Question

When do you use the contraction al.

Use al when the place to which someone is going is masculine and singular.

Use al when the place is formal.

Use al when the person going somewhere is a boy.

Use al when the place to which someone is going is masculine and plural.

Answer 1

Correct answer: "Use al when the place to which someone is going is masculine and singular."

Brief explanation:
- al = a + el, and this contraction happens only when el is the masculine singular definite article (a + el → al).
- It is not about formality or the gender of the person going.
- It is not used with plural nouns (use a + los) or with the pronoun él (do not contract a + él).

Examples:
- Voy al cine. (cine = masculine singular)
- Vamos al colegio.
- Voy a la playa. (playa is feminine → a la)
- Vamos a los parques. (plural → a los)
- Le hablo a él. (pronoun él — not al él)