Answers
Feb 20, 2022 - 07:31 PM
Hey Rochelle,
I'll give you my (un)educated view on when to use the article.
But first, it's important to realize that the 2 sentences are not congruent. In the first, the subject is 'we'. So the sentence is saying, "We would like to have lamb for dinner". In the second sentence, the subject is not "yo", but "las galletas". The sentence is literally translated to "The biscuits are pleasing to me". I think it would be difficulty to not have an article of some sort for the sentence subject.
As far as saying what food you like, you would use an article if you are referring to a definite item. A definite item would be one you see, one you see on a menu, one you see other people eating, one you see being cooked, one you've had at this restaurant before. In other words, you know item is available.
However, if you're referring to an item that you don't know is available, or just stating a general preference, then you would not use an article.
Example: You're riding with a friend to a restaurant that you've never been to before. Your friend asks, "What are going to have." You say "I'd like Chilean Sea Bass." Then when you get to the restaurant and see that the Sea Bass is on the menu, you can say to the waiter, "I'll have the Chilean Sea Bass.
Hope that helps (and I hope that moderators will make any corrections)
I'll give you my (un)educated view on when to use the article.
But first, it's important to realize that the 2 sentences are not congruent. In the first, the subject is 'we'. So the sentence is saying, "We would like to have lamb for dinner". In the second sentence, the subject is not "yo", but "las galletas". The sentence is literally translated to "The biscuits are pleasing to me". I think it would be difficulty to not have an article of some sort for the sentence subject.
As far as saying what food you like, you would use an article if you are referring to a definite item. A definite item would be one you see, one you see on a menu, one you see other people eating, one you see being cooked, one you've had at this restaurant before. In other words, you know item is available.
However, if you're referring to an item that you don't know is available, or just stating a general preference, then you would not use an article.
Example: You're riding with a friend to a restaurant that you've never been to before. Your friend asks, "What are going to have." You say "I'd like Chilean Sea Bass." Then when you get to the restaurant and see that the Sea Bass is on the menu, you can say to the waiter, "I'll have the Chilean Sea Bass.
Hope that helps (and I hope that moderators will make any corrections)
Mar 18, 2022 - 03:37 AM
Hi Rochelle, to give you another perspective on that subject:
Keep in mind that in Spanish, whenever you speak about an indefinite quantity of something, you don't need an article, so it is a bit like in English, as in:
Quiero café = I want coffee
Hay habitaciones = There are rooms
On the contrary, whenever you speak about something in general in Spanish, you do need the definite articles El, La, Los, Las, unlike in English where you wouldn't use any article. That's especially the case after "gustar", as in:
Me gustan las galletas = I like cookies
Whether you like cookies in general or some specific cookies, you ALWAYS need to use the article after "gustar".
And it would be the same to tell "general truths", as in:
Los celulares son malos = Cell phones are bad ;)
Hope it helps...Saludos!
Keep in mind that in Spanish, whenever you speak about an indefinite quantity of something, you don't need an article, so it is a bit like in English, as in:
Quiero café = I want coffee
Hay habitaciones = There are rooms
On the contrary, whenever you speak about something in general in Spanish, you do need the definite articles El, La, Los, Las, unlike in English where you wouldn't use any article. That's especially the case after "gustar", as in:
Me gustan las galletas = I like cookies
Whether you like cookies in general or some specific cookies, you ALWAYS need to use the article after "gustar".
And it would be the same to tell "general truths", as in:
Los celulares son malos = Cell phones are bad ;)
Hope it helps...Saludos!
