Is "el agua" replaced by "lo" or "la?"

Question

I know that, despite being feminine, "agua" in the singular is "el agua," not "la agua." I understand that perfectly. But what object pronoun replaces it? On the one hand, I think that it might be "lo," since it's "el agua," but on the other hand, I think that it might be "la," since it's feminine. Here are 2 examples to show you what I mean:

My friend: ¿Bebiste el agua? Me: Sí, lo bebí.

Or... My friend: ¿Bebiste el agua? Me: Sí, la bebí.

Which of those examples is right?

Answer 1

I'm not an authority but I'd be highly surprised if it wasn't "la." The only reason "el" is used before "agua" is because of the stressed first "a" in "agua" and the strange sound this would make following "la." No such problem exists when "la" is used as a direct object pronoun.

Perfect answer. - Daniela2041, Jun 15, 2017

Gracias Dani :) - jellonz, Jun 15, 2017

Answer 2

Remember el agua bendita for example

This use of el with a feminine noun is because of a phonetic reason, not a grammar reason. I think it's called " cacofonía"

Something similar happens in English when we say:

An elephant
but
A giant elephant.

The difference between "a" and "an" doesn't have to do with grammar. There is a phonetic reason.

Answer 3

Yo bebí el agua. Yo la bebí.

This is what sounds to me.

The same would happen with adjectives.

Tome el agua pura de la fuente. Pura is feminine.

Esta (fem) es el (not really masc. but using el) agua contaminada. (fem)

This is according to my experience.