Using Articles
What are the most difficult aspects of using articles in Spanish?
2 Answers
Here are some cases where you would use the article in English but you don't in Spanish:
Before ordinal numbers for names of rulers and similar people.
Juan Pedro octavo (John Peter the Eighth)
Before unmodified nouns that express specific conditions.
(Conditions such as nationality, profession, and religious or political affiliation.)
I am a teacher. Soy professor.
NB: When the noun is modified, use the indefinite article.
Soy un profesor de inglés. I'm an English teacher.
Before nouns modified by specific words.
Don’t include an indefinite article when these words modify a noun:
cien, cierto, mil, otro, qué (what a), semejante, or tal (such a).
Eg. Qué lástima. What a shame.
Some proverbs:
Camarón que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente. (The shrimp that falls asleep gets carried away by the current.) = Snooze you lose.
This one is a bit tricky and is all about apposition - this is a grammatical construction in which two elements, normally noun phrases, are placed side by side, with one element serving to define or modify the other.
When a clause in apposition is nonrestrictive the article is often omitted.
Vivo en NZ, tierra de la larga nube blanca. I live in NZ, land of the long white cloud.
In this case, tierra de la larga nube blanca is in apposition to NZ. The clause is said to be nonrestrictive because it doesn't define which NZ; it just defines it or provides additional information. So the article isn't used.
Set phrases:
A largo plazo (in the long run),
en alta mar (on the high seas).
And here's a few where you do use the article in Spanish but you wouldn't in English
With personal titles:
The article is used before most personal titles when talking about people, but not when talking to them.
El señor Fernandez está en casa. (Mr. Fernandez is at home.)
Names of languages
Names of languages usually require the article including after an adverb or a preposition other than en.
Hablo bien el español. (I speak Spanish well.) Prefiero el inglés. (I prefer English.)
If the name of the language immediately follows the preposition 'en' or a verb that is often used of languages (eg saber, aprender, and hablar, and sometimes entender, escribir or estudiar) then the article is omitted.
Hablo español. (I speak Spanish.) Aprendemos inglés. (We are learning English.)
Days of the week
Unless they follow the verb ser (Hoy es lunes.), days of the week are usually preceded by el or los depending on whether the day is singular or plural.
Voy a la escuela los lunes. I go to school on Mondays.
Voy al cine el lunes. I'm going to the movies on Monday.
Seasons:
Athough it's optional after 'de', 'en' or the verb ser, seasons normally need the definite article.
En gran parte de España la mayoría de los inviernos son suaves. (In much of Spain most of the winters are mild.)
No quiero asistir a la escuela de verano. (I don't want to go to the summer school.)
With clothing, body parts and other personal items:
It is very common to use the definite article in Spanish where you would usually us a possessive adjective (such as "your") in English.
¡Abre los ojos! (Open your eyes!)
Perdió la cartera. (He lost his wallet.)
With more than one noun:
Unlike English, where we often omit the "the" when using two or more nouns joined by "and" or "or," you will need to use an article in front of each noun in Spanish.
El hombre y la mujer estaban tristes. (The man and woman were.)
Vendemos la casa y la silla. (We're selling the house and chair.)
With generic nouns:
If a noun refers to a concept or to a substance in general or a member of a class in general, rather than a specific one you still use the article in Spanish.
Así es la vida. (Such is life.)
El brécol es nutritivo. (Brocolli is nutritious.)
Los latinos son vibrantes. (Latinos are vibrant.)
Exception: The article is often omitted after the 'de', especially when the noun following de is not specific but instead serves only to describe the first noun.
Los vestidos de mujeres (women's dresses), but 'los vestidos de las mujeres (the dresses of the women). Dolor de muela (toothache in general), but dolor de la muela (a toothache in a particular tooth).
Before names of streets:
Streets, avenues, plazas and similar places are usually preceded by the article.
Mi casa está en la calle Reina. (My house is on Queen Street.)
With infinitives used as subjects:
This seems optional in some cases but the article can be used with the infinitive when an infinitive is used as a subject.
It seems that when the subject is a generalization the article is optional, some prefer to use it, others omit it. Apparently when it is used, it can give the sentence a more personal or informal sound.
El fumar está prohibido. (Smoking is prohibited.)
Nadar es el mejor remedio para el dolor de espalda. (Swimming is the best remedy for a backache.)
But when the subject is specific it is needed.
El nadar a través del río era un movimiento fatal. (Swimming across the river was a fatal move.)
In certain set phrases:
These commonly involve places.
En el espacio (in space), en la televisión (on television).
Just when you thought goodness, that's very long, I have actually added a bit more to the explanation above (wink) here's the full thing (smile)
