = shipping terminal
•trompeta: el trompeta = male trumpeter; la trompeta = trumpet, female trumpeter
•vista: el vista = male customs officer; la vista = view, female customs officer
•vocal: el vocal = male committee member; la vocal = vowel, female committee member

Answer 7

thankss!