artículo
/ar-TÍ-cu-lo/
item
An item or product for sale is an artículo.
artículo(noun)
item
?product or object for sale
,product
?merchandise
article
?piece of merchandise
📝 In Action
Este artículo está en liquidación.
A1This item is on clearance.
¿Cuántos artículos llevas en la cesta?
A2How many items do you have in the basket?
Los artículos de lujo suelen ser muy caros.
B1Luxury goods (items) are usually very expensive.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Masculine
Since 'artículo' ends in -o, it is a masculine noun. Always use 'el' or 'un' before it, and 'los' or 'unos' in the plural.
⭐ Usage Tips
Shopping Context
When you are in a store, using 'artículo' is a very formal way to refer to something. Usually, people just say 'esto' (this) or 'el producto' (the product).
A published written piece, like in a newspaper or journal, is an artículo.
artículo(noun)
article
?written piece in a newspaper or journal
essay
?short piece of writing
,paper
?academic report
📝 In Action
El periodista escribió un artículo sobre el cambio climático.
B1The journalist wrote an article about climate change.
Este artículo de opinión generó mucha controversia.
B2This opinion piece generated a lot of controversy.
Necesito leer el artículo completo para entender la investigación.
B2I need to read the full paper to understand the research.
💡 Grammar Points
Verb Choice
You will usually see 'artículo' used with verbs like 'escribir' (to write), 'publicar' (to publish), or 'leer' (to read).
In grammar, words like 'the' or 'a' are called artículos.
artículo(noun)
article
?grammar word like 'the' or 'a'
determiner
?linguistic term for word that introduces a noun
📝 In Action
El artículo 'la' indica que el sustantivo es femenino.
A1The article 'la' indicates that the noun is feminine.
Los artículos indefinidos son 'un', 'una', 'unos' y 'unas'.
A2The indefinite articles are 'un', 'una', 'unos', and 'unas'.
💡 Grammar Points
What it Does
In Spanish, the article (like 'el' or 'la') is essential because it tells you the gender and number of the noun that follows it, which is often crucial for sentence agreement.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Grammar with Products
Mistake: "Using 'un artículo' to mean 'a grammar word' in a shopping context."
Correction: This is usually clear from context, but remember that 'artículo' has two very different common uses: product vs. grammar word.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: artículo
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'artículo' to mean a piece of writing?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Es 'artículo' siempre masculino?
Sí, 'artículo' es un sustantivo masculino. Siempre debes usar 'el artículo' o 'los artículos', sin importar si te refieres a un producto, un escrito o una palabra gramatical.
How can I tell which meaning of 'artículo' is being used?
Look at the surrounding words! If you see words like 'comprar' (to buy) or 'tienda' (store), it means 'product.' If you see 'escribir' (to write) or 'periódico' (newspaper), it means 'written piece.' If you see 'sustantivo' (noun) or 'género' (gender), it means 'grammar word.'