Artículos: definidos/indefinidos

El artículo definido concuerda con el nombre en género y número

 * Definite articles agree with the noun in gender and number
 * you use "el" instead of "la" for feminine nouns when it begins in "a-" or "ha-"
 * Estados Unidos.
 * el hambre mucha hambre


 * In Spanish, there are only two contractions between prepositions and articles: "al" and "del"

Se usa el artículo definido
You use the definite article when:
 * It is something determined
 * When the noun refers to something in its totality in an abstract sense (love, time, envy, etc.)
 * When it is a part of the body or clothing, especially with reflexive verbs
 * Days of the week, except after ser
 * seasons (it is optional after "en")
 * with Sr., Sra, Srta., Dr., Dra., and others when talking about them. When you talk to them, you don't use the definite article
 * With breakfast, lunch, and dinner
 * with time and dates
 * when an infinitive is acting as a noun. It is optional if the infinitive is the subject of the sentence
 * When you want to say "per" something like "seven dollars per pound"
 * with names of streets, mountains, rivers, seas, oceans, and cardinal directions
 * with the words "escuela" "colegio" "iglesia" "cárcel" "guerra" and "trabajo" after a preposition

No se usa el artículo definido
You do not use the definite article after:
 * with languages after the verb "hablar" and after the prepositions "de" and "en". If the language comes after aprender estudiar enseñar entender escribir leer or saber then the article is optional. If an adverb is after the verb, then you use the article.
 * with the titles: don doña Santo San Santa sor and fray
 * with roman numerals indicating the numberical order of soveirgnty or popes

Other notes

 * A majority of country do not use definite articles. But some do.
 * These require the definte articles (but are optional in periodical and informal writing):


 * la Argentina
 * el Perú
 * el Brasil
 * el Ecuador
 * el Canadá
 * los Estados Unidos
 * la China
 * la India
 * el Japón
 * You use lo next to an adjective or participle when you want to express a cuality or abstract idea
 * You also use lo with this construction:
 * Lo + adjective or adverb + que

Artículos indefinidos

 * The indefinite article agrees with the noun in number and gender
 * you use un instead of una for feminine nouns that start in "a-" or "ha-"

Usos del artículo indefinido
You use the indefinite article when:
 * it indicates that the noun is not someting determined
 * unos and unas express that it is a indeterminable quantity. With numbers it express an approximate amount.
 * you sometimes use it to talk about a characterictical quality about someone

No se usa el artículo indefinido
You don't use the indefinite article when:
 * after ser and hacerse with non-modified nouns that express profesion, ocupation, nacionality, religion, or political affiliation. If it is modified, then use the indefinite article
 * with the words: cien mil otro tal and ¡Qué...!
 * after sin con tener buscar and haber