Definite and Indefinite Articles: Part I

Example from Camino del éxito

This lesson will help you to understand the uses of the definite and indefinite articles. To reach a level where you apply these concepts automatically in your speech, you need to practice using them. That's where our conversation course comes in. Here's a short audio clip taken directly from our conversation course.

Lesson

The difference between definite articles and indefinite articles can be observed in the following two sentences:

Give me the chocolate chip cookie.
Give me a cookie, please.

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Imagine a plate full of cookies. There are peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, and one chocolate chip cookie.

The first sentence speaks of a particular (or definite) cookie:

Give me the chocolate chip cookie.

The second sentence speaks of any of a number of cookies (or an indefinite cookie):

Give me a cookie, please.

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The difference between the definite and indefinite articles is the difference between talking about a specific cookie, or any old cookie at all.

the cookie
a cookie

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In English, the definite article is the word "the" regardless of whether the noun it introduces is singular or plural.

the cookie
the cookies

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In Spanish, the definite article has 4 forms, depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular or plural.

el gato
the male cat

los gatos
the male cats

la gata
the female cat

las gatas
the female cats

Note: The masculine plural definite and indefinite articles (los, unos) are also used to indicate a group of mixed sex. Thus, "los gatos" could refer to a group of 10 male cats, or it could refer to a group of 9 female cats and one male cat.

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The 4 forms of the definite article are:

el
masculine singular

la
feminine singular

los
masculine plural

las
feminine plural

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In English, the indefinite article is the word "a," "an," or "some."

a cookie
an apple
some books

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In Spanish, the indefinite article has 4 forms, depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular or plural.

un gato
a male cat

unos gatos
some male cats

una gata
a female cat

unas gatas
some female cats

Note: Remember, as long as the group of creatures has at least one male member, the masculine plural article is used. Thus, "unos gatos" could refer to a group of 10 male cats, or it could refer to a group of 9 female cats and one male cat.

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The 4 forms of the indefinite article are:

un
masculine singular

una
feminine singular

unos
masculine plural

unas
feminine plural

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Here are the definite and indefinite articles together:

el, un
masculine singular

la, una
feminine singular

los, unos
masculine plural

las, unas
feminine plural

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Each of the following has a different meaning:

el gato
the male cat

los gatos
the male cats (or a mixed group)

la gata
the female cat

las gatas
the female cats

un gato
a male cat

unos gatos
some male cats (or a mixed group)

una gata
a female cat

unas gatas
some female cats

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"Un" and "una" can mean "one," "a," or "an."

un libro
one book, a book

una pluma
one pen, a pen

una manzana
one apple, an apple

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