A + Definite articles

Question

Hello! This is my first post but I think I'll be here regularly. I'm learning spanish for.. 2-3 weeks by my own. I have to sentences: 1. Vais al parque. 2. Voy a casa.

As I know al means "a + el" so there's an def. article in the first sentence but in the second one there is not & I don't understand why. Can you help me?

Answer 1

Welcome to the forum

To what I know, it is just how it is said with casa to mean home-

Voy a casa- I go home

Voy a la casa- I go to the house

Voy a la casa de mi madre- I go to my mother's house.

I would have to think for a while to figure out if there are other similar things. Just as in English, you will note that there are things that have just come to be said some way, and you have to learn that that is the way something is said.

It would be useful if you edit your profile to include language levels (I assume fluent English and beginner Spanish?) and your sex (not being nosy, it is just that you match adjectives about yourself to your sex and it is hard to correct a statement if we don't know which form you should be using.)

I asked my friend from Mexico few minutes ago and he said the same so I think you're right. Thanks for very quick answer! :) - SantasLittleHelper, Aug 26, 2015

De nada. :) - bosquederoble, Aug 26, 2015

Answer 2

Your second sentence is following a formula that is used to say that a person is either doing or going to do something.

The formula is:- Conjugated verb + a + casa. ( casa normally means house but here it means home)

Voy( I go or am going) + a + casa - I go home. ( I am going home.)

If a verb is used after Voy a it does not get conjugated .

Voy a estudiar / trabajar / comer .– I’m going to study/ work/ eat