When should I use 'al'?

Question

I am trying to tell the difference between 'al' and 'a' to refer to a place. I know that you usually use a to refer to a country. But when should you use al? I am trying to teach someone the difference but I don't really know how to explain it. I use it all the time as a native speaker, but to explain it is a different story. I tried looking on the internet only to find differences between hay/ahi/ay etc... not really al. Example: > Ana y yo vamos a ir al bar. Why not > *Ana y yo vamos a ir a bar. (I know this is incorrect. As to why, that is the question) **EDIT** As per comments, then can I know when do I need the definite article "el"? Or if there is another explanation for al?

Answer 1

”Al” is a contraction of “a” and “el.” That’s what makes it different than just “a.” One cannot write “a el” because it doesn’t sound write in Spanish. This “bad sound” is called “cacofonía.” To avoid it, one must use the contraction “al” in situations where they may think to use “a el.”

Best of luck helping your friend understand!