horas,_
understood), as--

Es la una: It is one o'clock.
Son las dos y cuarto: It is a quarter past two.
Son las tres y cinco: It is five minutes past three.
Son las cuatro menos diez: It is ten minutes to four.
Las cinco y media: Half-past five.

3. Optionally, before the proper name of a woman used colloquially, as--

La Maria (Mary, our Mary).

4. Optionally, before the days of the week, especially when preceded by
"on" in English, as--

Vendre el sabado: I shall come on Saturday.

5. Before the names of the following countries--

El Peru, La India, El Japon.

And some towns to be learnt by practice, as--

La Coruna, El Havre, El Cairo, El Ferrol, etc.

Although found sometimes before the names of countries in general, this
example should not be followed.

The Definite Article is used in English and not in Spanish--

1. Before numbers following names of sovereigns, etc., as--

Carlos I (primero), Charles I (the first)
Alfonso XIII (trece), Alphonso XIII (the thirteenth)

2. In titles of books, headings, etc., as--Historia de la Inquisicion
(The History of the Inquisition).

3. Before words in apposition, as--Madrid, capital de Espana (Madrid,
the capital of Spain).

But--

Alfonso el Sabio (Alphonso the Wise)
Juana la Loca (Jane the Mad)
because these are "titles."

The =Indefinite Article= is used in English and not in Spanish
(besides rules in Lesson II)--

1. Before words in apposition, as--
Rubio y Cia., casa importantisima de la Habana: Rubio
& Co., a most important firm in Havana.

2. In titles of books, headings, etc., as--
Lista de los generos pedidos: A list of goods required.

3. In "such a," "so ... a," as--
Tal amigo: Such a friend.
Tan buen amigo: So good a friend, such a good friend.

4. In "a half" (medio), "a quarter" (cuarto), "a third"
(tercio), in the case of an integer preceding, as--
Uno y medio (1-1/2) Cinco y tercio (penknife/3)
Dos y cuarto (2-1/4)

Occasionally the article is omitted before other fractions.

5. Before _otro_, as--
Otra quiebra: Another bankruptcy.

Before weights and measures the definite article is used in Spanish
instead of the indefinite used in English, as--

Dos chelines la libra: Two shillings a pound.
Cinco pesetas el metro _or_ por metro: 5 pesetas a metre.

The =Definite Article= is omitted before _casa_ and _palacio_ when they
are spoken of as places usually frequented by the person in question--