Spanish Grammar: Articles
Articles Defined
There are two articles in English: the definite article "the" and the indefinite article "a" (an). We use "the" in reference to an object already identified in the minds of those who are speaking (The book is on the table). We use "a" in referring to an object not yet identified in the minds of those speaking. The indefinite article "a" is really a reduced form of the numeral one (There is a man at the door = There is one man at the door).
We use the indefinite article "a" before words beginning with a consonant sound (a book, a chair, a big boy). Before words beginning with a vowel sound, we use "an" (an apple, an ear, an old man).
In Spanish the articles (both definite and indefinite) are adjectives and, as such, precede the noun they modify and agree with it in number and gender.
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Table of definite articles
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
| singular | el the | la the | lo variously translated * |
| plural | los the | las the |
* The neuter article lo is used with adjectives, past participles and occasionally adverbs to express concepts equivalent to an abstract noun. This will be covered in the section (The Neuter Article lo in Use).
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definite articles
In broad terms, the definite article is used in Spanish, as in English, to indicate any person or object already identified in the minds of those who are speaking.
El libro está sobre la mesa.
The book is on the table.
El cartero me trajo dos cartas.
The mailman brought me two letters.
In the plural, the definite article has the following forms, agreeing with the nouns which they accompany:
| Masculine | Feminine |
los (the) |
las (the) |
Masculine nouns require a masculine article; feminine nouns require a feminine article:
| Masculine | Feminine |
el hombre (the man) |
la muchacha (the girl) |
los hombres (the men) |
las muchachas (the girls) |
un pasaporte (a passport) |
una mesa (a table) |
Exception: Feminine nouns beginning with stressed a or ha take el in the singular instead of la, when the article immediately precedes. El here is of different origin from the masculine article of the same form and its use does not by any means change the gender of the noun, thus:
el agua (the water) |
el hacha (the axe) |
but:
las aguas (the waters) |
las hachas (the axes) |
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THE Uses — Definite Articles
Use of the Definite Article in a General Sense
If a noun in Spanish denotes a general class, that is, if it applies to all books, all flowers, etc., the definite article must be used with it. Many English sentences that begin with a noun are of this type.
Las flores son bonitas.
Flowers are pretty (i.e., all flowers).
Me gustan los libros.
I like books (i.e. all books).
The definite article is also used with abstract nouns. An abstract noun does not represent a visible object, but indicates a condition or quality, such as life, liberty, justice, or happiness.
La vida es buena.
Life is good.
Note: The definite article is usually repeated before each noun.
El tío y la sobrina van al teatro.
The uncle and niece are going to the theatre.
The definite article is used before a title in an indirect address. It is never used, however, before a title in a direct address, or before
don or doña.
El señor García está aquí.
Mr. García is here.
La señora Encina está enferma.
Mrs. Encina is ill.
El general Wáshington
General Wáshington
But:
Buenos días, señor García.
Good morning, Mr. García.
¿Cómo está usted, señorita Martinez?
How are you, Miss Martinez?
Don Pedro está aquí.
Peter is here.
Note: Titles such as señor, etc., unless they begin a sentence, are not capitalized.
The masculine singular definite article may be used before an infinitive employed as a subject, when the infinitive precedes the main verb.
(El) comer es necesario.
Eating is necessary.
(El) cocinar bien es muy difícil.
Cooking well is very difficult.
(El) errar es humano.
To err is human.
(El) nadar mucho me cansa.
Swimming a lot tires me.
But:
No es bueno beber demasiado.
It´s not good to drink too much.
The definite article is used before units of measurement and in expressions of price.
La leche cuesta un euro la botella.
Milk costs one euro a bottle.
La sal se vende a cincuenta centavos la libra.
Salt is sold at 50 cents a pound.
El mecánico gana diez pesos al día.
The mechanic makes ten pesos a day.
Los dulces cuestan cinco centavos el paquete.
The candy cost five cents a pack.
The definite article is used before the name of a language, except immediately after the verb hablar. It is sometimes omitted before the verb estudiar and the prepositions de, and en.
Nosotros hablamos quechua.
We Speak Quechua.
¿Puede usted leer el alemán?
Can you read German?
Quiero estudiar (el) chino.
I want to study Chinese.
Este artículo está escrito en francés.
This article is written in French.
Note: In Spanish the name of a language does not begin with a capital letter.
Yo hablo español y él habla portugués.
I speak Spanish and he speaks Portuguese.
Note: If a word is inserted between hablar and the name of the language, the definite article is used. Also when castellano is used in place of español the article is sometimes used. (The term castellano is generally used in Spain to refer to Spanish as opposed to one of the other languages spoken there.)
El hombre no habla muy bien el italiano.
The man does not speak Italian very well.
Hablamos (el) castellano todos los días.
We speak Castilian every day.
The definite article is usually omitted when the name of a language follows either the preposition de or en.
Da clases de inglés.
He teaches English.
Hoy tenemos una lección de español.
Today we have a Spanish lesson.
The definite article is used
(a) With days of the week and translates as "on".
No estudio los sábados.
I do not study on Saturdays.
Lo haremos el miércoles.
We will do it on Wednesday.
Note: In Spanish the names of the days of the week do not begin with a capital letter.
(b) With seasons of the year.
La primavera es muy hermosa.
Spring is very beautiful.
(c) When a period of time is limited by próximo (next), que viene (next), pasado (past, last), or a similar expression.
¿Qué proyectos tiene para el año próximo?
What are your plans for next year?
(d) With the names of certain countries and cities. These will have to be memorized: (los Estados Unidos, la Habana.) All South American countries except Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela in addition to China, Japan and Canada are sometimes used with the definite article, though not always.
(El) Japón, (el) Perú, (el) Canadá
Japan, Peru, Canada
La Habana, La Coruña, la Florida
Havana, Corunna (city and region in Spain), Florida (state in the United States)
(e) before any geographical name that is modified by an adjective or an adverbial phrase.
La España moderna
Modern Spain
Pasaron varios años en la Cuba revolucionaria.
They spent several years in revolutionary Cuba.
(f )When reference is made to parts of the body or to articles of clothing, the definite article is used (rather than the possessive adjective my, your, his, etc., as in English), provided the possessor is clearly indicated, usually by the pronoun of a reflexive verb.
Lávese Ud. las orejas.
Wash your ears.
El hombre se pone el abrigo.
The man puts on his overcoat.
Me duelen los pies.
My feet ache.
Note: The possessive adjective and not the article is generally used at the beginning of a sentence.
Sus ojos se acostumbraron a la oscuridad.
Her eyes became accustomed to the darkness.
(g) Unlike English, the definite article often appears before a noun governed by a preposition.
Estamos en el colegio..
We are in (at) school.
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THE NEUTER ARTICLE LO
The neuter definite article lo (occurring in the singular only) is used:
a) With the masculine form of adjectives to express some abstract form or idea.
Lo bueno es, muchas veces, caro.
What is good is often expensive.
El me dijo lo mismo.
He told me the same thing.
b) With the pronouns mío, tuyo, suyo + nuestro to express similar abstractions.
El no puede separar lo suyo de lo mío.
He can't separate his from mine.
c) Together with que in the following common construction: (English equivalent is what or that which.)
El no sabe lo que quiere.
He doesn't know what he wants.
Lo que dice es una cosa, lo que hace es otra.
What he says is one thing, what he does is another.
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Table of indefinite articles
| Masculine | Feminine | |
| singular | un |
una |
| plural | unos |
unas |
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INdefinite articles
The indefinite articles in Spanish are un and una. With masculine nouns un is used; with feminine nouns, una is used.
| un libro | a book |
una pluma | a pen |
| un cuchillo | a knife |
una mesa | a table |
The indefinite article is used in Spanish exactly as in English, with this minor difference: the indefinite article is not used before a predicate noun in Spanish, especially when the predicate noun indicates nationality or profession.
Ricardo es maestro.
Richard is a teacher.
Soy americano.
I am an American.
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Uses — Indefinite Articles
As noted earlier, the English words "a" and "an" are called indefinite articles. The Spanish words are un (m.) and una (f.). These words also mean one. The indefinite article is generally repeated before each noun in a series. Uno (or una) is used when the word one is a pronoun (third example).
un libro y una pluma
a book and (a) pen (one book and one pen)
¿Busca Ud. un cuaderno?
Are you looking for a notebook?
Deseo uno.
I want one.
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OMISSION OF ARTICLES
The indefinite article is usually used in English but omitted in Spanish before a predicate noun denoting a person who is not characterized in any way. This use is particularly common with words expressing a profession, trade, or nationality.
Ella es americana.
She is (an) American.
¿Es usted católico?
Are you (a) Catholic?
Él es médico.
He is a doctor.
Note: If the predicate noun is characterized in any way, as by an adjective, the indefinite article is required.
Él es un médico famoso.
He is a famous doctor.
The indefinite article is omitted after the exclamatory ¡qué!
¡Qué árbol más alto!
What a tall tree.
¡Qué música tan triste!
What sad music.
The indefinite article is omitted before the numerals cien(to) and mil.
Cien alumnos en una clase son demasiados.
One hundred pupils in one classroom are too many.
The indefinite article is omitted with the adjectives cierto, medio, otro, cada, and tal.
Vamos a visitar otra tienda.
Let's visit another store.
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Contractions
Spanish has only two contractions, and both involve the masculine singular definite article, el. When el follows preposition a, i.e.,(a+el,) the two words combine to become al. When el follows de, i.e., (de+el), the result is del.
Fui al médico.
I went to the doctor.
Ella vino del hospital.
She came from the hospital.
BUT:
Es de El Slavador
She is from El Salvador.