Formation
There are 4 forms of the definite article in Spanish. The definite article must agree in both gender and number with the noun. The only time this is not the case is with feminine nouns that begin with a stressed “a”. (See list below)
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | el | los |
| feminine | la | las |
Any noun that begins with a stressed “a” or “ha” will use the definite article el. However, these nouns will use las in their plural form, just like all other plural feminine nouns. Here are some examples:
| water soul hunger | el agua, but las aguas el alma, but las almas el hambre, but las hambres |
Usage
In many ways, the definite article in Spanish mirrors the usage of the English definite article. However, there are certain instances where you will use the definite article in Spanish in places where it is omitted in English, such as the following:
1. When speaking about nouns in a general sense, the definite article is used in Spanish.
2. When talking about either articles of clothing or parts of the body, the definite article is used in Spanish, whereas in English the possessive adjective would be used.
3. There are certain times when the definite article is used when addressing a person whose name is preceded by a title.