Spanish Article cont

The definite article _El_ is contracted with the preposition _de_ (of or from) into =Del= and with the preposition _A_, into _al_ as--

Del extranjero: Of _or_ from the foreigner. Al caballero espanol: To the Spanish gentleman.

These are the only contractions that occur in Spanish; with the other prepositions the article simply follows, as--

By, for, with, in, on, without, behind, the father: Por, Para, Con, En, Sobre, Sin, Tras, el padre.

The following are the _principal cases_ in which the definite article is used in Spanish and not in English--

1. Before nouns taken in a general sense, as--

El oro y la plata: Gold and silver.
Los hombres o las mujeres: Men or women.

2. Before titles denoting dignity and profession,[13] as--

El Senor Fulano: Mr. So-and-So.
El Rey Jorge V.: King George V.
El Profesor Rosales: Professor Rosales.

The only exception is "Don" (Mr.), only used before Christian names, as Don Francisco (Mr. Francis).

3. Generally before each of several nouns following each other when they are material possessions, as--

La casa y el jardin de mi hijo: My son's[14] house and garden.
Las puertas y las ventanas de mi casa: The doors and windows of my house.

But--

La diligencia, devocion, y virtud de mi primo: the diligence, devotion and virtue of my cousin.

4. Before a proper noun qualified by an adjective, as--

El valiente Juan: Brave John.[15]

The following are the principal cases in which the indefinite article is used in English and not in Spanish--

1. Before a noun following the verb "to be," or other similar verbs, as--

Es capitan[16]: He is a captain.
Soy frances: I am a Frenchman.
Se hizo actor: He became an actor.
Le elegimos miembro de esta sociedad: We elect him a member of this society.
Fue elegido miembro: He was elected a member.

2. After "what" used in exclamations, as: Que hermosa vista: What a fine view!

3. Before "hundred" and "thousand": 100--ciento, 1,000--mil.

[Footnote 13: Except when vocative, viz., calling a person or as an exclamation.]

[Footnote 14: The 's = possessive does not exist in Spanish. "My son's house" must always be translated as "the house of my son."]

[Footnote 15: Except when vocative, viz., calling a person or as an exclamation.]

[Footnote 16: Except, of course, when we particularize, as--Es un capitan que conoci en Paris: He is a captain I knew in Paris.]