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The other way around, Spanish uses the definite article where English would not: • Tengo los ojos azules -> I have blue eyes (not I have the blue eyes) • Jueg
by dspillett 6d ago
The other way around, Spanish uses the definite article where English would not:
• Tengo los ojos azules -> I have blue eyes (not I have the blue eyes)
• Juego el tenis -> I play tennis (not I play the tennis)
Though as with the indefinite article, at least there is no discrepancy between single/plural. In part it is necessary because there are some words that don't vary their spelling in different genders but do have different meaning:
• la papa -> the potato, el papa -> the pope (also el papá -> the dad)
• la capital -> the capital (as in city), el capital -> the capital (as in money)
• la corte -> the court, el corte -> the cut
[I had to look those up to check, I'd have had cut/court back-to-front otherwise!]
Another thing that doesn't exist in English is an equivalent to the “personal a”: vi a Fred -> I saw Fred, vi cuatro gatos -> I saw four cats (both languages use a definite or indefinite article for a single non-personal subject: vi un gato / vi el gato -> I saw a cat / I saw the cat). I suppose it could be said that Spanish is more consistent here too: there is always something in that position for simple forms, be it a count, an article, or a. I say “for simple forms” as there is nothing there for thing like “vi oscuridad en sus ojos” -> I saw darkness in his/her eyes (though in both languages either definite or indefinite article would also work but might suggest different emphasis: I saw a darkness in… / I saw the darkness in…).
- byte_0 6d agoSomething that Spanish has, that your "vi a Fred" example reminded me of is that when the direct object of a sentence is a person, you use "a": "vi a Fred", "escuché a mi mamá". Unlike unhuman objects: "vi el carro", "escuché un ruido".
- dspillett 6d agoThat is exactly what I referred to: the personal “a”. Used when referring to a person.