How Does "A" Translate Into Spanish?

The indefinite article a or an is translated by un before a masculine noun, una before a feminine noun:

•  a car = un coche
•  an actress = una actriz

Singular feminine nouns, however, that begin with a stressed or accented a or ha take the article un rather than una:

•  an eagle = un águila
•  a fairy = un hada

The article is not translated in the following cases:

With jobs and professions: 

•  she’s a lawyer = es abogada
•  he works as a waiter = trabaja de camarero

But the indefinite article is translated when there is a qualification:

•  he’s a good dentist = es un buen dentista
•  she is an excellent teacher = es una profesora excelente

After what a:

•  what a shock! = ¡qué susto!
•  what a big dog! = ¡qué perro más grande!

After such a:

•  how could you do such a thing? = ¿cómo pudiste hacer eso?
•  I have never said such a thing = nunca he dicho tal cosa
•  it’s such a bore = es tan aburrido

Before a certain when qualifying a subject noun:

•  a certain man = cierto hombre

When expressing prices in relation to weight or length, the indefinite article is translated by el before a masculine noun or la before a feminine noun:

•  it costs 2 dollars a pound/3 dollars a meter = cuesta 2 dólares la libra/3 dólares el metro

When a means per, there are various translations:

•  twice a week = dos veces a la or por semana
•  three times a day = tres veces al día
•  50 miles an hour = 50 millas por hora

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