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"El" is a form of "el", a definite article which is often translated as "the". "La artista" is a form of "artista", a noun which is often translated as "artist". Learn more about the difference between "el" and "la artista" below.
el(
ehl
)A definite article is a word that identifies a noun as specific or known to the speaker (e.g., the girl).
el artista, la artista(
ahr
-
tees
-
tah
)This means that the noun can be masculine or feminine, depending on the gender of the noun it refers to (e.g., el doctor, la doctora).