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Spanish Articles: el, la, los, and las
Spanish definite articles are el, la, los, and las. el and los are masculine. la and las are feminine. The article agrees with the noun in gender and number.
Which article to use
| Article | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| el | masculine singular | el libro — the book |
| la | feminine singular | la casa — the house |
| los | masculine plural | los libros — the books |
| las | feminine plural | las casas — the houses |
How to use them
- The article repeats the gender of the noun. You cannot choose el or la from the English word the.
- A feminine noun that begins with a stressed a or ha usually takes el in the singular and las in the plural: el agua, las aguas.
- uno becomes un before a masculine noun: un libro. The feminine form is una casa.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the article from the English meaning instead of the Spanish noun's gender.
- Using el agua and then treating agua as masculine. agua is feminine, which is why the plural is las aguas.
Common questions
- What are the Spanish words for the?
- el, la, los, and las.
- When does Spanish use los?
- los is the masculine plural article, as in los libros.
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