In Spanish, articles are used to link nouns to the context of a conversation, indicating whether something is specific or general. They must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify.
- Spanish articles show whether a noun is definite (specific) or indefinite (general).
- They always match the noun in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural).
- Articles help clarify whether you’re talking about something known to both speaker and listener, or something new/a type.
Definite Articles (Artículos Definidos)
Definite articles correspond to the English word "the" and are used when referring to specific nouns that are known or have been mentioned before.
| Gender/Number | Article | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine Singular | el | el libro | the book |
| Feminine Singular | la | la casa | the house |
| Masculine Plural | los | los perros | the dogs |
| Feminine Plural | las | las flores | the flowers |
Usage:
- When referring to something specific or previously mentioned.
- With days of the week, countries (usually), body parts, and some abstract concepts.
el, la, los, las
Definite articles are used when referring to something specific or known, and also with days of the week, some countries, and geographical names.
Indefinite Articles (Artículos Indefinidos)
Indefinite articles are the counterparts to "a," "an," and "some" in English. They introduce nouns that are unspecified or mentioned for the first time.
| Gender/Number | Article | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine Singular | un | un libro | a/an book |
| Feminine Singular | una | una casa | a/an house |
| Masculine Plural | unos | unos perros | some dogs |
| Feminine Plural | unas | unas flores | some flowers |
Usage:
- When introducing something new or general.
- When you don’t need exact quantities (use unos/unas for "some/few").
un, una, unos, unas
Indefinite articles are used when introducing something new, referring to something nonspecific, or giving a general example.
Gender and Number Agreement
Articles must always match the gender and number of the noun:
- Masculine: el/un (singular), los/unos (plural)
- Feminine: la/una (singular), las/unas (plural)
Examples:
- Definite: el amigo, la amiga, los amigos, las amigas
- Indefinite: un amigo, una amiga, unos amigos, unas amigas
Articles change to el/un, la/una, los/unos, las/unas depending on gender and number.
unas
los
la/una and las/unas are correct for feminine nouns.
Exercises
- Match the correct article (definite or indefinite) for these nouns: casa (house, feminine), perro (dog, masculine), amigos (friends, masculine), flores (flowers, feminine).
- Explain in your own words when you would use "el" vs. "un" before a noun.
- Transform the sentence "I see a bird" into Spanish, then change it to say "I see the bird."
Conclusion
Spanish articles are key to mastering noun usage and conveying precise meaning.
- Use definite articles (el, la, los, las) for specific, known nouns.
- Use indefinite articles (un, una, unos, unas) for new or nonspecific ideas.
- Always match the article’s gender and number to the noun.