al
/al/
The English phrase "to the" is translated into Spanish as al.
The word al is used as a combination of the preposition "to" and the definite article "the".
What does it mean word for word?
The form al is a mandatory contraction of the preposition a (to) and the masculine singular article el (the).
Which one should you use?
The form al is used only for masculine nouns. In contrast, when referring to a feminine singular noun, the phrase "to the" does not contract and remains a la.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, al is a mandatory contraction. You must combine the preposition a and the masculine singular article el into this single word whenever they appear together.
How do you pronounce it?
/al/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid writing a el when referring to a masculine noun. This is a common error. You must always use the contracted form al instead.
Did you know?
- The contraction al is one of only two mandatory contractions in the entire Spanish language, the other being del for 'of the'.
- The contraction al only occurs when 'el' is a definite article. If 'el' is part of a proper name, such as a El Paso, the contraction is not used.
- In old Spanish texts from the Middle Ages, the contraction al was not always mandatory, and writers occasionally used a el to create a rhythmic pause in poetry.
Examples in context
- Ayer fui al zoo.I went to the zoo yesterday.This sentence shows how to use al when talking about going to the zoo.Tatoeba #514886 by Shishir, translation #1876 by Swift
- Va al otro lado.Go to the other side.This sentence demonstrates the use of al to indicate direction toward the other side.Tatoeba #7860115 by arh, translation #7895047 by helloroto
- Hoy fui al cine.Today I went to the cinema.This sentence illustrates the use of al in the context of going to the cinema.Tatoeba #13713799 by ecorralest101, translation #13713790 by Babelball
- Voy al banco.I'm going to the bank.
- El médico va al hospital.The doctor is going to the hospital.
- Maria va a la biblioteca.Maria is going to the library.
- Vamos a los museos.We are going to the museums.
- Asistiré a las conferencias.I will attend the conferences.
- Voy pa 'l cine.I'm going to the movies.
- ¿Vamos pa la playa?Shall we go to the beach?
- Voy pa'l parque.I'm going to the park.
- ¡Vámonos pa'l río!Let's go to the river!
- 1680 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Mateo are planning their afternoon outdoors.
- María¿Quieres ir al restaurante?Do you want to go to the restaurant?
- MateoNo, prefiero ir al gimnasio.No, I prefer to go to the gym.
- MaríaEstá bien, yo voy al gimnasio también.Okay, I am going to the gym too.
- MateoPerfecto, nos vemos allí.Perfect, see you there.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry al, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
