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al

prepositionBeginnerHigh frequency

What does “al” mean in English?

  1. to the or at the

    to the or at the (a + el contraction)

Example sentences

  • Voy al mercado.

    I am going to the market.

  • Estamos al lado del hotel.

    We are next to the hotel.

How to use it

Al is the required contraction of a + el. It often means 'to the' or 'at the' before a masculine singular noun.

Common mistake

Do not write a el for this meaning. Spanish contracts it to al before masculine singular nouns.

Topics

Related Beginner words

Reference

This entry’s teaching guidance follows A New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish (Butt, Benjamin & Moreira Rodríguez, Routledge), 3.