Do you know how to use the definite article el in Spanish? It's one of the most common words in the language, but its usage can sometimes be tricky for learners. In this lesson, we will explore how and when to use el correctly, including its rules and exceptions. Let's dive into the world of definite articles in the language of Cervantes.
Let's start with the basics of the definite article el.
A definite article is used to indicate a specific noun that is known to the reader or listener. In English, the definite article is "the." In Spanish, the masculine singular form of the definite article is el.
We use el with masculine singular nouns. Here are some examples:
el libro (the book)
el perro (the dog)
el coche (the car)
Let's hear how to pronounce this article:
Sin duda, en la actualidad el perro es el animal que más se utiliza como apoyo en este tipo de intervenciones.
Without a doubt, nowadays the dog is the animal that is used the most for support in this type of intervention.
Captions 40-41, Isabel Lavesa Terapia asistida con animales
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1. Nouns Starting with a Stressed 'A' or 'HA' Sound
When a feminine noun starts with a stressed "a" or "ha" sound, el is used instead of la to avoid a cacophony. However, the noun remains feminine. For example:
el agua (the water)
el águila (the eagle)
el hacha (the axe)
Note that in the plural form, "las" is used:
las aguas (the waters)
las águilas (the eagles)
las hachas (the axes)
2. Nouns That Are Always Masculine
Some nouns are always masculine, even though they might end in "a" or have other endings that might suggest they are feminine. For example:
el mapa (the map)
el día (the day)
el sofá (the sofa)
3. Compound Nouns
Many compound nouns that end in "-a" but are formed by combining two words are masculine. For example:
el sacapuntas (the pencil sharpener)
el paraguas (the umbrella)
el abrelatas (the can opener)
Let's watch the following clip where you can listen to our friend Fermín using the definite article "el" with various words:
La parte delantera del vehículo se llama capó y es donde se encuentran el motor, la batería, el agua, el líquido de frenos y el aceite,
The front of the vehicle is called the hood and is where the engine, the battery, the water, the brake fluid, and the oil are located,
Captions 48-49, Fermín Vocabulario del coche y la conducción - Part 1
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Now, let's practice a little bit more with some examples.
El libro es tan bueno como la película.
The book is as good as the movie.
Caption 20, Karla e Isabel Comparativos
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como: el mapa y el planeta.
like: the map and the planet.
Caption 47, Fundamentos del Español 2 - Nombres y Género
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¡Muy bien! El águila.
Very good! The eagle.
Caption 73, El Aula Azul Adivinanzas de animales - Part 2
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Dejemos a un lado el hacha de guerra
Let's leave aside the axe of war
Caption 22, Bebé Kiéreme
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Remember that el is only for masculine singular nouns. Don't use el with feminine nouns that don't start with a stressed "a" or "ha" sound. For example:
Incorrect: el casa
Correct: la casa (the house)
When the noun is plural, use los for masculine nouns and las for feminine nouns. For example:
el libro → los libros
el agua → las aguas
That's it for today. We hope this lesson helped you understand how to use the definite article el in Spanish. Do you have any questions or comments? Please let us know!
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