Launching ¡La Esquina de la Gramática! Rule 1

When translating into Spanish or editing in Spanish, there are several resources a translator or editor can use when in doubt about certain Spanish grammar rules. There are also instances when an English-speaking client, who might understands some Spanish, is reviewing a document or text, and have trouble understanding certain Spanish grammar specifics.

Oftentimes it can be time consuming to find answers to those questions in books or online. That’s why Above Marketing is offering now La Esquina de la Gramática, a place where we will make it easy for you to find tips related to Spanish grammar.

Every week, we will be posting one rule supported from reliable institutions as La Real Academia de la Lengua, and others.

Rule No. 1.

La agua o el agua-

Many people get confused with this noun. It is a feminine noun, but you need to use the article "El". Why? Because it starts with the tonic vowel “a”, and this rule only applies when the article is right before a noun in singular. So you say: el agua, el área, but if there is a word between the article and the noun, then the rule doesn’t apply, and you say: la misma agua, la extensa área. If you are using an adjective after these nouns, the adjective will be feminine as well: el agua clara, el área extensa.

The indefinite article "una” often changes to “un” when used right before a feminine noun that starts with the tonic vowel "a": un área, un águila. It is not incorrect, but it is less common to say: una área, una águila. The same can apply to the indefinite pronouns “alguna” and “ninguna”: algún alma, ningún alma, but it is still correct if you say: alguna alma, ninguna alma.

With the demonstratives “este, ese, aquel” or with any other determinative adjectives as “todo, mucho, poco, otro, etc.” we should use the feminine forms: esta hacha, aquella misma arma, toda el agua, mucha hambre, etc.

For more information visit: www.rae.es