Ch 1 · Lesson 12Spanish · Chapter 1 · Lesson 12 · Grammar primer
Spanish articles: el, la, un, una
The and a, in both genders and the plural: el libro, la casa, los libros, unas casas. The noun picks the article.
The short version
The noun picks the article
Tengo un libro y una casa.
Why?Hide
Spanish has eight articles: el, la, los and las for the, and un, una, unos and unas for a or some. Choose the row by meaning, then let the noun's gender and number pick the form: el libro, la casa, los libros, unas casas. Learn every noun with its article and the choice makes itself.
The eight articles
Pick the row by meaning (the or a), then the column by the noun.
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| the (masc.) | | |
| the (fem.) | | |
| a (masc.) | | |
| a (fem.) | | |
Same colour, same gender, all page long: blue is masculine, rose is feminine.
Definite vs indefinite
The split is the English one. The definite articles mean the, a thing you both know. The indefinite ones mean a or some: one of many, or something new.
| Spanish | English | Why |
|---|---|---|
| the car | the one we both know |
| a car | any car, or a new one |
| the books | those particular books |
| some books | English often drops some |
English has no plural of a, so and often vanish in translation:
.- I bought (some) shoes..- I've got some books for you.
Gender agreement
Every Spanish noun is masculine or feminine, and the article matches it. The ending is a strong clue:
| Ending | Usually | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| -o | masculine | | the book |
| -a | feminine | | the house |
| -ción, -dad | feminine | | the song |
the book
the house
the song
The best-known exceptions:
The noun gender page has the full set of endings and exceptions.
Number agreement
The article goes plural with the noun. Add -s after a vowel and -es after a consonant (noun plurals has the details).
| Singular | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|
| | the book(s) |
| | the table(s) |
| | the hospital(s) |
| | the song(s) |
One apple takes la, several take las: the article and the noun go plural together.
Going further: The two contractions: al and del and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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Lesson 12 of 17 in this chapter