Another 'uno" vs "un" question

Question

Today I was at the market and asked a vendor for "uno pollo". I asked for "uno" because I wanted one (not 2 or 3) chicken, not a (un) chicken. My girlfriend promptly corrected me and said the correct way was quiero un pollo.

Which is correct in this example, uno pollo or un pollo?

Please fill out your profile for us, thank you. - ray76, Oct 20, 2015

Why don't you believe your girlfriend , and why believe us unless you know that the member answering you is a native speaker, that is why we need your profile filled out so go for it mate. - ray76, Oct 20, 2015

Answer 1

I asked for "uno" because I wanted one (not 2 or 3) chicken, not a (un) chicken.

Food for thought. In English is there any difference in asking for "a chicken" or "one chicken"? I suggest that, not really. As others have said "uno" is shortened to "un" before a masculine noun for the same reason. No difference. If you look at the feminine side "una tortilla" is both "one tortilla" and "a tortilla".

Perfecto, Gringo! ♥ - Daniela2041, Oct 20, 2015

Thanks Daniela. - gringojrf, Oct 20, 2015

Answer 2

As a side note, uno is shortened to un before singular masculine nouns.

un is an article, uno is a number. - chileno, Oct 20, 2015

"Un" is also the shortened form of the masculine indefinite article. I can display this from any book on Spanish grammar. - Daniela2041, Oct 20, 2015

It can mean "a" or "one" - Daniela2041, Oct 20, 2015

Dani, a = un, una - chileno, Oct 21, 2015

Answer 3

a = un

one = uno

Answer 4

The indefinite articles (words for "a/an") in Spanish are "un", "una", "unos", and "unas" depending on the gender of the noun.

The word meaning "one" ("uno / una / unos / unas") is an adjective that is used before a noun (as opposed to adjectives like "dulce" which are used after a noun). When it is used directly before a masculine singular noun, "uno" becomes "un". This is similar to "bueno" becoming "buen" before masculine singular nouns.

The reason the two look very similar is because they are descended from the same word (meaning "one"). If you think this is strange, remember that the words "a/an" and "one" are also descended from the same word (the Old English "an"). It's actually very common in languages for the word meaning "one" to slowly become the indefinite article.

la palabra un, uno viene de la latina "unus" y de ella también derivan palabras como único, unidad, unificar, unión, unir, unible... - 000a35ff, Oct 20, 2015

You, go, Hacker! Yay! - Daniela2041, Oct 20, 2015

Neat, Hacker, neat. - annierats, Oct 20, 2015

y bueno de la palabra latina "bonus" - 000a35ff, Oct 20, 2015

Answer 5

Me gusta esta pregunta pourque yo habia ponderado la misma cosa esta semana.