Artículos definidos e indefinidos / Definite and indefinite articles

When you learn a new word that is a noun, learn the gender of the word as a part of the word
by including a definite or indefinite article.

It doesn't matter whether you choose to learn el hombre or un hombre as long as placing el or
un in front of the noun helps you remember that the word is masculine. La or una helps you
remember that the word that follows is a feminine word.

Artículo definido (the):

Masculino Femenino

Singular el la

Plural los las

el hombre la mujer

los hombres las mujeres

In English, only one definite article is used to represent a specific, definite object. The definite
article the can be used in front of any noun without regard to gender or number: the girl, the
books, the man, the chairs. In Spanish, the definite article reflects the gender and number of
the word that follows. The definite article el (the, masculine) is used in front of a singular
masculine noun, and the definite article la (the, feminine) is used in front of a singular
feminine noun. Los and las are used respectively for plural masculine nouns and plural female
nouns.

Articulo indefinido (a/an):

Masculino Femenino

Singular un una

Plural unos unas

un hombre una mujer

unos hombres unas mujeres

There is a masculine and feminine version of indefinite articles, which demonstrate the gender
of the noun that they precede. While a definite article is very specific, an indefinite article
refers to a less‐specific object. In English the indefinite article is the word a. When you request
“a book” you are being much less specific than when you request “the book.” In Spanish, the
indefinite article for a singular masculine noun is un, and the indefinite article for a feminine
noun is una. Unos and unas are used respectively for plural masculine nouns and plural female
nouns.

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In English, when a word begins with a, like apple, we use the indefinite article with a n added
to avoid a cacophony (=unpleasant acoustic effect, result of combination of non-harmonious
sounds). We say an apple, not *a apple. In Spanish, there are feminine nouns that begin with a
stressed ha or a, like the words arpa, alma, aula, hacha, hada, agua. So, to avoid a cacophony,
the masculine definite or indefinite articles are used (el, un). Notice how this works:

El arpa irlandesa El agua fría

Las arpas irlandesas La fría agua

El hada madrina El hacha es una herramienta

La bella hada madrina Un hacha afilada

Las hadas Unas hachas pesadas

Adjectives that modify the noun are female, because the noun is female. When there is an
adjective placed before the noun or the plural definite or indefinite article are used the
cacophony in avoided, there are no two a together.

The word la azúcar begins with an unstressed a, so it is correct to use the article la.

The same happens whit indenite pronoun like algúno/a (some), ningún/a (no one) or the
demonstrative aquello/a (that):

algún(-a) alma algún alma bella

ningún(-a) alma ningún alma bella

aquel(-lla) alma aquel alma bella

Use of definite articles with proper nouns

Before the names of rivers, With nicknames:

YES mountains, seas, oceans, islands
el Che, la Moni, el Pepe
and cardinal points

With countries’ names, With names:

NO continents, cities, regions, states,
*el Alberto
provinces (there exceptions).