a + o = ao

Contractions of a with the Article

Level 1

When the preposition a meets o, a, os, as, they join: ao, á, aos, ás. Galician has no al.

How It Works

1. The forms

  • a + o = ao (also ó): Vou ao mercado (I am going to the market)
  • a + a = á: Vou á praia (I am going to the beach)
  • a + os = aos (also ós): Escribo aos meus avós (I write to my grandparents)
  • a + as = ás: ás tres (at three o'clock)

2. Ao or ó?
The official spelling rules list ao / ó and aos / ós side by side, so both are correct. You will see ao and aos most often in schoolbooks, newspapers and signs today, so this course uses them. Whichever you write, the sound is the same open o, as in English "law".

3. Why á and ás have an accent
Without the accent, a and as are just the article "the". The accent shows that the preposition is inside: Vou á praia, not Vou a praia. See diacritic accents.

4. Where you meet these forms

  • Going somewhere: Imos ao cine.
  • Clock times: á unha, ás oito. See telling the time.
  • The person who receives something: Dou o libro ao profesor.
  • Place names with an article: Vou á Coruña, Vou ao Carballiño.

To learn what a itself means, see the preposition a.

Examples (6)

  1. Vou ao mercado.

    I'm going to the market.

    Word by Word: I-go to-the market.

  2. Imos á praia mañá.

    We're going to the beach tomorrow.

    Word by Word: We-go to-the beach tomorrow.

  3. A clase empeza ás tres.

    The class starts at three o'clock.

    Word by Word: The class starts at-the three.

  4. Escribo unha carta aos meus avós.

    I'm writing a letter to my grandparents.

    Word by Word: I-write a letter to-the my grandparents.

  5. Chegamos á Coruña pola noite.

    We arrive in A Coruña at night.

    Word by Word: We-arrive to-the Coruña by-the night.

  6. Vou ó cine co meu irmán.

    I'm going to the cinema with my brother.

    Word by Word: I-go to-the cinema with-the my brother.

    Ó is the other standard spelling of ao. It sounds the same.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the Spanish contraction al.

    Vou al mercado.
    Vou ao mercado.

    Galician has no al. The preposition a and the article o join as ao (or ó).

  • Writing a and the feminine article as two words.

    Vou a a praia.
    Vou á praia.

    A + a becomes á, with an accent.

  • Leaving out the accent on ás for clock times.

    A clase empeza as tres.
    A clase empeza ás tres.

    As without an accent is only the article. "At three" needs the preposition too, so write ás.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

a + o = aoLevel 1Contractions of a with the Article

Learn This First

A joins the definite article, with accented feminine forms.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

áóósa