"La protección"

Translation: The protection

[appfoto]

In English you don't need "The"

[salsanate]

I agree, but after being burned so many times by Duolingo for leaving it off in translating these one-word abstract phrases, I'm in the habit of putting it in anyway. In this way, Duolingo is kind of penalizing people for what would otherwise be a good translation practice by recognizing when the article is unnecessary and removing it for a more natural translation.

[VenusianRuby]

I think it is just for helping us practice and remember the gender of these words. Since these aren't full sentences anyway, it doesn't really matter whether the article is necessary or not.

[sihayanami]

I agree. Without having the correct form of "the" there, we won't know which gender the word is-- which WILL be important when we have to use them in full sentences later.

[Disco2000_T]

But they could do that without requiring us to write 'the' in our English translation, given that in English you would just say 'protection' where Spanish requires speakers to say 'la protección'

[TykaBooker]

If it is not used in a sentence, "la protección" translates to "the protection".

[ZuMako8_Momo]

In Spanish, you normally don't either, not like in Italian and French (when an article is almost always needed)

[SGuthrie0]

De acuerdo, en este caso. Spanish uses the definite article more than does English. But not all the time.

For examples,
"Quiero proteccion." (I want protection.)
"Quiero la protección que ofrece". (I want THE protection that it offers.)

Some general rules"
1) If the English has an definite article, the Spanish should.
2) In Spanish, if a noun is used as the subject, use a definite article
3) If a noun used as object is modified by an adjective or an adjective phrase, use an article.
4) Use an article after the verb "gustar"

"I like the grapes my brother grows." ("Me gustan las uvas que mi hermano crece.")

There are other rules, as well.

Thanks to rspreng for these.

[charles751522]

In downhome American, 'the protection' would be referring to a condom! So,yeah, 'the' is appropriate in some cases.

[david795616]

ProteCCión, con 'C'....No como se pronuncia en el audio ProteSSión, con 'S'.

[TykaBooker]

The first C is a hard C and the second C sounds like an S.

[AveryThornton]

so true

[FelixSchroeder]

what next, the (insert random word here)?

[maria985073]

I have the right answer

[KrispieTreat]

Would this refer to birth control in any Spanish speaking countries?

[Bishop6]

Here in Mexico the euphemism is often "el preservativo"

[ZuMako8_Momo]

I think that only refers to the male "protection," right? That's how we would call it in Portuguese too

[Bishop6]

Yep