lo is a neuter article: it never goes before a noun, only before an adjective or before que, to talk about an idea.
Before a feminine noun starting with a stressed a- or ha-, you use el / un in the singular, only to avoid “la agua”. The noun stays feminine: el agua fría, las aguas, esta agua, mucha agua. Before an adjective, keep la: la alta montaña.
| rule | example |
|---|---|
| days: el = that day, los = every time | El lunes voy al médico. — On Monday I'm going to the doctor. Los lunes juego al tenis. — On Mondays I play tennis. |
| clock time: always la / las | Son las tres. Llego a la una. — It's three o'clock. I arrive at one. |
| señor, señora, doctor… when talking about the person (not to them) | El señor García no está. — Mr García isn't here. Buenos días, señor García. — Good morning, Mr García. |
| body parts and clothes: article, not a possessive | Me duele la cabeza. — My head hurts. |
| job after ser: no article | Soy ingeniero. — I'm an engineer. |
| otro, medio, cierto: never “un” before them | otro café, medio kilo — another coffee, half a kilo |
Translate the words from your reading, review them as flashcards and practise with gap-fill sentences.
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