un spanish examples

(I have a red book. (There’s such a noise I can’t concentrate. ), Compra unas manzanas. Real sentences showing how to use Un causa correctly. (Yes, it’s the car I showed you yesterday.). We can now add an adjective. Just like the definite articles, each corresponds to a gender and to a number. In the second sentence we have not used the indefinite article. (Hi, guys. (Some girls helped me. (I need some coins. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/singular-indefinite-articles-3079098. © 2021 Enux Education Limited. I have divided the following information into different sections: First you will have a quick overview of the different Spanish indefinite articles with their meanings and some sample sentences for each of them. Translated, that would be, "I am not a mariner, I am a captain, I am a captain.". Examples are used only to help you translate the word or expression searched in various contexts. Machado is one of Spain's greatest poets, and he lived through some of Spain's most tumultuous times, having experienced both the authoritarian rule of Primo de Rivera and the Spanish Civil War. ), Unos caballeros preguntan por ti. Busca un piso pequeño. Real sentences showing how to use Un correctly. Finally, there is a small group of words that, by nature, do not accept the indefinite article. We will use the noun casa (house), which is feminine and singular. This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you Note the distinction in these sentences: Conozco a … ), Es un cristiano muy humilde. We also participate in other affiliate advertising programs for products and services we believe in. ), Tengo un libro rojo. These provide an indication of the level of difficulty as well as an idea of the kind of exercises the language competitive examinations might include. (There is one child in the kitchen. Real sentences showing how to use Mi correctly. Dices unas cosas muy interesantes. ), Unas chicas me ayudaron. This has to be your priority when choosing your articles, your nouns and even your adjectives. See examples of Ir in Spanish. And you do not want that! Un perro means 'a dog.' ), John es un americano loco. In Argentina, for example, this is a vulgar word to name the masculine sexual organ. Now, let’s look at examples of how we use indefined articles in the Spanish language. (One day she told me the truth. Rude or colloquial translations are usually marked in red or orange. Medio (half): Necesito media hora para terminar. Early in this post, we explained that indefinite articles are required when you are discussing something or someone that has yet to be specified or is not familiar to everyone you are talking to. (He is a very humble Christian. ), Hay una casa cerca del lago. Using Infinitives as the Subject of a Sentence . Mark has bought a new car. Ana es una mujer muy guapa. See, for example, word pairs like unify and unificar, extract and extraer, and cooperate and cooperar. Peter did not know Sandra had already seen the car, so he thinks the fact that Mark has a new car is new information for Sandra. Normally, if the noun is modified, the article should be used: A common mistake made by English speakers is to use un otro or una otra for "another." The opposite, however, is not always true, as there are many times that an "a" or "an" is left untranslated in Spanish. That means we use it alongside masculine, singular nouns. Spanish has three sets of demonstrative adjectives, each of which has four different forms that vary by gender and number. FluentU is an entertaining, immersive tool to absorb Spanish grammar rules naturally. I love the color yellow, so our adjective will be amarillo. Please report examples to be edited or not to be displayed. Note the distinction in these sentences: Gerald Erichsen is a Spanish language expert who has created Spanish lessons for ThoughtCo since 1998. Prefixes are no different! Mil and cien already refer to one thousand and one hundred, respectively. This happens simply because we are randomly picking up one item of the group as an example in order to represent all of the items in the group. Find many examples and practice with the exercises in a quiz. So there you have it. The exact same thig happens with the article una. There are two main types of Spanish articles: definite and indefinite. Click here to get a copy. Erichsen, Gerald. Un is the masculine, singular indefinite article. In a series of two or more words joined by "and," we often leave out the "a" or "an," but when using y in Spanish the un or una is used to avoid ambiguity. This lesson explains how to make sentences using indefinite articles in Spanish to talk about different things. Otro/otra stands by itself. Unlike in English, Spanish adjectives change depending on the gender and number of the noun. Examples are used only to help you translate the word or expression searched in various contexts. Looking for a fast way to get these usage rules down? It is the feminine, singular indefinite article, so only feminine, singular nouns can accompany it. Thanks for subscribing! (There are some cats on the roof.). There are three situations when you should avoid using the indefinite article in Spanish: Let us examine the following two sentences: Compra unas patatas. (Hi, Sandra! Necesito unas monedas. ), Juana es una amiga mía. How To Use ‘Un’ and ‘Una’ in Spanish (or Leave Them Out). You will also see other videos that have the word you clicked, which will help you understand how it is used it a variety of real-world contexts. FluentU is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Una cebra means 'a zebra.' Since the videos are organized by genre and learning level, it is easy to find something that works for you. Rude or colloquial translations are usually marked in red or orange. As you may have inferred by the title of this sub-section, you should not use the Spanish indefinite article when talking about your occupation, your religion or your nationality. Although they don't have an exact English equivalent, they are usually translated as "some" or "a few". ), there's no need to put anything between the que and the following noun. In English we might say "a cat and dog," for example, but in Spanish it must be un gato y un perro. Using the Spanish indefinite articles when they aren't needed is one of the pitfalls for many beginning Spanish students. Unos is the masculine, plural indefinite article. An easy way to remember the meaning of this word is to think of … (John is a crazy American.). We also have to use the indefinite article when we describe something or someone by using a noun plus an adjective. Thus, like with some other common verbs, you need to pay attention to context when translating tomar.It generally isn't all that difficult figuring out what the verb means, as long as you realize that it usually conveys the idea of taking something or taking something in. When describing people with a noun, the indefinite article is used. We are not asking if the stew contains some 10 potatoes or some 25 potatoes, but whether the stew contains any potatoes altogether. Because Spanish likes to keep adverbs close to the verbs they modify, the noun can be placed after the verb when the adverb (or adverbial phrase, as in the third example below) comes before the verb. Use unos for plural, masculine nouns. When talking about an unspecified person or object inside a group, we have to use the indefinite article. Recommended: How to Learn Spanish Fast in 2020. Peter is asking about an old car, a car both he and Mark knew about, so instead of using the indefinite article, he uses the definite one. Do not sweat over a stack of flashcards. Please report examples to be edited or not to be displayed. Whether you're writing an email, or correo electrónico, to a hotel to book your reservation or you're catching up with an old friend by snail mail, knowing how to write a basic letter, or carta, in Spanish will help you communicate better and feel more confident in your linguistic abilities.. Words like padre, libro, vaso or gato accept un. Please check your email for further instructions. (I spent a thousand dollars yesterday. We need a feminine, singular adjective so that it can agree with our noun and our article. Rude or colloquial translations are usually marked in red or orange. For example, since th… (I have only bought one present. We will walk through all of them in this post. (Give me another chance. (I have some very interesting books. Sample Examinations. ), Peter: Hola, Sandra. (There is a glass on the table.). Buenos días is used in the morning until noon.Buenas tardes is used after midday usually until the sun goes down.Buenas noches is used in the evening and at night, usually when it gets dark, but, unlike English, we also use it to greet people and not only to say goodbye or when we’re going to bed. Note that un and una can also mean … See examples of Un in Spanish. If you listen to oldies music, you may recall one of the sentences of a popular Spanish-language dance tune: Yo no soy marinero, soy capitán, soy capitán. In English we might say "a cat and dog," for example, but in Spanish it must be un gato y un perro. You will be using them all the time! As we will see later on, Spanish has four indefinite articles: un, una, unos, unas. (Ana is a very beautiful woman. These rogue nouns have something in common: they are all feminine, singular and they all start with an accented “a” sound (a-, ha-). ), Dime una palabra polaca. ante. They are not selected or validated by us and can contain inappropriate terms or ideas. Tengo un libro rojo. can take anywhere. ), Mark: Se lo he vendido a un amigo. However, there is one very small group of words that are an exception to the agreement rules stated above. (He’s a snob, I don’t like him.) Una semana (a week), una hoja (a leaf). Un dato curioso a tener en cuenta es que, la ciudad de Cusco tenía la forma de un Puma y la Cabeza exacta era Sacsayhuaman. ), Esta rosa es una flor delicada. Without the second un, the phrase would be understood as referring to one creature, a cross between a cat and dog. In exclamations such as "¡Qué sorpresa!" We can follow the rules of gendered adjective endings and we get amarilla. As a non-native Spanish speaker, there’s always a risk of being one bad translation away from an awkward moment. Finally, there is one case where we don't use the indefinite article in English where it's needed in Spanish. ), Cierto (one): Cierto día me dijo la verdad. What’s up? As for religion and nationality, Americans tend to omit the article, so we are safe here. They are not selected or validated by us and can contain inappropriate terms or ideas. When con can be translated as "using," the article is typically omitted if the object is being used in an ordinary way. Real sentences showing how to use Un calendario correctly. Tumor spillage occurs either before or during surgery. The Spanish indefinite articles are un, una, unos and unas. Don't use the indefinite article before an unmodified noun after a form of ser ("to be"), especially in reference to occupation, religion, affiliation, or social status. Say "no soy un marinero, soy un capitán," and it would sound as awkward (and improper) as one possible translation into English: "I am not one mariner, I am one captain.". 11. (My sister is [a] Jew.). If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn Spanish with real-world videos. Without the second un, the phrase would be understood as referring to one creature, a cross between a cat and dog. I am sure you have already heard about grammatical agreement. ), Tal (such): Hay tal ruido que no puedo concentrarme. They are not selected or validated by us and can contain inappropriate terms or ideas. Hay un vaso encima de la mesa. The Grammar Guide to Spanish Colors: Speak the Rainbow! However, as any Spanish learner knows all too well, Spanish is rife with false friends. All Rights Reserved. Have a look: unas armas peligrosas (some dangerous weapons). Es un pijo, me cae gordo. ), Mil (thousand): Ayer me gasté mil dólares. That gives us Una casa amarilla (A yellow house). Our book is like a joker that represents all the books in existence. Learning Spanish becomes fun and easy when you learn with movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talks. (A few gentlemen are asking for you. See examples of Mi in Spanish. (There is a yellow house near the swimming pool.). We do not utter an exact number, but I think we can all agree some can mean something around five or 10 to 20. (Really? ), Qué (what): ¡Que libro tan caro! We will start with the noun. Mark has bought a new car and is very eager to share the news. Again, don’t expect this word to work the same way in other countries! If you analyze both sentences, in the first one we are asking someone to buy some potatoes, or a few potatoes. (He is a great professor. Later in this post we will explain some different, specific contexts that require the indefinite article, but these are the basic principles you can use going forward. Each video comes with interactive captions you can click for an instant definition and native pronunciation of any word. As we saw before, the Spanish indefinite article has two plural forms (unos, unas). ¿Tiene patatas este estofado? FluentU provides authentic Spanish videos, like movie trailers, music videos, inspiring talks and more, that have been transformed into language learning experiences. Did you know I have bought a new car? In this article, we'll show you everything you need to know about writing a letter in Spanish. Examples are used only to help you translate the word or expression searched in various contexts. Once you read through the usage rules below, apply them in real videos for free with the FluentU trial. There is a little trick I always share with my students when studying the indefinite articles in Spanish: In most cases, you should use the indefinite article every time there is at least one person in the conversation that does not already know what or who you are talking about. ), Hay un niño en la cocina. Past papers and sample examinations are posted below. All the information you need to know about the Spanish indefinite articles. Mark: ¡Hola, Peter! Understanding Spanish articles is crucial to speaking fluently. (I am a very responsible father. However, remember that if you have an adjective accompanying the occupation, religion or nationality, the indefinite article appears once again: Es un gran profesor. (What an expensive book!). (Buy a few potatoes.). Please report examples to be edited or not to be displayed. The video intends to give you a broad idea of what the lesson is all about and includes a few important notes to learn to use subject pronouns in simple sentences and lots of examples too, so please stick until the end of the video. (I have a red book.) When constructing a sentence with indefinite articles, two important types of agreement are gender and number. He’s a good doctor. He has a Spanish girlfriend. ¿Y qué has hecho con el viejo? (Juana is a friend of mine.). Then you will find a section regarding grammatical gender and number and how they work alongside indefinite articles. Fortunately, Spanish indefinite articles function in a very similar way to the English ones, although there are some important distinctions. Un día (a day), un perro (a dog). The appearance is that Spanish frequently "omits" the indefinite articles. Siempre me decía mi madre que en la vida se recoge lo que se siembra. (There’s a house near the lake. It does not matter if you are talking about something known or unknown, specified or not, if you have only one of them, you have to use the indefinite article un/una. Interestingly enough, the majority of times we will use a masculine noun (and the corresponding masculine article) even for describing women: Eres un sol. See examples of Un causa in Spanish. Un cocinero es una persona que cocina. This is simply the way they are said in English. (Cancer is a very dangerous disease.). "A" and "an" are known to grammarians as indefinite articles, and the Spanish equivalents are un (used before masculine nouns and noun phrases) and una (feminine). (This rose is a delicate flower. Meaning: In front of, before. But before entering the realm of my grammar-loving brain, let us see what an indefinite article really is. The final two sections cover the uses of the indefinite article and the situations where you should omit it, respectively. Un libro puede tener muchas páginas. In this post, we are only focusing on the indefinite articles. We discuss the differences between definite and indefinite articles in Spanish and special uses of the articles UN, UNA, UNOS, UNAS. They are not selected or validated by us and can contain inappropriate terms or ideas. It is very common in Spanish for an infinitive to be the subject of a sentence or clause. (Download). Now we need to find an indefinite article that is also feminine and singular. Now imagine Sandra is passing by and she sees the guys talking. The article is frequently omitted after forms of tener (to have), comprar (to buy), llevar (to wear), and some other verbs when generically referring to things that people would normally have or use one at a time. This article will teach you everything you need to know to use them correctly. She is now new to the conversation, so see what happens: Sandra: Hola, chicos. ), Me he encontrado una piedra en el bolsillo. Think about it, there is only an option… yes! If you ignore grammatical agreement you will definitely sound like a lazy foreigner who does not even try. With the meaning of “some/a few,” we are obviously going to use them when talking about approximate amounts of things or people. However, Mark has already shown the car to Sandra, so he rectifies Peter indirectly by using “el,” because Sandra already knows what he is talking about. So, as you can probably guess by now, it accompanies masculine, plural nouns. Add a verb, an object or whatever you need to build a complete sentence, and the result may look like this: Hay una casa amarilla cerca de la piscina. (Tell me one Polish word.). Unas sillas es lo que hace falta comprar. 13 Grammatical Mistakes You Can Avoid When Speaking Spanish, Use and Omission of the Definite Article in Spanish, Neither Masculine nor Feminine: Using the Neuter Gender in Spanish, Using ‘Que’ and Other Relative Pronouns in Spanish. See examples of Un ejemplo in Spanish. Es un buen médico. Further, once you change the word into its plural form, the “revolution” ends and they adopt the feminine indefinite article once again. But, wait a second! Imagine the following situation. (What a surprise! (2020, August 26). (Buy a few apples. It is no different in Spanish. Real sentences showing how to use Un ejemplo correctly. What have you done with the old one? When we refer to people or things that have not been specifically identified, we need to use an indefinite article. (You are a sweetie. Let’s begin by watching a short video showing a list of Spanish personal pronouns and explaining how these pronouns are organized into categories. Se produce un derrame tumoral antes de la cirugía o durante esta. As you can see, when Mark mentions his new car for the first time, he is using the indefinite article both in Spanish and English. The agreement rule specifically says that if a noun is feminine and singular, the indefinite article you have to use is una. Peter had no idea of the existence of the new car, so Mark needs to use the indefinite article to introduce it. ), Dime unas palabras en inglés. That sentence indicates one of the differences between Spanish and English. When you translate these words into English, most of them have the indefinite article around. They are not selected or validated by us and can contain inappropriate terms or ideas. We are asking if the stew has any potatoes at all! (I have sold it to a friend.). This poem was written by Spanish poet Antonio Machado, who was born in Seville in 1875 and passed away in France in 1939. And if you are learning on the go, you can take your practice anywhere with the FluentU mobile app. It is hard to get through a sentence without using it. The numbers mil (1,000) and cien (100) do not need the article. (Does this stew contain potatoes?). So in this post, we’ll cover common phrases to express your condolences to the family or friend who has lost a loved one. See examples of Un calendario in Spanish. (Give me some sweets. (I have found a few coins on the floor. ), Hay un vaso encima de la mesa. In translation to English, either the infinitive or the gerund can be used, although Spanish gerunds can't function as nouns. Spanish adjectives are an essential part of speech, but they can also be a little complicated to master. Take as an example the words madre, piedra, casa and amiga: María es una buena madre. This is probably the most unique phrase in today’s lineup. Mark and Peter are chatting. Learn Spanish Grammar and Vocabulary with These 12 Catchy Songs, 19 Superb Sites for Spanish Listening Practice to Amp Up Your Skills, 12 of the Best Websites to Learn Spanish for Absolute Mastery, 8 Intermediate Online Courses to Lift Your Spanish to New Heights. "How To Use ‘Un’ and ‘Una’ in Spanish (or Leave Them Out)." “A” is called an indefinite article in English, and as you can see above, it is a tiny but powerful little word. (There are some very big houses on this street. Get to Know the Spanish Indefinite Articles Un (A/An) Un is the masculine, singular indefinite article. ), Mark: Sí, es el coche que te enseñé ayer. Erichsen, Gerald. Download: Lastly, we have the article unas to refer to nouns that are feminine and plural. Once again, we are not talking about a specific book, but about any book. ), Hay unos gatos en el tejado. https://www.thoughtco.com/singular-indefinite-articles-3079098 (accessed January 24, 2021). Cebra is a feminine, singular noun, so una matches cebra. Examples of the article “unas”: Unas niñas cantaron en la fiesta de cumpleaños. Erichsen, Gerald. ), Dame unos caramelos. (I have found a stone in my pocket. FluentU brings Spanish to life with real-world videos. Instead, they use the indefinite pronoun un! ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/singular-indefinite-articles-3079098. For example, the sentence "Salir es difícil" could be translated as either "To leave is difficult" or "Leaving is difficult." Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. (I need half an hour to finish. ¿Qué tal? We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe, Get regular language learning tips, resources and updates, starting with the "Complete Guide to Foreign Language Immersion" e-book, Sign up for our weekly blog newsletter for a chance to win a free FluentU Plus subscription (value $240). (Hi, Peter! (María is a good mother. (I need a few tissues.). Words like padre, libro, vaso or gato accept un. That means we use it alongside masculine, singular nouns. The Plural Forms of 'Uno' and 'Una' In Spanish, these words can also exist in the plural form; unos and unas are known as the plural indefinite articles. In English, we use the indefinite articles a and an (as opposed to the definite article the). Rude or colloquial translations are usually marked in red or orange. And that, ladies and gentlemen and gender-neutral friends, is how you create agreement in a sentence. ), Tengo unos libros muy interesantes. He uses the indefinite article in order to introduce the information. (Tell me some words in English.). Although English requires the word "a" before "mariner" and "captain," Spanish doesn't require an equivalent word, which in this case would be un. ), Peter: ¿De verdad? Did you know the word “a” is the fifth most commonly used word in English? ¿Sabías que me he comprado un coche nuevo? "How To Use ‘Un’ and ‘Una’ in Spanish (or Leave Them Out)." (A book can have many pages.). (I am a very responsible father.) Literally, “You are a sun.” This can be applied to both men and woman and it does not need a change in gender). He’s looking for a little flat. There are also some special contexts that always require an indefinite article in Spanish, which we will cover below. Ir a tapear. ), El cáncer es una enfermedad muy peligrosa. Si ocurre un derrame, dilúyalo con agua y lávelo para eliminarlo. Have a look: Soy un padre muy responsable. Please report examples to be edited or not to be displayed. If you have a closer look at the second line of dialogue, you will see the words “el” and “the” are emphasized. ThoughtCo. Examples are used only to help you translate the word or expression searched in various contexts. Tiene una novia española. We are talking about an unidentified cook who represents the whole group of cooks in the world. ), Mi hermana es judía. Mark se ha comprado un coche nuevo. As you can clearly see, these nouns keep on being feminine, and the adjectives they accept can only be feminine. Bear in mind English forces you to use the indefinite article when talking about your occupation. ), Hay unas casas muy grandes en esta calle. (A cook is a person who cooks.). A curious fact to bear in mind is that the city of Cusco had the shape of a Puma and the exact Head was Sacsayhuaman. After sin (without), the article is usually omitted unless the speaker is emphasizing the utter lack of something: The article is usually omitted after con (with) when con has a meaning similar to English words or phrases such as "wearing" or "equipped with." (I am a professor at the University of Barcelona. Real sentences showing how to use Ir correctly. Here you have some examples: Soy profesor en la Universidad de Barcelona. But this group of words refuse to use una because they say they do not like so many “a” sounds together. We are not talking about a specific cook called Gordon who lives in Manhattan. ), Necesito unos pañuelos. He comprado tan solo un regalo. However, if the animal in question is a pet—or some other animal about whom the speaker has personal feelings—you may use the personal a. Ella llama a su perro. Omitting Articles With Certain Large Numbers, Including the Indefinite Article When English Doesn’t. Use un for singular, masculine nouns. Generally speaking, whenever you use un or una in Spanish, you need to use "a" or "an" to say the equivalent in English. Have a look: Soy un padre muy responsable. Una is what we were looking for, and that gives us Una casa (a house).