EXCEPTIONS--

+--------------------------------+----------------------------+
|La higuera (the fig-tree) |El melocoton (the peach) |
|La palma (the palm-tree) |El alberchigo (the peach) |
|La vina (the vine-tree) |El durazno (the apricot) |
|El datil (the date) |El albaricoque (the apricot)|
|El pistacho (the pistachio-nut) |El mango (the mango) |
|El higo (the fig) | |
+--------------------------------+----------------------------+

And a few more.

3. A masculine article is used with other parts of speech whole
sentences used substantively, as--

Quiero un si o un no claro: I want a clear (decisive) yes or no.

El aprender es util: Learning is useful.

El que lo haya hecho sin consultarme no puede serme de grande gusto:
That he did it without consulting me is certainly not pleasing to me.

A list of principal exceptions to the rule given on Spanish gender by
termination is given in Appendix I.

To the rules for the formation of the plural (Lesson III) we shall add--

1. Family names ending in _z_ unstressed do not change--

Juan Fernandez But--El Sr. Ruiz
Los Senores Fernandez Los Senores Ruices

2. The names of the vowels pluralize in _es_--
Las aes, las ees, las ies, las oes, las ues.

3. Some Latin words used in Spanish, as--Accessit, deficit, fiat,
ultimatum, agnus dei, etc., do not change for the plural,
except--Album--albumes.

For other peculiarities of number see Appendix II. Collective nouns in
Spanish are generally followed by the verb in the singular, as--La gente
piensa: People think.

But after a collective noun, indefinite in its meaning, the verb may
follow in the plural, as--Una cantidad de generos se vendio, _or_
vendieron en subasta: A quantity of goods was or were sold by auction.

N.B.--The tendency of the language is in favour of the singular.

=Poner= (to put, to place).

_Past Part.,_ Puesto.
_Pres. Indic.,_ Pongo.[174]
_Imper. Mood,_ Pon ... poned ...[175]
_Past Def.,_ Puse, pusiste, puso, pusimos, pusisteis, pusieron.
_Future Indic.,_ Pondre, pondras, pondra, pondremos, pondeis, pondran.

=Querer= (to want a thing or person, to love a person, to be willing).

_Pres. Indic.,_ Quiero, quieres, quiere,--,--, quieren. [176]
_Past Def.,_ Quise, quisiste, quiso, quisimos, quisisteis, quisieron.
_Fut. Indic., _Querre, querras, querra, querremos, que