Contracciones/ Contractions

In Spanish, there are only 2 contractions, al and del.

The prepositions a (to, toward) and de (from, of) combine with the definite article el to form al (a + el = al) and del (de + el = del).

EXAMPLES:

• Voy al hotel./ I am going to the hotel.
• Vengo del colegio./ I am coming from college.

 

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NOTE: That the pronoun él does NOT contract.

EXAMPLE:

• Decile a él que venga./ Tell him to come.

 

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NOTE: That no other definite articles (la, las, los) form contractions when combined with de.

EXAMPLES:

• La ventana de la casa está sucia./ The window of the house is dirty.
• Las hipotecas de las casas./ The mortgages of the houses.
• Los empleados de los bancos./ The employees of the banks.