ir=to go. how do you know when to put: a or al after ir

Question

I need to know when to use a or al after the ir. Here is an example of my question: If you say Vamos a la tienda. No vamos al centro comercial hoy. How do you know when to use a or al'

Answer 1

látigo said:

When I lived in El Salvador during the sixies there were coins that contained La República "del" Salvador. Later, they changed the inscription to "de EL" Salvador which is what lazarus posted. Hard to believe but I still have the evidence.

that's cool!!

Holly said:

lazarus1907 said:

James Santiago said:

Also, "a el" is not contracted in certain situations, such as names: Voy a El Salvador.

Thanks again!! I'm in the fourth chapter of my Spanish class and that just had me stumped!! You were a lot of help!!As I said in my first post, the contraction is compulsory, unless "El" is part of a proper name, like "El Salvador", where you can't.

>

Answer 2

When I lived in El Salvador during the sixies there were coins that contained La República "del" Salvador. Later, they changed the inscription to "de EL" Salvador which is what lazarus posted. Hard to believe but I still have the evidence.

Holly said:

lazarus1907 said:

James Santiago said:

Also, "a el" is not contracted in certain situations, such as names: Voy a El Salvador.

Thanks again!! I'm in the fourth chapter of my Spanish class and that just had me stumped!! You were a lot of help!!As I said in my first post, the contraction is compulsory, unless "El" is part of a proper name, like "El Salvador", where you can't.

>

Answer 3

lazarus1907 said:

James Santiago said:

Also, "a el" is not contracted in certain situations, such as names: Voy a El Salvador.

Thanks again!! I'm in the fourth chapter of my Spanish class and that just had me stumped!! You were a lot of help!!

As I said in my first post, the contraction is compulsory, unless "El" is part of a proper name, like "El Salvador", where you can't.

>

Answer 4

James Santiago said:

Also, "a el" is not contracted in certain situations, such as names: Voy a El Salvador.

As I said in my first post, the contraction is compulsory, unless "El" is part of a proper name, like "El Salvador", where you can't.

Answer 5

James Santiago said:

Also, "a el" is not contracted in certain situations, such as names: Voy a El Salvador.

Thank you very much!!

Answer 6

lazarus1907 said:

This has nothing to do with the verb "ir". If the preposition "a" is followed by "el", you must write "al" (unless "El" is part of a proper noun); if "a" is followed by anything else, like "la", "lo", "los", "las",... then you write them separately (a la, a los,...).

Thank you very much!!!

Answer 7

James Santiago said:

Also, "a el" is not contracted in certain situations, such as names: Voy a El Salvador.

okay. I get it now. al is like a contraction for el. and a comes before everything else.

Answer 8

Also, "a el" is not contracted in certain situations, such as names: Voy a El Salvador.

Answer 9

Holly said:

Okay. I think I understand. So in the sentence: No vamos al centro comercial hoy, you are using al instead of el. Is that right'! Thank you very much!!

NO! You are using al instead of a+el. Just as we use "can't" instead of can+not.

Answer 10

Holly said:

Okay. I think I understand. So in the sentence: No vamos al centro comercial hoy, you are using al instead of el. Is that right'! Thank you very much!!

instead of "a el", as James said.

Answer 11

Okay. I think I understand. So in the sentence: No vamos al centro comercial hoy, you are using al instead of el. Is that right'! Thank you very much!!

Answer 12

As Lazarus says, "al" is a contraction of a + el.

Answer 13

This has nothing to do with the verb "ir". If the preposition "a" is followed by "el", you must write "al" (unless "El" is part of a proper noun); if "a" is followed by anything else, like "la", "lo", "los", "las",... then you write them separately (a la, a los,...).