Tip of the Day: Endings of Articles (words like "a" and "an" in English)

Today we review how articles (words like “a” and “an" in English) get their endings. We’ll start with “a book” and “a flower”

Yo tengo un libro.    (I have a book)

Yo tengo uno.           (I have one)

Yo tengo unos libros (I have some books)

Yo tengo unos.   (I have some)

Yo compro una flor. (I buy a flower)

Yo compro una.        (I buy one)

Yo compro unas flores. (I buy some flowers)

Yo compro unas. (I buy some)

Notice an important pattern that repeats. 

• There are only two feminine forms: “una” (a/one) and “unas” (some)
• But there are three masculine forms: “un”, “uno” (a/one) and unos (some).

Use “un” when the noun is present, as in “un libro”.  Use “uno” when the noun is absent:

Yo tengo uno. (I have one; book is absent).

same rules apply for “this/these”

masculine:  este/esto; estos

feminine:    esta / estas

and “that/those”

masculine:  ese/eso; esos

feminine:  esa; esas

and “that/those over there”

masc: aquel/aquello; aquellos

fem: aquella/aquellas

also for “first”

masc:  primer/primero; primeros

fem:  primera; primeras

also for “nobody”

masc: ningún/ninguno; ningunos

fem: ninguna; ningunas

and for “some/someone”

masc: algún/alguno ; algunos

fem: alguna; algunas

¿Preguntas?