Small words can make a big difference. Spanish articles help us introduce something or refer to something the listener can identify. They also agree with the noun’s gender and number. Let’s begin with el and un, then look at their other forms.
El or un: which one do we mean?
Un often introduces something new or something we have not identified. El refers to something the listener can identify from the conversation or the situation.
Hay un donut encima de la mesa.
There is a doughnut on the table. We are introducing it.
El donut es de chocolate.
The doughnut is chocolate. Now we know which doughnut we mean.
The same idea works in the plural: Hay unos donuts encima de la mesa. Later, we can say He preparado los donuts que tanto te gustan.
Articles change with gender and number
The definite articles usually correspond to English the. The indefinite singular forms often correspond to a/an; unos and unas can correspond to some.
| Noun | Definite | Indefinite |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | el perro | un perro |
| Feminine singular | la gata | una gata |
| Masculine plural | los perros | unos perros |
| Feminine plural | las gatas | unas gatas |
Notice that English the does not change, but Spanish uses el, la, los or las. Learn each noun together with its article: el perro, la gata.
Un or uno?
Before a masculine singular noun, use un: Quiero un donut. When it stands on its own and replaces that noun, use uno: Quiero uno.
—He preparado los donuts que tanto te gustan.
—¡Qué ricos! Me gustaría comer uno.
For a feminine noun, the form stays una: Quiero una galleta → Quiero una.
Two contractions: al and del
When the prepositions a and de come before the article el, they normally join to form a single word.
| Combination | Contraction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a + el | al | Esta noche vamos al teatro. |
| de + el | del | Hoy hemos aprendido las partes del cuerpo en clase de español. |
The other article forms do not contract: a la escuela, de la casa, a los parques, de las gatas.
When El is part of a proper name
In writing, do not form the contraction when El, with a capital letter, is part of the proper name.
He viajado a El Salvador.
Es un artículo de El País.
This is more precise than saying that all proper names are exceptions. The country can be called Líbano or el Líbano: el is not part of the name, so He viajado al Líbano is correct. He viajado a Líbano is also possible.
El agua: still feminine
A feminine singular common noun beginning with a stressed a sound normally takes el when the article is immediately before it: el agua, el alma, el hada. A silent h does not change this pattern.
The noun remains feminine. We say el agua fría and el hada buena. In the plural, the article is las: las aguas, las almas, las hadas.
With the indefinite article, un alma and un hada are the usual forms. Una alma and una hada are also accepted, although less common.
If another word separates the definite article from the noun, use la: la misma agua. If the initial a sound is not stressed, use the ordinary feminine form: la amiga, la harina.
Try it yourself
Complete each example before opening the answers. Use the context to decide whether the noun is already identified.
1. Hay ___ perro en el patio. ___ perro es pequeño.
2. ___ gatas que vimos ayer están en el jardín.
3. Quiero un donut. Sí, quiero ___.
4. Esta noche vamos ___ teatro.
5. Hoy hemos aprendido las partes ___ cuerpo.
6. ___ agua está fría.
Check the answers
1. un · El: first we introduce a dog, then refer to that dog.
2. Las: the cats are identified as the ones we saw yesterday.
3. uno: the masculine noun is omitted.
4. al: a + el.
5. del: de + el.
6. El: agua starts with a stressed a sound and remains feminine, so the adjective is fría.
Grammar references
RAE–ASALE: article forms and uses
FundéuRAE: contractions and proper names
FundéuRAE: Líbano or el Líbano
FundéuRAE: feminine nouns beginning with a stressed a
