​DEFINITION

The article is the word that accompanies the noun and always goes before it. It is the word that always functions as a determinant or identifier of the noun, that is, it indicates whether the noun is known or not, and it indicates the gender (feminine or masculine) and the number of the noun (singular or plural).

DEFINITE​ ARTICLES

• They are those who speak of something known and that you can identify​.

• ​The definite article is much less frequent in English than in Spanish.

  In English there is only one word that is equivalent to all forms in Spanish.

  The (el, la, los, las)

  The definite article is used when you want to specify a noun.

​EXAMPLES

1. The man with red hair is my father.

   1. El hombre con cabello rojo es mi padre)

2. Here is the book I bought.

   1. Aquí está el libro que compré

3. I like the south of Chile.

   1. Me gusta el sur de Chile)

The article defined in English is not used when speaking of the general meaning of a noun or abstract nouns.

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​That’s life! 

   ¡Así es la vida!

I like science fiction 

   Me gusta la ciencia ficción

Children express their creativity

 Los niños expresan su creatividad​

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​INDEFINITE ARTICLES

• They are those who speak of something unknown or unidentified.

• The indefinite or indeterminate article has the form a, a, and serves to indicate some individual of any kind, species or genus without particularizing it.​

​The indefinite article a is used in front of a noun (name) that begins with a consonant. The indefinite article an is used in front of a noun that begins with a vowel. However, there are some exceptions. Nouns beginning with eu- or ur- require the indefinite article a.

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​I bought a car 

Compré un coche

She saw an elephant.

Vio a un elefante