Overview
English has quite a lot of contractions (short forms of a word or group of words made by leaving out a sound or letter), such as can’t, we’ll, you’d, they’re, you’ve, etc. Spanish, however, has only two!
Meet al and del
When the prepositions a or de come before the definite article el , they combine with it to form a contraction.
Word Math
a + el = al
de + el = del
More on al
Normally, whenever a and el are together, you must contract them to al . However, if el is a capitalized part of a name, it does not contract to al when used with a.
Spanish English
Correct
¿Vas al hotel?
Are you going to the hotel?
Incorrect ¿Vas a el hotel?
Correct
Vamos al restaurante allá.
We are going to the restaurant over there.
Incorrect Vamos a el restaurante allá.
Correct
Se fueron a El Paso.
They went to El Paso.
Incorrect Se fueron al Paso.
More on del
Normally, whenever de and el are together, you must shorten them to del . However, if el is a capitalized part of a name, it does not contract to del when used with de. Sound familiar? It should, because it's the same rule you just learned for al.
Spanish English
Correct
Esta es la clase del profesor.
This is the professor's class.
Incorrect Esta es la clase de el profesor.
Correct
Soy del Reino Unido.
I'm from the United Kingdom.
Incorrect Soy de el Reido Unido.
Correct
Es de El Salvador.
He's from El Salvador.
Incorrect Es del Salvador.
Do not form contractions with the subject pronoun él .
Es la casa de él.
It is his house.
Es la casa del hombre alto.
It is the tall man’s house.
Do not form contractions with other definite articles (la, los, las).
Es el libro de la mujer bonita.
It is the pretty woman’s book.
Soy amiga de las hermanas de Anita.
I'm a friend of Anita’s sisters.
Son los juguetes de los niños.
They are the children’s toys.
