un
/un/
The English phrase 'a' is translated into Spanish as un.
Which one should you use?
In Spanish, un and una can function as both the indefinite article 'a' and the number 'one'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes to una when the noun it modifies is feminine. The masculine plural form unos can mean 'a' in the sense of 'some' or 'a few', while the feminine plural form unas can also mean 'some' or 'a few'.
How do you pronounce it?
/un/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget to match the gender of the article to the noun, using un for feminine nouns or una for masculine nouns.
Did you know?
- While un is the indefinite article, using it before a profession like un doctor can sometimes imply that the person is not actually a doctor or is just one of many, whereas omitting it entirely emphasizes the professional status.
- In some Spanish dialects, unos and unas are used as 'approximate' markers before numbers, turning 'ten' into 'about ten' by saying unos diez.
- In poetic or archaic Spanish, the article un is sometimes placed after the noun to create a more rhythmic or emphasized effect.
Examples in context
- No es un pez.It's not a fish.Tatoeba #1513877 by marcelostockle, translation #1513673 by CM
- Le di un mapa.I handed him a map.Tatoeba #974652 by Shishir, translation #974580 by slivercat
- Yo vi un OVNI.I saw a UFO.Tatoeba #1325983 by hayastan, translation #1322952 by CK
- CasaHouse
- GatoCat
- PlátanoBanana
- CamisaShirt
- AmorLove
- CalleStreet
- SalsaSauce
- AmigoFriend
- TierraEarth/land
- 15276 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are at a cafe.
- Javier¿Quieres un té, Lucía?Do you want a tea, Lucía?
- LucíaNo, gracias. Quiero un zumo.No, thanks. I want a juice.
- JavierPerfecto, yo pediré un café.Perfect, I will order a coffee.
- LucíaGracias, Javier.Thanks, Javier.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry un, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
