In Spanish, nouns don’t like to be alone. They are always accompanied by an article that agrees in gender and number with the noun to which it refers.

The definite article is used when referring to a particular object, place or person. There are 4 main forms of the definite article: el, la, los and las.

How do you know which one to use? Here’s everything you need to know to avoid using the wrong definite article in your Spanish sentences.

Gender of Spanish words

Before using an article, make sure you know the gender of the word in Spanish.

Among the main differences between the two languages are:

• el coche (masculine) = the car (feminine)
• el mar (masculine) = the sea (feminine)
• el mapa (masculine) = the map (feminine)
• la nariz (feminine) = the nose (masculine)
• la sal (feminine) = the salt (masculine)
• la leche (feminine) = the milk (masculine)

Use of definite articles

El : the masculine singular article

All words ending with the “o” sound are masculine, with very few exceptions.

Words ending in “or”, except “flor”, are also masculine. “El” is the definite article to be used before a masculine singular noun:

• The black cat = El gato negro
• El rey de España =  The king of Spain

Be careful! The article “el” is also used before some feminine words in the singular for phonetic reasons.

Indeed, when a feminine word begins with the sound “a”, whether it is spelled “a” or “ha”, the article “el” must be used. This exception avoids a repetition of the “a” sound.

Examples :

• El agua está fría = The water is cold
• El hacha afilada = The axe is sharp

There are a few exceptions : la abuela, la avispa, etc.

La = the feminine singular article

All feminine words ending in “a” are feminine in Spanish.

There are a few well-known exceptions such as “el problema” or “el idioma”.

Nouns ending in “z”, “ción”, “sión”, “tad” and “dad” are generally feminine. The definite article to be used before a feminine singular word is “la”:

• La silla de madera = The wooden chair
• La madre de mi amigo = My friend’s mother
• La fidelidad es una cualidad importante = Loyalty is an important quality
• No encuentro la solución = I can’t find the solution

Los = the masculine plural article

The article “los” is used before all Spanish masculine nouns when they are in the plural:

• Me gustan los animales = I love animals
• Los padres de mis amigos = My friends’ parents

In Spanish, the masculine gender prevails when pluralizing. However, the use of “los” has an even more global meaning.

Examples :

• Los niños juegan en el parque = Children are playing in the park
• Los hermanos de mi amigo son mayores que el = My friend’s brothers and sisters are older than him

Las = the feminine plural article

In Spanish, feminine nouns have their own definite article: las.

Even feminine nouns that take the masculine article “el” in the singular for phonetic reasons, find the feminine article when they become plural.

• Las aguas son profundas = The waters are deep
• Me gustan las canciones de amor = I like love songs

Contraction and omission of the definite article

The masculine definite article “el” contracts when used after “a” or “de”:

• A + el = AL : Voy al ciné = I go to the cinema
• De + el = Del : Vengo del mar = I come from the sea

It is sometimes necessary to omit the definite article:

• Before the names of countries : El año próximo, visitaremos Francia = Next year, we will visit France
• Before the words casa, caza, pesca, misa, palacio, when used as a complement of place : Voy a casa = I’m going home
• Before the names of school subjects : Estudio inglés = I am learning English
• In some expressions to know : Tengo tiempo = I have time

👉 Practice – Exercise on definite articles

👉 Next lesson: Indefinite articles

👉 Previous lesson: Countable and uncountable nouns

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