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- él
el
the
The masculine form of the word "the"
Encoding Strategies:
repetition
El is the masculine definite article, whose most useful translation is the, because it's pointing at some definite thing0 that's known or understood in context.
el
the (specific thing)
Points at something specific that's already known or clear from context.
- El libro está en la mesa = The book is on the table
- Los niños juegan en el parque = The kids are playing in the park
(universal concepts)
Spanish treats universal concepts as specific known things (e.g. one universal concept of love), whereas English treats them as vague or general.
- El amor es complicado = Love is complicated (the love is complicated)
- Me gusta el arte = I like art (I like the art)
- El lunes tengo clase = On Monday I have class (the Monday I have class)
- Los domingos descanso = On Sundays I rest (the Sundays I rest)
my, your, his, her, our, their (posession implied from context)
When who owns something is already clear from context, Spanish doesn't feel the need to label the owner. It just marks it as a definite, known thing with el.
- Levantó el brazo = He raised his arm (he raised the arm)
- Me duelen los pies = My feet hurt (the feet hurt me)
el que / el de
the one that, the one who, the one of, the one from, the one
El points at a specific thing without naming it, then que or de narrows down which one.
- El que llegó primero ganó = The one who arrived first won
- Los que estudian aprenden = Those who study learn
- El de la esquina = The one on the corner
- Los del segundo piso = The ones from the second floor
al
to the (a + el)
When "a" comes before "el", they merge into the contraction "al."
- Voy al parque = I'm going to the park (to the park)
del
of the, from the (de + el)
When "de" comes before "el", they merge into the contraction "del."
- La puerta del coche = The car door (the door of the car)