arpa de boca

Spanish

Noun

arpa de boca f (plural arpas de boca)

1. Jew's harp

Usage notes

• Feminine nouns beginning with stressed /ˈa/ like arpa de boca take the singular definite article el (otherwise reserved for masculine nouns) instead of the usual la: el arpa de boca. This includes the contracted forms al and del (instead of a la and de la, respectively): al arpa de boca, del arpa de boca.

These nouns also usually take the indefinite article un that is otherwise used with masculine nouns (although the standard feminine form una is also permitted): un arpa de boca or una arpa de boca. The same is true with determiners algún/alguna and ningún/ninguna, as well as for numerals ending with 1 (e.g., veintiún/veintiuna).

However, if another word intervenes between the article and the noun, the usual feminine singular articles and determiners (la, una etc.) must be used: la mejor arpa de boca, una buena arpa de boca.

• If an adjective follows the noun, it must agree with the noun's gender regardless of the article used: el arpa de boca única, un(a) arpa de boca buena.
• In the plural, the usual feminine singular articles and determiners (las, unas etc.) are always used.