Does the article always have to be with the word?

Question

Does the article always have to be with the word?

For example:

I like to eat apples.

Would it have to have the article in front of apples?

Me gusta comer las manzanas.

Answer 1

Me gusta comer las manzanas is like in Engligh I like to eat the apples refering to some specific apples.

Me gusta comer manzanas is also like in English I like to eat apples, meaning any apple.

ps. unfortunately as pointed out below this is not a hard and fast rule (spanish definitely doesn't always work like english) but it works i think for this situation

You can also say: I like to eat them = Me gusta comerlas.

Your last example shows an object pronoun, it is not a definite article. It is also incorrect. - 0074b507, Jun 1, 2010

las (definite article) is not the same as las (object pronoun) - 0074b507, Jun 1, 2010

Maria, in the last sentence I think you mean, "Me gusta comerlas," without, "me." In this case, it is correct and "las" is the pronoun. - 005faa61, Jun 1, 2010

Gracias, yes I've fixed it up now, just a case of the fingers not obeying the head lol :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 2, 2010

Answer 2

I would say "Me gusta comer manzanas."

So the answer is N O - right? - ian-hill, Jun 1, 2010

Yepper - MeEncantanCarasSonrisas, Jun 1, 2010

Answer 3

It is true that you don't always have to have an (in)definite article preceding the noun but this bit of knowledge is unlikely to be of any practical advantage to you (except insofar as it enables you to win arguments with someone who suggests that an article is always required).

The circumstances in which it is/isn't required are not the same as those of English so you still have to do a lot of memorizing.