Articles in Spanish
Los Artículos
After dealing with the absurdity behind Spanish nouns having a well-defined gender or certain nouns being singular or plural when common sense would suggest it should be the other way round, here is a set of tiny powerful words which will show there is light at the end of the tunnel.
You can call them lifesavers or, from a purely grammatical standpoint, artículos (articles). They are unquestionably key when it comes to determine a noun’s gender and number and, similar to what happens in English, a distinction is drawn between artículos definidos (definite) and indefinidos (indefinite). The former type of articles is used when referring to a noun the listener/reader is already familiar with as it has previously been mentioned.
Conversely, indefinite articles are employed when introducing an unknown noun for the first time. Unlike English though, each article type presents four forms which agree with nouns they accompany and precede depending on its gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).
ARTÍCULOS INDEFINIDOS
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| MASCULINO | un chico (a boy) un rey (a king) un autobús (a bus) |
unos chicos (a few boys) unos reyes (a few kings) unos autobuses (some buses) |
| FEMENINO | una chica (a girl) una señora (a woman) una estrella (a bus) |
unas chicas (some girls) unas señoras (a few women) unas estrellas (some stars) |
ARTÍCULOS DEFINIDOS
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| MASCULINO | el tomate (the tomato) el señor (the man) el bolígrafo (the pen) |
los tomates (the tomatoes) los señores (the men) los bolígrafos (the pens) |
| FEMENINO | la reina (the queen) la escena (the scene) la nube (the cloud) |
las reinas (the queens) las escenas (the scenes) las nubes (the clouds) |
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| FEMENINO | un alma (a soul) el águila (the eagle) un hada (a fairy) una hamaca (a hammock) la inmensa arca (the great ark) |
unas almas (a few souls) las águilas (the eagles) unas hadas (some fairies) unas hamacas (some hammocks) las inmensas arcas (the great arks) |
The only exception occurs when using articles right before singular feminine nouns starting with a stressed -a or -ha. These nouns will in fact adopt the singular masculine article, either definite or indefinite, to avoid difficulty in articulation due to the double a sound.
Have a look at more Spanish Resources or watch a some video tutorials from our our YouTube Channel
Questions
Shaianne Ralph
08:34 19 Sep 19
Great Spanish course, really good resources and easy to follow teaching. Clara was great and I hope to join some of the future courses!read more
Cristina de la Vega
14:29 16 Sep 19
I really enjoyed my Italian course at Happy Languages. Paolo is very friendly and accommodating in finding the right course for you. I definitely recommend!read more
Chris Harrison
18:58 16 Jun 19
Excellent language course teaching. The small class size means you get a lot of teaching time and quality practice with the other students. Website contains all the details of the lessons if you miss any class. Recommended for all levels.read more
Jessica Richards
09:17 15 Jun 19
My best experience learning languages in London!
Happy Languages has a dedicated team and well-designed programme. The class sizes are small so you never feel overwhelmed. If you miss a class, the website contains all the notes so you can easily catch up.
I spoke no Italian before and by attending the beginner classes, I am now able to understand and hold conversations. The thing I've enjoyed most is the friendly class atmosphere. Our teacher is excellent and everyone in the class is kind and supportive. I hope to continue learning!read more
Theresa Pan
09:14 15 Jun 19
Just finished Beginners 3 and really enjoyed all the classes and content. The location is great and Emanuela is excellent. Have already signed up to continue the next course. Highly recommended!read more
Fionna McLauchlan
09:19 14 Jun 19
I've completed four Spanish courses with Happy Languages, and they have all been fantastic. Great class sizes and really high-quality teaching. I look forward to continuing to improve my Spanish with Happy Languages.read more
Nikou Azimzadeh
08:46 13 Jun 19
I've been studying Italian at Happy Languages for over 3 years and I love it. The classes are small, so you get a lot of attention, the teachers are great and it starts at 7pm meaning I can get there from work on time. It's also the best value for money compared to the other courses especially the university/college courses. Definitely recommend it.read more
Alex Trembath
10:17 31 Mar 19
I took the Spanish Beginner 3 course with Happy Languages and had a great experience. Vanessa is an excellent teacher who puts a lot of energy and enthusiasm into making the lessons informative and enjoyable.
We had a lovely small group, and every week we did different interactive exercises and were set homework tasks. I feel like I learned a lot on the course and made new friends at the same time.
If I hadn't moved away from London I would 100% have gone onto the next course with Happy Languages. I thank Vanessa for teaching me so much and inspiring me to continue my learning.read more
Am Va
11:15 30 Mar 19
Cannot recommend Happy Languages enough. Their teachers are all enthusiastic about the languages they teach. Teaching styles are great. Have been using them for approx 6 months and will keep coming back. Thanks !read more
Alan Dickson
10:25 28 Mar 19
Good quality teaching. The class is in a quiet office meeting room, with a desk you can actually write on - much better than the standard language school setup. I returned to Italian classes after a long break. They were very helpful and flexible while I worked out what level of class to take.read more
Jessica Goldring
10:00 28 Mar 19
I have just finished the 10 week beginners 1 Spanish course. Our teacher, Vanessa, was really excellent and full of energy. I knew absolutely zero Spanish before I started, but now feel like I have a good basic knowledge and am looking forward to doing beginners 2.
The We Work offices are a great place to learn - modern and free coffee!
The class sizes are perfect, too. There were usually about 6 people each week, which is enough that you can practice with each other but not so many that you get ignored.read more
Martha Jenkinson
09:38 27 Mar 19
I've just finished the 10 week beginner Spanish course and have LOVED it. We covered so much and it gave me a firm grasp of the basics needed for a solid foundation in a language I've not had the chance to learn before.
Special thanks needs to be given to our fantastic teacher, Vanessa, who made all of the lessons fun and interesting (even grammar!). Thank you for your continued patience and enthusiasm!
I will definitely be looking to continue learning Spanish with Happy Languages in the future, and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their language skills.read more
Karen Gardiner
11:21 25 Mar 19
Have really enjoyed my experience so far with Happy Languages. The classes are a good size with nice lesson plans and structure. Chiara has been a fantastic teacher! Almost completed Beginners 1 Italian and have just signed up for the next level. Definitely recommend.read more
harvinder hunjan
16:50 14 Jan 19
I have been studying for the CILS exams with Happy Languages. I have been impressed by their professionalism, organisation and knowledge. They are always well prepared for lessons and able to answer questions. They are able to provide courses tailored to meet your linguistic goals, whatever they may be. A positive learning experience. Highly recommended.read more
María Irusta Barasoian
21:33 04 Dec 18
Amazing Experience! Beginners 2 Level
I enjoyed a lot the Italian classes at Happy languages. The teacher was good and a really good person. We were a small group so it felt most of the time as a private lesson.
I got the chance to practice in Italy the skills I gained in the months class and went very well :). Definitely going for next course.
Mariaread more
Charlotte Barker
11:18 29 Nov 18
Happy Languages is the best language school I have been to. The teachers are brilliant and the classes are small with a great atmosphere. I'm learning a lot and enjoying myself too!read more
Barbara Ponticelli
15:46 28 Nov 18
I recently took part in the Ditals II teacher training course at Happy Languages.
I’m extremely satisfied.
The teachers are very well prepared. The course extensively covered the key elements relevant to the final exam.
I fully recommend it!
Thanks!!!!read more
Rowena Gordon
08:12 23 Nov 18
The best language school in London. The class sizes are small, so you have a good opportunity to speak and be involved in the class, and the teachers are very supportive. I've completed three terms of Italian and I've really noticed the difference in my language skills and confidence when I'm speaking :) the location is also super convenient!read more