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Articles precede nouns to determine whether the noun they accompany is known or can be identified (Definite article) or unknown (Indefinite article). They agree in gender and number with the noun they accompany. These have specific uses, which we will introduce in this post.

 

Uses of definite articles:

The definite article presents the noun as a whole. Here its most important uses.

 

1._ We use definite articles with nouns that refer to specific things.

E.g.

La casa de mi amigo es grande.

El reloj de la sala está descompuesto.

 

2._ It is used with nouns that are unique and uncountable.

E.g.

La leche, el dinero, el café, la comida, etc.

 

3._ We use definite articles with the days of the week.

E.g.

El lunes (los lunes), el martes (los martes), el sábado (los sábados), etc.

 

4._ We use it with abstract nouns.

E.g.

La belleza, la pobreza, el amor, la felicidad, la tristeza, etc.

 

5._ It is used with the verb gustar.

E.g.

A mí no me gustan el licor.

A los niños les gustan los dulces.

 

6._ We use the definite article to tell the time.

E.g.

Es la una y media.

Son las cuatro de la tarde.

 

6._ We use the definite article with someone's title, when we speak in the third person.

E.g.

El señor Pérez.

La doctora Rodríguez.

 

7._ We use plural masculine definite article with surnames to refer to a family in general.

E.g.

Los Rodríguez, Los Pérez, Los Chan, etc.

 

Uses of indefinite articles:

The indefinite article presents the noun as part of a whole. It means one of. Here its most important uses. 

 

1._ It is used to indicate that the noun being spoken of is something vague, unknown to the speaker, or does not know if it exists.

E.g.

¿Tienes un borrador?

Ella tiene un libro de gramática muy bueno.

 

2._ To talk about a special noun that stands out from a whole.

E.g.

Él tiene una hermana muy inteligente.

Yo conozco un restaurante barato.

 

Contractions:

The masculine singular definite article (el) is contracted when it is preceded by the prepositions "a" and "de".

A + el = al

De + el = del

E.g.

Ellos van al mercado.

Los niños vienen del parque.

 

 

NOTES:

 

1.) Articles are not used when we present the noun in a general way.

E.g.

Ella no come frijoles.

Yo no miro telenovelas.

 

2.) Note that Spanish sentences do not start with a noun without a previous introducer. These introducers can be: an article, a possessive or demonstrative adjective.

 

3.) It is rude to use definite articles in Spanish before proper nouns.