Contraction of articles with prepositions (al, del)

In Spanish, contractions happen when certain prepositions meet the masculine singular definite article “el”. This makes speech and writing smoother and more natural. There are two main contractions you need to know:

1. Al = a + el (to the)
2. Del = de + el (of the)

Rules and Usage

• These contractions only happen with the masculine singular definite article “el”.
• You must use them when the prepositions “a” or “de” come before “el”.
• No other combinations of articles and prepositions form contractions in Spanish.

Examples

Using ‘Al’

1. Voy al parque. (I’m going to the park.)
   • Not: Voy a el parque.
2. Llegamos al aeropuerto a tiempo. (We arrived at the airport on time.)
   • Not: Llegamos a el aeropuerto a tiempo.
3. El regalo es para al niño. (The gift is for the boy.)
   • Not: El regalo es para a el niño.

Using ‘Del’

1. La casa del profesor está cerca. (The teacher’s house is nearby.)
   • Not: La casa de el profesor está cerca.
2. El color del cielo es azul. (The color of the sky is blue.)
   • Not: El color de el cielo es azul.
3. Vengo del supermercado. (I’m coming from the supermarket.)
   • Not: Vengo de el supermercado.

Important Notes

1. These contractions don’t work with feminine articles:
   • Correct: Voy a la playa. (I’m going to the beach.)
   • Incorrect: Voy al playa.
2. They also don’t work with plural articles:
   • Correct: El libro de los estudiantes. (The students’ book.)
   • Incorrect: El libro del estudiantes.
3. When “el” is part of a proper noun (a name), don’t use contractions:
   • Correct: Voy a El Salvador. (I’m going to El Salvador.)
   • Incorrect: Voy al Salvador.

Understanding and correctly using “al” and “del” is really important for Spanish learners. It helps you sound more natural and fluent when speaking or writing in Spanish.