The (El, La, Los, Las)
Use the definite articles el and la (and their plurals los and las) correctly with masculine and feminine nouns.
A lesson of Spanish A1 — Beginner, in Gender & Articles, about 10 minutes.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use the four definite articles in Spanish correctly and understand when Spanish uses "the" where English doesn't.
The Four Definite Articles
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | el | los |
| Feminine | la | las |
el and la = the (one thing) los and las = the (multiple things)
Examples
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| el libro (the book) | los libros (the books) |
| la mesa (the table) | las mesas (the tables) |
| el hombre (the man) | los hombres (the men) |
| la mujer (the woman) | las mujeres (the women) |
Rule for plurals: Most Spanish nouns form the plural by adding -s (if they end in a vowel) or -es (if they end in a consonant).
The Contraction: Al and Del
When el follows a (to) or de (of/from), they contract:
-
a + el = al (NEVER a el)
- Voy al mercado. — I'm going to the market.
- Hablo al profesor. — I'm speaking to the teacher.
-
de + el = del (NEVER de el)
- Vengo del trabajo. — I'm coming from work.
- El libro del estudiante. — The student's book.
These contractions apply ONLY to el (the article), NOT to él (he).
When Spanish Uses "The" But English Doesn't
Spanish uses definite articles in some contexts where English doesn't: