When do you use "la" or "el" instead of "tu"

Question

When do you use "la" or "el" instead of "tu", when your trying to say your in spanish?

Por ejemplo: La cabeza( your head)
Por Ejemplo: tu hermana( your sister)


            Why dont you say "tu cabeza" or " la hermana"?

Answer 1

"Tu" is a possesive pronoun equivalent to "your". El and la are articles, equivalent to "the" (in this case). In your examples, "la cabeza" is literally "the head". Many times this may be translated as "your head", because in Spanish you don't normally use personal pronouns with body parts. For example, "me duele la espalda" for "my back hurts".

Generally speaking, if you want to say "your", you would use "tu". If you want to say "the" you use "el" or "la".

Good answer. For the most part, it´s the same as English. Exceptions are using definite articles instead of personal pronouns for body parts, and ... - rogspax, Jan 18, 2013

... omitting indefinite articles for professions. Soy soldado. Él es médico. etc. - rogspax, Jan 18, 2013