Spanish Articles: el, la, un, una and the Neuter lo
How the definite and indefinite articles work in Spanish, with the special case of el before feminine nouns.
Articles are small words that change with the noun's gender and number.
Definite articles (the)
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | el | la |
| Plural | los | las |
- el libro → los libros
- la mesa → las mesas
Indefinite articles (a, an, some)
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | un | una |
| Plural | unos | unas |
- un libro, a book
- una mesa, a table
- unos libros, some books
El before a feminine noun
Feminine nouns that begin with a stressed a- sound take el in the singular, to avoid two a sounds in a row:
- el agua (water), but las aguas
- el águila (eagle)
- el hacha (axe)
The noun is still feminine, so adjectives stay feminine: el agua fría, the cold water.
Contractions
Two contractions are required:
- a + el → al: Voy al cine. I'm going to the cinema.
- de + el → del: Es el libro del profesor. It's the teacher's book.
Using articles with languages and days
- Days take a definite article: el lunes, on Monday.
- Languages after hablar usually do not: Hablo español.
- Titles: el señor García, but not when speaking to the person: Buenos días, señor García.
The neuter lo
lo is a neuter article used with adjectives to mean "the ... thing":
- lo bueno, the good thing
- lo importante, the important thing
Dropping the article
Spanish drops the indefinite article with professions:
- Soy médico. I am a doctor.
Tips
- Learn nouns with el or la.
- Use al and del.
- Use the dictionary to check gender.
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