The Spanish Article

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THE ARTICLE.

The =Definite Article= in Spanish is

=El= before a masculine[7] noun singular
=La= " feminine[7] " "

[Footnote 7: Spanish nouns are all masculine or feminine. There are no
_neuter nouns_.]

as--

El hombre (the man)--La mujer (the woman)
El libro (the book)--La pluma (the pen)

El recibo (the receipt)--La cuenta (the account)

=Los= before a masculine noun plural
=Las= " feminine " "

as--

Los muchachos (the boys)--Las señoras (the ladies)
Los géneros (the goods)--Las facturas (the invoices)
Los lápices (the pencils)--Las cartas (the letters).

The =Indefinite Article= is--

=Un= before a masculine noun singular
=Una= " feminine " "

as--

Un amigo (a friend)--Una amiga (a lady-friend)
Un padre (a father)--Una madre (a mother)

The Indefinite Article has no plural, but the Spanish plural forms
"unos" (masc.) and "unas" (fem.) translate the English words "some" or
"any," as Unos hermanos (some brothers), Unas hermanas (some sisters),
Unos tinteros (some inkstands), Unas mesas (some tables). (The Spanish
words "Algunos," "Algunas," are also used for the same purpose.)

NOTE 1.--Before a feminine noun _singular_ commencing with _a_ or _ha_
use =El= and =Un= instead of _La_ and _Una_ if such nouns are _stressed
on the first syllable_, as El águila (the eagle), El agua (the water),
El alma (the soul). (The plural is regular, as Las águilas (the
eagles).)

NOTE 2.--The Definite Article has a "neuter form" which is =Lo=. _It
cannot be used before a noun_ but before other parts of speech used to
represent an abstract idea, as Yo amo lo bello (I love the beautiful,
viz., all that which is beautiful), Lo sublime (the sublime, viz., all
that which is sublime).

REGULAR VERBS.

_1st Conjugation_. Hablar (to speak). _Pres. Part._ Hablando (speaking).
_Past Part._ Hablado (spoken).

_Present Tense, Indicative Mood_.

Yo hablo (I speak) Nosotros (_m._) hablamos (we speak)
Nosotras (_f._) hablamos (we speak)

Tú hablas[8] (thou speakest) Vosotros (_m._) habláis (you speak)
Vosotras (_f._) habláis (you speak)

Él _or_ Ella habla (he or she speaks) Ellos (_m._) hablan (they speak)
Ellas (_f._) hablan (they speak)
Usted habla (you speak)[9]. Ustedes hablan (you speak).[9]

[Footnote 8: The second person is only used in the familiar style,
practically when in English the 2nd person would be addressed as "John"
or "Frank" and not as "Mr. Smith" or "Mr. Brown."]

[Footnote 9: This is called the polite way of addressing and is the
form in use. Note that the verb after it is in the _3rd person_,
because "Usted," "Ustedes" (which can be abbreviated as V. Vs.) are
contractions of Vuestra merced (your grace), Vuestras mercedes (your
graces). V. ama = your grace _loves_.]

_2nd Conjugation_. Temer (to fear).
_Pres. Part._ Temiendo. _Past Part_. Temido.

_Pres. Tense, Indic. Mood_.

Yo temo Nosotros (_m._) temenos
Nosotras (_f._) temenos

Tú temes Vosotros (_m._) teméis
Vosotras (_f._) teméis

Él teme Ellos (_m._) temen
Ella teme Ellas (_f._) temen

V. teme Vs. temen

_3rd Conjugation_. Partir (to depart, to set out).
_Pres. Part._ Partiendo. _Past Part_. Partido.

_Pres. Tense, Indic. Mood_.

Yo parto Nosotros (_m._) partimos
Nosotras (_f._) partimos

Tú partes Vosotros (_m._) partís
Vosotras (_f._) partís

Él parte Ellos (_m._) parten
Ella parte Ellas (_f._) parten

V. parte Vs. parten

VOCABULARY.

=á=, to, at
=amar=[10], to love
=el árbol=, the tree
=las botas=, the boots
=el capitán=, the captain
=la camisa=, the shirt
=la casaca=[11], the coat
=comprar=, to buy
=la flor=, the flower
=el hombre=, the man
=el hermano=, the brother
=la hermana=, the sister
=el joven=, the young man
=la joven=, the young woman
=el lápiz=, the pencil
=el libro=, the book
=la madre=, the mother
=mas=, but
=más=, more
=la mujer=, the woman
=nosotros tenemos=, we have
=el oro=, gold
=el padre=, the father
=los pantalones=, the trousers
=el papel=, the paper
=para=, for
=la plata=, silver
=la pluma=, the pen
=el sombrero=, the hat
=él tiene=, he has
=V. tiene=, you (_sing._) have
=Vs. tienen=, you (_pl._) have
=la tinta=, the ink
=el tintero=, the inkstand
=*tener=,[10] to have, to possess
=yo tengo=, I have
=el viejo=, the old man
=la vieja=, the old woman
=la virtud=, virtue

[Footnote 10: The verbs given in this vocabulary and the following are
regular (i.e., they are conjugated respectively as the model verbs
given) _unless they are marked with an asterisk_.]

[Footnote 11: _Or_ americana, _more used now_.]

EXERCISE 1 (1).

Translate into English--

1. El hombre tiene una pluma.

2. La mujer tiene un libro.

3. ¿Tiene el padre un sombrero?

4. Nosotros tenemos el tintero del (of the) joven.

5. V. tiene el papel y (and) el lápiz de la madre.

6. Vs. tienen la tinta y el papel.

7. Las hermanas aman.

8. El oro y la plata son preciosos (are precious) mas la virtud es (is)
más preciosa.

9. La vieja y la joven compran flores (flowers).

10. V. vende sombreros.

11. Vs. tienen las cartas.

12. ¿Compra[12] V. los pantalones?

13. El Señor (Mr.) Brown es hermano de Juan (John).

14. El sombrero, la americana, y las botas son míos (mine).

15. ¿Habla V.?

16. ¿Teme ella?

17. Ellos parten.

18. V. parte.

19. Nosotros compramos géneros (goods) y vendemos flores.

[Footnote 12: The auxiliary "Do" and "Did," used in English in
interrogative and negative sentences, are not translated in Spanish.]

EXERCISE 2 (2).

Translate into Spanish--

1. The father, the mother, and the brother.

2. A pencil, a pen, and an inkstand.

3. The old man and the old woman.

4. A hat and some boots.

5. The shirt and the trousers.

6. I buy the tree.

7. He sells some flowers (flores).

8. I fear.

9. He fears.

10. We sell.

11. We set out.

12. You (_sing._) set out.

13. I buy.

14. He sells.

15. The brother and the sister sell.

16. They speak to the (al) man.

17. We set out for London (Londres).

18. The old woman has the hat.

19. The old man has the flower.

20. Who (quién) has the ink and a pen?

21. The father has the coat.

22. Gold is precious (es precioso) but virtue is more precious
(preciosa).

23. I sell paper to the woman.

24. You (_sing._) fear.

25. You (_plu._) buy some flowers.

26. She speaks to the sister.

27. The father and the mother of the captain.