Today’s Spanish word of the day is “mano”.
It’s a feminine noun meaning “hand”.
Although it’s common for masculine nouns to end in -o and feminine nouns to end in -a, there are a few words that break this rule, of which “mano” is one of the most commonly used. Some other words that don’t have the gender you might expect include the following:
- El problema – Problem (masculine)
- La foto – Photo (feminine). The Spanish word “foto” is short for “fotografía”, which is feminine, hence why “foto” is also feminine.
- El mapa – Map (masculine)
- El día – Day (masculine)
- La radio – Radio (feminine)
Like in English, you can use the word “mano” (“hand”) in a metaphorical way to mean “help”, for example:
- Dame una mano, por favor. – Give me a hand, please.
The word “mano” comes from Latin manus, meaning “hand”. This is also the root of several English words including “manicure”, “manual” and “manipulate”. You might also be familiar with the phrase “mano a mano” (“hand to hand”), which is a Spanish phrase that has entered the English vernacular.
Example sentences
Levanta la mano si sabes la respuesta.
Raise your hand if you know the answer.
Te doy una mano.
I’ll give you a hand.
“¡Manos arriba!” gritó el policía.
“Hands up!” the policeman shouted.
Según los expertos, tomar notas a mano mejora la memoria.
According to experts, taking notes by hand improves memory.
Hubiera dado mi mano derecha por estar allí.
I would have given my right hand to be there.
