Definite and Indefinite Articles
Definite articles [the in English] refer to specific
things or people. Indefinite articles [a or an in
English] refer to nonspecific things or people.
I want to read the book that you have.
[a specific book]
I want to read a book.
[any book – no book in particular]
Because articles are adjectives, in Spanish,
Definite and Indefinite articles must agree with
the noun they describe in gender and number.
In Spanish the Definite articles [‘the’] are el or la,
depending upon the gender of the noun. [‘el’ is
masculine and ‘la’ is feminine]
El colegio
the high school
la escuela
the school
In Spanish the Indefinite articles [‘a’ or ‘an’] are
un or una.
Un colegio
a high school
Una escuela
a school
Un avión
an airplane
una manzana an apple
Un and una can also mena one when used before
a singular noun.
Tengo dos cuadernos y un lápiz.
I have two notebooks and one pencil.
The plural forms of el and la are los and las. The
plural forms of un and una are unos and unas.
Unos and unas are usually translated as some.
Los libros están en la mesa. The books are on
the table.
Unos libros están en la mesa. Some books are on
the table.
Las revistas están en la mesa. The magazines are
on the table.
Unas revistas están en la mesa. Some magazines
are on the table.