LRD - Gramática: More on Definite Articles (Lesson)

Gramática: More on Definite Articles

Figuring out when to use articles in Spanish can be a bewildering task for an English speaker. Sometimes the two languages correspond beautifully; sometimes they are complete opposites. One general rule of thumb: Definite articles are used much more often in Spanish.

Please watch the following video.

 

Facts & General Opinions

Unlike English, Spanish uses the definite article to express general truths or concepts. Compare the following sentences with their English translation:

I know that with that career I can help people much more. Sé que con esa carrera yo puedo, o sea, ayudar a la gente mucho más.   My mom didn't like the United States; life here was very difficult. A mi mamá no le gustaban los Estados Unidos; la vida aquí era muy difícil.   Food from Andalusia is delicious. La comida de Andalucía es deliciosa.     Chinese food is fantastic! ¡La comida china es fantástica! I know that with that career I can help people much more. Sé que con esa carrera yo puedo, o sea, ayudar a la gente mucho más.

Days of the Week

Days of the week typically are preceded by either el or los, depending on whether the day is singular or plural (the names of the weekdays don't change in the plural form).

Voy a la tienda el jueves. (I'm going to the store on Thursday.) Voy a la tienda los jueves. (I go to the store on Thursdays.) The article isn't used following a form of the verb ser to indicate which day of the week it is. Hoy es lunes. (Today is Monday.)

 

Languages

Spanish is fun. El español es divertido. / English is interesting. El inglés es interesante; I speak Spanish. Yo hablo español (none needed when the language is the object of the sentence).

Body Parts, Clothing, and Personal Items

It is very common to use the definite article in Spanish in cases where a possessive adjective (such as "your") would be used in English. Examples: ¡Abre los ojos! (Open your eyes!) Perdió los zapatos. (He lost his shoes.)

 

Telling Time

Definite articles are used before numbers when telling time. The definite article used for telling time is always feminine since it references la hora.

Possession  

How to Express Possession with "de" in Spanish

Expressing possession in Spanish can be done by using the word "de". Expressing possession with an apostrophe and an "s" ('s) is never ever possible in Spanish! So, forget about "Ana's amigo". If you want to say, "Ana's friend", you have to say "El amigo de Ana", otherwise, you are not speaking Spanish, but Spanglish. Another difference is that in Spanish, the possessor goes after the object possessed, right after the word "de". Look at the following examples:

• La casa de Mario (Mario's house - Literally: The house of Mario).

• La casa del (de + el = del)  señor García (Mr. García's house - Literally: The house of Mr. García).

Notice how in the second example, the word de and el (for el señor) become del. Whenever de is followed by el, we say del instead of de el. For de la, de las, and de los we do not do a contraction.  Keep in mind that when a proper name follows, we use de, as in la casa de Rita (Rita's house), not la casa de la Rita.

 

Titles

The article is used before most personal titles when talking about people, but not when talking to them. El señor Smith está en casa. (Mr. Smith is at home.) But, hola, señor Smith (hello, Mr. Smith ). La doctora Jones asistió a la escuela. (Dr. Jones attended the school.) But, doctora Jones, ¿como está? (Dr. Jones, how are you?)

 

Definite Articles Review Activity

Please complete the following activity. Can you pick the proper translation?

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.