A question on the use of the definite article

Question

I would like some clarification on why the definite article is not used in the following: "Voy a correos a enviar un paquete." but is used in "Voy a la iglesia los domingos."

¡Muchas gracias!

Hi, Pibo. Pay special attention to Lorenzo's answer. When you can understand why we say "go to school" but "go to the office", then you will understand why in Spanish they say "voy a correos" but "voy a la iglesia." :-) - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

Answer 1

Hmmm...I would use the definite article here:

"Voy al correos......"

Let's wait and see what others have to say about this.

Edit: Please see the correct way to say this as stated by the native Spanish speakers.

I wouldn't. For me both original sentences are perfect. - lazarus1907, Dec 2, 2010

Hello, Marianne! I would have done, too, but that was what my grammar exercise said. - Pibosan, Dec 2, 2010

I agree with Lazarus - cogumela, Dec 2, 2010

Thanks for the correction! - --Mariana--, Dec 2, 2010

Answer 2

"Voy a correos a enviar un paquete." but is used in "Voy a la iglesia los domingos."

The first one is hard to explain, but the article is used with certain services and goods when you don't refer to any specific one, but to the concept in general. That "correos" could be any place, as long as they take letters. If you had in mind a specific post office, then it would have to be "Voy a LA oficina de correos". This time you are talking about the one on the corner.

Regarding the days of the week, Spanish is rather different from other European languages, but each language has its own internal logic. Spanish demands an article or determinant to point to specific moments in time. Why do you say "The book is on the table" but not "The party is on the Monday", if the structure is the same? In English at least that "on" indirectly suggests that you are talking about "next" Monday ("The party is on (the following) Monday), but in Spanish "La fiesta es lunes" would sound like "The party is Monday", which is a weird way to define what a party is. The presence of the article will make sound like "The party is the (following) Monday".

Two very small corrections: we would say "the one *on* the corner" and "different *from* other European languages." Those pesky English prepositions! That you chose to use "the one on the corner" is cool, though, because it's a very conversational phrase. - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

Answer 3

link

There is an arbitrary list of places, institutions, and events which require the use of the definite article in Spanish. Iglesia is on the list and correos isn't. English is mucjh more logical and doesn't have anything similar to this, say like "go to school" and "go to the office", where definite articles are required or forbidden for no apparent reason.

Logical? Hahahah! Surely you did not learn English through a grammar book! People without articles in their language needs years just to grasp the complex and unpredictable rules of the articles (in either language) - lazarus1907, Dec 2, 2010

Hah hah, it took me several minutes to notice, but I think Lorenzo is being facetious because, in fact, his English examples show two commonly used phrases. In one we don't use any article at all and in the other we always use a definite article... - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

...for no reason at all. For "go to school" we always mean a specific school by the phrase, so why don't we say "go to the school." - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

Ha, you got me good with that Lorenzo. I'm still chuckling. Excellent example, even though it's hidden in some sarcasm. - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

Where can I find this list, Lorenzo? - Pibosan, Dec 2, 2010

Sorry, just noticed the link! - Pibosan, Dec 2, 2010

Answer 4

Hi pibo, the mandatory use of determiners in English does not exist in Spanish.

I have some money . Tengo dinero

I am a teacher. Soy profesora

I don't have any milk in the house. No tengo leche en casa.

I go to the post office. Voy a correos.

Okay, I get it now...whew...sometimes this is hard. Thanks! - --Mariana--, Dec 2, 2010

I heard in a sitcom (the old Bob Newhart show), Bob said "¡Es mujer!" He clearly meant, "She's a woman" and there began my understanding that articles will not be an easy subject (regardless of which language one is learning). - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

Answer 5

There is an arbitrary list of places, institutions, and events which require the use of the definite article in Spanish. Iglesia is on the list and correos isn't.

For starters, "Correos" is the name of a service, not a place. A place name would "La oficina de correos". Take this sentenec in your "logical" language:

Take the original to reprographics.

Why not "the reprographics"? I guess "reprographics" must be one of those arbitrary places in English.

lol. - --Mariana--, Dec 2, 2010

Hey, Lazarus. I think Lorenzo is being facetious. Don't worry, I was reading his post just like at first (as though he seriously thought English used definite articles only ever in a logical manner). At first I was like "Hmmmm, I'm not sure about..." - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

...that,' but then I was like "Hah!, his example actually shows where we do exactly the same thing with arbitrary institutions." - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

Voy a correos = go to school, voy a la iglesia = go to the office. - webdunce, Dec 2, 2010

Answer 6

Thanks for al your replies. The presence and absence of the article is always hard for learners to grasp especially when each language treats them (slightly) differently. I still remember (not necessarily fondly) the pages and pages of exercises trying to get a feel for exactly the same point in French. I must admit, that after some 10 years, I still have to stop and think sometimes and check in the grammar book. However, I don't remember going through anything similar with Germanic languages. So it must be a feature of Romance languages. Come to think of it, it was prepositions that I had "fun" with.

Thank you all once again.