Articles: absence of articles

1 Absence ofarticle with singular nouns

  • They may express a part of a whole.

Cada viernes comemos pescado.(= Some fish.)

Perdona, he derramado vino sobre tu chaqueta, lo siento mucho.(= A part of the contents.)

Ramón tiene hepatitis.(= But hepatitis does not end with Ramón.)

El consejero del rey cayó en desgracia.(= But this misfortune only affects a person.)

  • Article is not used beforeproper names of (Juan, María), countries (España, Guatemala), towns (Barcelona, Madrid, Mahón) regions (Cataluña, Castilla, Asturias), islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Lanzarote).

As it has been said, before proper name of person definite article is not used.

Me ha llamado Rafael.

Inés ya no vive aquí.

However, when also appears an adjective is obligatory the use ofdefinite article; this use belongs to formal or literary Spanish.

El astuto Juan calló lo que sabía.

The same happens with towns: are not preceded by definite article except when also are followed by adjective or prepositional complement.

La Barcelona olímpica

El Bilbao de principios de siglo

The preposition de between adjective and noun appears in popular expressions.

El bueno de Rafael lo perdonó.

La tonta de Inés se dejó engañar.

Article (definite or indefinite) is also used before names of writers or painters referring to their works.

Me gustaría comprar un Picasso.

Dame el María Moliner. (A highly recommended Dictionary.)

  • There is not article with years or months.

Enero es un mes muy frío.

En 1913 llegó a México.

  • Article is neither used when referring to a generic group.

Se busca secretaria. (= Someone with the job of secretary.)

Jorge siempre lleva pantalón de pana y camisa de franela.(= He wears a type of clothes.)

  • Article is not used to write the address on a letter.

Sr. Téllez c/ Nantua, 23 1.º 2.ª

  • Article is not used in vocatives.

Presidente, ¿puedo hablar un momento con usted?

¡Mamá!

  • The article never precedes don or doña.

Don Luis

Doña Esperanza

2 Absence of article with nouns in plural

The clauses built with un or una indefinite articles, in plural lose the article.

Podríamos poner cristales ahumados en todas las ventanas.

¡Mira! Vacas.

Estos son libros de ejercicios.

Perdí monedas.

He comprado un libro de verbos irregulares franceses. (= They are not all, only the most important.)