Use of the Spanish Article
The Definite Article is used in Spanish -and not in English- on the following:
1. Before the seasons of the year:
- La primavera (spring)
- El verano (summer)
- El otoño (autumn)
- El invierno (winter)
And the four cardinal points:
- El norte (North)
- El este (East)
- El sur (South)
- El oeste (West)
2. Before the hour of the day (with the words hora, horas, understood), as:
- Es la una: It is one o'clock.
- Son las dos y cuarto: It is a quarter past two.
- Son las tres y cinco: It is five minutes past three.
- Son las cuatro menos diez: It is ten minutes to four.
- Las cinco y media: Half-past five.
3. Optionally, before the proper name of a woman used colloquially, as:
- La Maria (Mary, our Mary).
4. Optionally, before the days of the week, especially when preceded by "on" in English, as:
- Vendré el sábado: I shall come on Saturday.
5. Regularly, before the names of the following countries:
- El Perú
- La India
- El Japón
And some towns to be learnt by practice, as:
- La Coruña
- El Havre
- El Cairo
- El Ferrol
- etc.
Although found sometimes before the names of countries in general, this example should not be followed.
The Definite Article is used in English and not in Spanish:
1. Before numbers following names of sovereigns, etc., as:
- Carlos I (primero), Charles I (the first)
- Alfonso XIII (trece), Alphonso XIII (the thirteenth)
2. In titles of books, headings, etc., as:
- Historia de la Inquisición (The History of the Inquisition).
3. Before words in apposition, as:
- Madrid, capital de España (Madrid, the capital of Spain).
But:
- Alfonso el Sabio (Alphonso the Wise)
- Juana la Loca (Jane the Mad)
because these are "titles."
The Indefinite Article is used in English and not in Spanish (besides rules in Lesson II):
1. Before words in apposition, as:
- Rubio y Cía., casa importantísima de la Habana: Rubio & Co., a most important firm in Havana.
2. In titles of books, headings, etc., as:
- Lista de los géneros pedidos: A list of goods required.
3. In "such a," "so ... a," as:
- Tal amigo: Such a friend.
- Tan buen amigo: So good a friend, such a good friend.
4. In "a half" (medio), "a quarter" (cuarto), "a third" (tercio), in the case of an integer preceding, as:
- Uno y medio (1-1/2)
- Dos y cuarto (2-1/4)
- Cinco y tercio (penknife/3)
Occasionally the article is omitted before other fractions.
5. Before otro, as:
- Otra quiebra: Another bankruptcy.
Before weights and measures the definite article is used in Spanish instead of the indefinite used in English, as:
- Dos chelines la libra: Two shillings a pound.
- Cinco pesetas el metro or por metro: 5 pesetas a metre.
The Definite Article is omitted before casa and palacio when they are spoken of as places usually frequented by the person in question:
- Iré á casa del ingeniero: I shall go to the engineer's house.
- El Rey volvió ayer a palacio: The King returned yesterday to the palace.
The article must not be employed before a noun used after a preposition in an adjectival capacity, as:
- Una viga de hierro (not del hierro): An iron beam.
The tendency of the Spanish language is to omit the indefinite article whenever, by such omission the sense is not obscure, as:
- Tengo intención de marcharme: I have a mind to go.
- Vino con dolor de cabeza: He came with a headache.
- Le dió cuenta de lo sucedido: He gave him an account of all that had happened.
- Este caballero tiene mucho or grande ingenio: This gentleman has a great talent.
The Neuter article "lo" cannot precede a noun used as such, but it may (elegantly) precede a noun used adjectively, as:
- Todo me gusta en el, lo amigo, lo ciudadano, lo caballero: I like everything in him: the friend, the citizen, the gentleman.
Popular Phrase: france in spanish | Conjugated Verb: damnificar - to be a victim (fire, flood, etc) [ click for full conjugation ]