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Online Grammar Section


  A definite article introduces the noun and carries information about its gender and number. Notice how the definite article varies depending on whether the noun is masculine (el), feminine (la) or plural (los, las), and notice how it is positioned before the noun and gives information about gender that may not be evident from the ending of the noun:

la llave (key)
la tribu (tribe)
el diamante (diamond)
la flor (flower)
el césped (grass)
la mano (hand)
la cárcel (jail)
el lunes (monday)
las cruces (crosses)
los panes (breads)

  When the masculine singular article "el" is combined with "de" or "a", it becomes contracted as follows: de + el = del;  a + el = al

- El libro del alumno.  (the student's book.)
- El coche del vecino.  (the neighbor's car.)

 The use of definite articles in Spanish is as follows:

With a singular noun that functions as a subject:

Definite articles are used with nouns in a general or abstract sense.

El coche está en el taller.  (The car is in the shop.)
La niña es muy inteligente. (The girl is very intelligent.)
Los estudiantes están de vacaciones.  (The students are on holiday.)
El chocolate es delicioso. (The chocolate is delicious.)
La felicidad se encuentra en el trabajo. (Happiness is found in work.)

Keep in mind that the article may be omitted sometimes in certain contexts, usually in literature or in proverbs and sayings:

- Las chicas pasan por la calle. (The girls walk by on the street.)
  Pasan chicas por la calle.

- Los chicos bailan en la fiesta. (The boys dance at the party.)
  Bailan chicos en la fiesta.

- Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente.
  (What the eye doesn't see the heart doesn't grieve over.)



With the time of the day:


Es la una en punto.  (It´s one o'clock.)
Son la diez y media de la mañana.  (It's half past ten in the morning.)


With parts of the body and objects (where the ownership is clear):

Notice that in English the possessive adjective is generally used in these cases:

- Abre los ojos.  (Open your eyes.)
- Cierra la boca.  (Close your mouth.)
- Cruza las piernas. (Cross your legs.)
- María perdió el bolso. (María lost her purse.)
- He perdido la razón. (I have lost my mind.)

The definite article is also used with titles of rank or profession, but NOT when addressing the person:

- El profesor está aquí.  (The professor is here.)
- El doctor es joven.  (The doctor is young.)
- Buenos dias, profesor. (Good morning, professor.)
- Buenas noches, doctor. (Good evening, doctor.)



WIth seasons and days of the week (when expressing regularity):

- Todos los veranos vamos a a la playa.  (Every summer we go to the beach.)
- Los lunes tengo clase de español. (On Mondays I have Spanish class.)
- El martes damos un examen. (On Tuesday we have an exam.)
- No trabajamos los domingos. (We do not work on Sundays.)


Rules for certain feminine nouns:
  When a feminine noun begins with a stressed "a" or "ha", the definite article "el" is used instead of "la", ONLY if the definite article is placed next to the noun. Notice how this rule does not apply to plural nouns.

- el hacha (the axe), las hachas
- el agua (the water), las aguas
- el ala (the wing), las alas
- el arma (the weapon), las armas

  When the article is not next to the noun, the article reverts to "la":

-  La terrible arma de destrucción masiva.
   (the terrible weapon of mass destruction.)
-  La única hacha que tengo conmigo.
   (the only axe I have with me.)

Keep in mind that ONLY nouns follow this rule. In the case of adjectives there is no change:

- Ella pertenece a la alta sociedad. (She belongs to the high society.)
- La hermosa águila americana. (The beautiful American eagle.)

Remember that definite articles are followed by nouns or adjectives (or words that function as such), and cannot be followed by verbs or indefinite pronouns such as "algún", "ningún", "cualquier".

Click here to practice the gender of Spanish nouns.