A1 Prepositions 5 min de leitura

Contractions: a + el = al, de + el = del

Always merge 'a' and 'de' with 'el' to ensure your Spanish sounds natural and flows correctly.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Combine 'a' + 'el' to make 'al' meaning 'to the'.
  • Combine 'de' + 'el' to make 'del' meaning 'of/from the'.
  • Only contract with the masculine singular article 'el'.
  • Never contract with feminine 'la' or plural 'los/las'.

Quick Reference

Preposition Article Contraction Example
a (to) el (the) al al médico
de (of/from) el (the) del del gato
a (to) la (the) (none) a la tienda
de (of/from) la (the) (none) de la mujer
a (to) los (the) (none) a los bares
de (of/from) los (the) (none) de los libros

Exemplos-chave

3 de 8
1

Voy al gimnasio todos los días.

I go to the gym every day.

2

El color del coche es rojo.

The color of the car is red.

3

Leí un artículo de El País.

I read an article from El País.

💡

The 'E' is the Key

Think of the 'e' in 'el' as a shy letter that hides when 'a' or 'de' comes near. It just disappears!

⚠️

The Accent Trap

Don't contract with 'él' (him). That little accent mark is like a wall that prevents the words from merging.

The Rule in 30 Seconds

  • Combine 'a' + 'el' to make 'al' meaning 'to the'.
  • Combine 'de' + 'el' to make 'del' meaning 'of/from the'.
  • Only contract with the masculine singular article 'el'.
  • Never contract with feminine 'la' or plural 'los/las'.

Overview

Welcome to the world of Spanish shortcuts! Think of contractions like a smooth highway merge. In English, we often choose to say "don't" instead of "do not." It makes us sound more natural. In Spanish, for two specific cases, you do not have a choice. You must merge the words. It makes the language sound fluid and rhythmic. Without these, Spanish would sound choppy. It would feel like a robot with a low battery. We are looking at al and del. They are the only two mandatory contractions in the whole language. That is great news for you! Once you master these, you have finished the contraction chapter of Spanish. It is like a grammar traffic light that is always green. You just have to keep moving and merge those sounds.

How This Grammar Works

Spanish speakers love to save breath. When the preposition a (to) meets the article el (the), they fuse. They become al. Similarly, when de (of/from) meets el (the), they become del. This only happens with the masculine singular article el. It does not happen with la, los, or las. Think of it as a chemical reaction. You put two elements together, and they transform into something new. If you try to say a el separately, it sounds like a small hiccup. Native speakers will understand you, but it will sound very "textbook." Even native speakers mess this up when they are tired, but it is rare. It is a fundamental building block of the language.

Formation Pattern

  1. 1Creating these contractions is a simple three-step process.
  2. 2Start with your preposition: a or de.
  3. 3Add the masculine singular article: el.
  4. 4Drop the 'e' from el and join them together.
  5. 5a + el = al (To the)
  6. 6de + el = del (Of the / From the)
  7. 7Remember, the accent on él (him) matters. If you see an accent, do not contract! We only contract the article el. If you are talking about a person, keep them separate.

When To Use It

Use these contractions every single time you have a or de before a masculine singular noun.

  • Ordering food: You go al restaurante (to the restaurant). You ask for the menu del día (of the day).
  • Asking directions: You are looking for the entrance del banco (of the bank). You walk al norte (to the north).
  • Job interviews: You talk about the success del proyecto (of the project). You go al despacho (to the office).

If the noun is masculine and singular, the contraction is your best friend. It is like the peanut butter and jelly of Spanish grammar. They just belong together.

When Not To Use It

There are three main times to keep the words separate.

  1. 1Feminine nouns: a la playa (to the beach) stays separate. No "ala" here!
  2. 2Plural nouns: a los parques (to the parks) stays separate.
  3. 3Proper names: If a place name actually includes "El," you keep it separate. For example, Paseo por de El Paular. This is rare, but it happens.

Also, watch out for the pronoun él (he/him). If you say "I give it to him," it is a él. The accent mark is your "do not merge" sign.

Common Mistakes

The biggest mistake is simply forgetting to do it. You might say Voy a el cine. It sounds like you are hitting a speed bump. Another mistake is trying to contract with feminine words. You might try to say del mesa. That is a big no-no! It must be de la mesa.

Sometimes people get confused with the word él. Remember: el (the) merges, but él (him) stays solo. It is like a celebrity who refuses to share a dressing room.

Contrast With Similar Patterns

Let's look at how these compare to other combinations.

  • al vs a la: Use al for el hotel. Use a la for la casa.
  • del vs de la: Use del for del libro. Use de la for de la revista.
  • al vs a los: Use al for el niño. Use a los for los niños.

Notice that only the masculine singular gets the special treatment. The others are happy to stay as two separate words. It is like a VIP club for el only.

Quick FAQ

Q. Is it ever okay to say "a el"?

A. Only if "El" is part of a proper name, like a book title.

Q. Does this happen with "en"?

A. No! en el stays en el. No "nel" in Spanish!

Q. Is this formal or informal?

A. It is both! It is a mandatory rule for all levels of speech.

Q. What if I am writing a formal essay?

A. You still use al and del. It is the correct grammar.

Q. Does it change the meaning?

A. No, it just changes the sound and flow. It makes you sound like a pro.

Reference Table

Preposition Article Contraction Example
a (to) el (the) al al médico
de (of/from) el (the) del del gato
a (to) la (the) (none) a la tienda
de (of/from) la (the) (none) de la mujer
a (to) los (the) (none) a los bares
de (of/from) los (the) (none) de los libros
💡

The 'E' is the Key

Think of the 'e' in 'el' as a shy letter that hides when 'a' or 'de' comes near. It just disappears!

⚠️

The Accent Trap

Don't contract with 'él' (him). That little accent mark is like a wall that prevents the words from merging.

🎯

Listen for the Flow

If you say 'a el' and it feels like you're tripping over your tongue, you probably missed a contraction.

💬

Natural Speed

Using 'al' and 'del' is the fastest way to stop sounding like a translation app and start sounding like a local.

Exemplos

8
#1 Basic

Voy al gimnasio todos los días.

Focus: al gimnasio

I go to the gym every day.

Standard use of a + el.

#2 Basic

El color del coche es rojo.

Focus: del coche

The color of the car is red.

Standard use of de + el.

#3 Edge Case

Leí un artículo de El País.

Focus: de El País

I read an article from El País.

No contraction because 'El' is part of the proper name.

#4 Edge Case

Le doy el regalo a él.

Focus: a él

I give the gift to him.

No contraction because 'él' is a pronoun, not an article.

#5 Formal

Bienvenido al congreso internacional.

Focus: al congreso

Welcome to the international congress.

Used in formal greetings.

#6 Mistake Corrected

✗ Voy a el parque → ✓ Voy al parque.

Focus: al parque

I am going to the park.

Always contract a + el.

#7 Mistake Corrected

✗ Es el libro de el profesor → ✓ Es el libro del profesor.

Focus: del profesor

It is the teacher's book.

Always contract de + el.

#8 Advanced

Vengo del centro de la ciudad.

Focus: del centro

I am coming from the city center.

Shows 'del' (masculine) and 'de la' (feminine) in one sentence.

Teste-se

Complete the sentence with the correct contraction.

Mañana vamos ___ cine con mis amigos.

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: al

Cine is masculine singular, so 'a' + 'el' must become 'al'.

Choose the correct form for the possessive phrase.

Las llaves ___ apartamento están en la mesa.

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: del

Apartamento is masculine singular, so 'de' + 'el' becomes 'del'.

Identify if a contraction is needed.

Ella camina ___ escuela cada mañana.

✓ Correto! ✗ Quase. Resposta certa: a la

Escuela is feminine, so no contraction occurs with 'a'.

🎉 Pontuação: /3

Recursos visuais

To Merge or Not to Merge?

Merge (Masculine)
al banco to the bank
del hotel of the hotel
Separate (Feminine)
a la casa to the house
de la calle of the street

The Contraction Decision Tree

1

Is the preposition 'a' or 'de'?

YES ↓
NO
No contraction needed.
2

Is the next word the article 'el'?

YES ↓
NO
Keep them separate (e.g., a la, de los).
3

Is 'El' part of a proper name (like a book)?

YES ↓
NO
MERGE! (al / del)

Common Uses for al & del

🏢

Places

  • • al cine
  • • al supermercado
🔑

Ownership

  • • del profesor
  • • del perro

Perguntas frequentes

20 perguntas

It is when two words join together to form one. In Spanish, a + el becomes al and de + el becomes del.

It makes the language sound smoother. It prevents the awkward double-vowel sound of a e... or e e....

No, it is mandatory. You must use al and del in almost every situation.

No, a la and de la always stay as two separate words. For example, voy a la playa.

Plural articles never contract. You say a los parques or de las niñas.

Generally no, unless their name starts with the article 'El', but even then it's rare. Usually, names don't use articles.

You say al parque. Since parque is masculine, you must merge a and el.

You say del gimnasio. It combines de and el perfectly.

No, en el never becomes 'nel'. That is a common mistake for beginners!

No, con el stays separate. Only a and de have this special power.

Since 'El' is part of the country's proper name, you usually keep them separate: a El Salvador.

It's close, but the 'l' in Spanish is shorter and the 'a' is like the 'a' in 'father'. Say it quickly!

For the city 'El Cairo', you keep them separate: de El Cairo. Proper names are the exception.

Even slow speakers use al and del. It's just how the language is built.

Yes, absolutely. From text messages to legal documents, al and del are everywhere.

Think of al as 'all the way to' and del as 'dealing from'. Or just remember 'a' = to, 'de' = of.

Even though we say el agua, we still contract: al agua or del agua.

Sometimes it can translate to 'some' in English, like del pan (some of the bread), but it's still just a contraction.

Yes! You can say al mediodía (at noon). It works for masculine time expressions too.

The most common mistake is saying de el because you are thinking in English. Just keep practicing the 'smoosh'!

Foi útil?

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