Definite articles in Spanish mark nouns as specific and gendered. They must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
Articles
Spanish has four definite articles: el, la, los, and las. They signal whether a noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| el | the (masculine singular) | |
| la | the (feminine singular) | |
| los | the (masculine plural) | |
| las | the (feminine plural) |
The boy plays in the park.
Usage
Use the definite article when referring to something specific, when talking about general categories, and when nouns are abstract or habitual. Omit it after certain expressions if they are indefinite or general.
Gender
Nouns ending in -o are usually masculine and take el/los, while nouns ending in -a are usually feminine and take la/las. There are exceptions, so learn each noun’s gender.
Number
Use el or la for singular nouns and los or las for plural nouns. The article must match the noun in number to signal whether you are talking about one or many.
Special Cases
Some masculine nouns beginning with a stressed a sound take el even though they are feminine (like el agua). Also, use the plural article when the meaning is clearly plural.
Summary
Definite articles mark gender and number and signal specificity. Learn the four forms el, la, los, and las and pay attention to noun endings and special cases to use them correctly.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025