Los Artículos

Artículos, or articles, are words that are placed before nouns. In Spanish, they indicate both the gender and the number (singular/plural) of the noun. It is very helpful to learn Spanish nouns with their accompanying article, so that we know whether they are feminine nouns, or masculine nouns. As you may have guessed, gender is very important in the construction of the Spanish language!

Spanish definite articles are equivalent to the English definite article "the". 

• Singular, masculine nouns use the singular definite article "el" and plural masculine nouns use the plural definite article "los".
• Singular, feminine nouns use the singular definite article "la" and plural feminine nouns use the plural definite article "las".

Spanish indefinite articles are equivalent to the English indefinite articles "a" or "an", in its singular form, or "some", in its plural form. 

• Singular, masculine nouns use the singular indefinite article "un" and plural masculine nouns use the plural indefinite article "unos".
• Singular, feminine nouns use the singular indefinite article "una" and plural feminine nouns use the plural indefinite article "unas".

What do you think? Are you ready to practice the Spanish articles? 

If you're feeling ready, click on the following link to practice with a fun, interactive exercise:

Practice: Spanish Articles

¿Por qué aprender español? ~ Why learn Spanish?

If you've ever questioned why you are learning Spanish, or if you are considering learning Spanish but are unsure of whether you should or shouldn't learn it, I recommend reading the article below from Business Insider. It seems that it is becoming more and more important to learn this beautiful language in our modern-day society for more than one reason!

Article: Why learn Spanish?

Did someone say "MOLE" ?!

Chili peppers, chocolate, older bread, nuts and more. Does this sound like a something you'd combine to make a sauce.....perhaps a sauce to be generously drizzled over poultry? Mexicans certainly consider it a thing of flavor and beauty. 

Mole, whose name stems from the Nahuatl word mōlli, or "sauce" was developed in a convent sometime in the 17th century....or so one story goes. Since then, it has become one of the most iconic symbols of Mexican cuisine.

The flavors, ingredients and modes of preparation vary greatly from region to region and from sauce to sauce. It's not unheard of to see some mole sauces being made with 20, 30 or more ingredients. Some don't even use chocolate as one of their ingredients.

Three states in Mexico claim to have originated this beautifully complex sauce: Puebla, Oaxaca, and Tlaxcala. The most commonly known mole sauces, however, are typical of Puebla and Oaxaca.

Although the varieties of mole recipes are endless, one thing is for certain: the making of a mole sauce is long, complex labor of love. Interested in learning more about this beautiful dish, its ingredients and its history? Here is a link to a wonderful article by NPR:

Article: Mexican Mole Has Many Flavors, Many Mothers

Would you like to make your own mole sauce? The following video gives you a good idea of how to do so:

Video: Exploring Mole with Rick Bayless

Enjoy!