Have you ever wondered whether you should say el mar or la mar (the sea) in Spanish? If you're confused about whether mar is masculine or feminine, you're not alone. The truth is, this word can be both! Let's clear up the confusion.

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Is Mar Masculine or Feminine in Spanish?

In modern Spanish, mar is masculine in most situations. You'll use el mar in everyday conversation and writing:

En el mar de la bahía desemboca un río.

A river flows into Bahía's sea.

Caption 23, Maoli Bahía de Cata

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However, this wasn't always the case. The word mar comes from Latin, where it was neuter (neither masculine nor feminine). As Spanish developed, the word took on both genders.

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When to Use La Mar (Feminine)

While el mar is standard, la mar is still used in specific contexts:

Among Sailors and Fishermen

People who work at sea traditionally use the feminine form, especially when describing the sea's condition:

• la mar calma (calm sea)

• la mar picada (choppy sea)

• la mar gruesa (rough sea)

In Maritime Expressions

Certain seafaring phrases always use the feminine:

• altamar (high seas)

• hacerse a la mar (to set sail)

📌 Altamar (high seas) can be written as one word or two (alta mar). Both spellings are correct, though the single-word version is increasingly preferred.

Y un cubano Muere en altamar

And a Cuban Dies on the high seas

Captions 18-19, Hecho en México Documentary - Part 14

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In Poetry and Songs

Writers, poets, and songwriters often choose la mar for artistic or rhythmic reasons.

Caminante, no hay camino sino estelas en la mar.

Ambler, there's no road only wakes in the sea.

Captions 29-30, Chus recita poemas Antonio Machado

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ya no tiene regreso a la mar encontrará

it has no return, it will find the sea

Captions 31-32, Hecho en México Documentary - Part 18

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Geographic Names with Mar

When mar comes before a geographic name, it's always masculine and lowercase:

• el mar Mediterráneo (Mediterranean Sea)

• el mar Caribe (Caribbean Sea)

• el mar Rojo (Red Sea)

definitivamente tienen que ir y desplazarse a las playas del mar Caribe.

you definitely have to go and travel to the beaches of the Caribbean Sea.

Caption 29, Ciudad de Panamá Denisse introduce la ciudad

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📌 The only exception is when it's part of a place name that isn't actually a sea, like Mar del Plata (a city in Argentina).

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Quick Answer: Which Should You Use?

For everyday Spanish, use el mar (masculine). You'll be correct 90% of the time. Save la mar for maritime contexts, traditional expressions, poetry, or songs.

That wraps up our lesson on el mar vs. la mar! Now you know when to use each form. We'd love to hear from you—send us your questions and feedback!