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Definite Articles

Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 12.1.1

Nouns

A noun is a person, place, thing or idea. In Spanish, nouns can be masculine or feminine and singular or plural:

Masculine singular

Masculine singular

  • 'El' comes before nouns that are singular and masculine.
  • Most masculine singular nouns will end in an 'o'.
  • El niño - the boy.
  • El perro (🐕) - the dog.
  • El teatro - the theatre.
Masculine and plural nouns

Masculine and plural nouns

  • 'Los' comes before nouns that are plural and masculine.
  • Most masculine plural nouns will end in 'os'.
  • Los niños - the boys.
  • Los perros (🐕) - the dogs.
  • Los teatros - the theatres.
Feminine and singular nouns

Feminine and singular nouns

  • 'La' comes before nouns that are singular and feminine.
  • Most feminine singular nouns will end in 'a'.
  • La niña - the girl.
  • La piscina - the swimming pool.
  • La guitarra - the guitar.
Feminine and plural nouns

Feminine and plural nouns

  • If a noun is plural and feminine it uses the definite article of 'las'.
  • Most feminine plural nouns will end in'as'.
  • Las niñas - the girls.
  • Las piscinas - the swimming pools.
  • E.g. Las guitarras (the guitars).
An exception

An exception

  • The word that comes before feminine words that start with a stressed 'a' or 'h' is 'el' instead of 'la'.
  • El agua - water.
  • El aula - the classroom.

Uses of the Definite Article

Before a specific noun

Before a specific noun

  • This is the same use as in English, when the noun is very specific.
  • Londres es la capital de Inglaterra.
    • London is the capital of England.
When a noun is used in a general sense

When a noun is used in a general sense

  • Me gustan las frutas.
  • I like fruit.
With countries and places

With countries and places

  • In Spanish they tend to omit the article with countries but three must have the definite article.
  • El Reino Unido, Los Países Bajos, El Salvador.
    • The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, El Salvador.
  • Vivo en la Plaza Mayor.
    • I live in the Plaza Mayor.
  • El Océano Indico.
    • The Indian Ocean.
With times, dates and periods

With times, dates and periods

  • The definite article is used for days of the week and dates.
  • El partido es el miércoles. (The match is on Wednesday).
  • Mi cumpleaños es el 12 de enero. (My birthday is the 12th of January).
  • When you are referring to a time period.
  • El año que viene.(Next year).
  • When talking about the time of day.
  • Son las cinco y media. (It is five thirty).

Test yourself on Definite Articles

  • How do you say 'the wedding' in Spanish?

  • ¿Qué hora es?

  • How do you say 'last week' in Spanish?

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