Comentarios: Spanish Grammar Podcast

Definite Articles: Part I (free mini version)

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The subject of this episode is the Definite and Indefinite Articles. In earlier episodes you were introduced to the definite and indefinite articles, so some of this will be a review.

The definite article corresponds to the English word "the" as in "the book." In Spanish this would be "el libro." The indefinite article corresponds to the English word "a" as in "a book." In Spanish, this would be "un libro."

But in Spanish, the definite and indefinite articles each have four different forms. The four forms of the definite article are:

el
la
los
las

The four forms of the indefinite article are:

un
una
unos
unas

You may have already guessed that which of these four forms to use depends upon whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural. Listen as I give examples for a masculine noun. I'll also give the English meanings. Just listen.

el libro - the book
un libro - a book
los libros - the books
unos libros - some books

Do you see how the four forms of the definite article are used?

Next, I'll give an example using a feminine noun. Again, I will give both the Spanish, and the English meaning.

la casa - the house
una casa - a house
las casas - the houses
unas casas - some houses

Now I’ll contrast singular with plural first using the definite article, and then using the indefinite article.

el libro - los libros
la casa - las casas

un libro - unos libros
una casa - unas casas

That wraps up our mini-episode on Definite and Indefinite Articles.