5 situations in which you do not have to use artículos (Ep. 4)

In the previous podcast, we talked about the difference between artículos definidos and indefinidos. However, ¿Cuándo tienes que usar los artículos? ¿Do we use them always in Spanish?

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Bienvenido o bienvenida my dear beginner

Hoy… we are going to continue with the last podcast talking about… ARTÍCULOS.

In the previous podcast I explained you when you must use artículos definidos and when you have to use indefinidos. But, as I told you at the end of the podcast, that is the easy part because in Spanish we use them more frecuently than in English and there are some specific situations in which we don’t use them.

Así que atento o atenta, pay attention and learn this 7 basic rules to know when you DON’T HAVE TO USE artículos:

1. When we are talking about name of people (Sergio, David, Elena…) or name of countries or cities (España, Barcelona, Nueva York, Reino Unido).
   a. Excepción: when you want to refer to an specific person that has the same name that other people in order to not confudir to your listener: For example, we stayed in a pub yesterday and we met a lot of boys called «Sergio», but I want to refer to one specific Sergio and I can ask you: Do you remember EL SERGIO that wear that red shirt? As you can notice, it works with the same rules as the ARTÍCULO DEFINIDO, I mean we share this information (we know who is it) and we are refering to one in specific.
2. When we are talking about profesiones (jobs) o nacionalidades: Yo soy español, ella es americana; yo soy profesor; ellos son estudiantes.
   a. Excepción: when we add an adjective to this profesión o nacionalidad: Yo soy un español inteligente; tú eres una estudiante inteligente.
3. When we are talking about languages and subjects: Hablo español / Estudio historia
   a. Excepción: When is the subject of the sentence: El chino es una lengua difícil
4. Meses , años o estaciones: I was born en junio vs. I was living in Spain in 1948. En verano I visit my family.
5. Transports: Voy en coche, viajo en avión