Interesting question. First, "el" is the definite article for masculine things, and "la" is the femenine. Some times you must use "el" with FEMENINE words if that word begins with an "A" sound. Eg "azúcar" (fem) --> el azúcar. "águila" (fem) --> el águila. "hacha" (fem)-->El hacha. etc. This is because if you used "la", it wouldn't sound "lazúcar", "láguila" etc. People with little education talk like this. In spanish, unlike english, we use this article almost all the time. That's why it's difficult for us to learn that in english it is not necessary most of the time. You don't use the article when you talk about an object in a general sense No tengo dinero --> I don't have (any) money No tengo el dinero --> I don't have the money (that you lost)

"el" y "la"son artículos definidos. Los artículos son una parte de la oración que se antepone al nombre para determinarlo. No se usan los artículos, cuando no quieres indicar con precisión el género y el número del sustantivo.