Definite article

Question

Is there a general rule about when the definite article must be used? Eg, in this exercise why does ‘fortuna’ not have one while abundancia, prosperidad and economía do?

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Matthew G.
In Spanish, the use of the definite article (like la or el) with abstract nouns such as fortuna, abundancia, prosperidad and economía can vary depending on context, sentence structure, and emphasis.
In the phrase “trae fortuna” (brings fortune), the article is often omitted because the noun is used in a general, abstract sense and forms part of a common verbal expression. Adding the article here (trae la fortuna) could sound more formal or suggest a specific, known fortune rather than the idea of good luck in general.
On the other hand, in the sentence about lentils being associated with “abundance, prosperity and economy”, the definite articles (la abundancia, la prosperidad y la economía) are included to give the list a sense of completeness and emphasis, which is stylistically common in more formal or structured descriptions.
So both uses are grammatically correct; the difference lies in nuance and the communicative goal of each sentence.
Let us know if you’d like further examples!
Saludos
Silvia