3 questions: use of “un”, algunas vs. algunos, and use of en vs. de

Question

1) Why do you say “No tienen casa” and not “No tienen un casa”?   2) Is it “algunas” and not algunos because it agrees with personas?  3) Could you also say, La gente buscó ayuda de iglesias… as well as en iglesias?   This is the first time I did one of these exercises and I found it really helpful!

Silvia Piriz · Accepted Answer

Hola Kimberly W.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful questions — and I'm really glad to hear that you enjoyed your first exercise!
Let’s look at each point. First, regarding “No tienen casa” — this is a common expression in Spanish where the article is omitted because we're speaking in general terms. We're not referring to a specific house (una casa), but rather to the idea of not having a home at all. It’s a bit like saying “They’re homeless” in English — simple and abstract. Also, since casa is feminine, it would be una casa, not un casa.
For your second question, yes, it’s “algunas” and not “algunos” because the word personas is feminine plural. Spanish requires agreement in gender and number between determiners (like algunas) and the nouns they modify, so you got that exactly right.
Finally, both “ayuda de iglesias” and “ayuda en iglesias” are possible, but they express slightly different things. “Ayuda de iglesias” means help from churches — the churches are the source. “Ayuda en iglesias” suggests the help is taking place inside the churches. So yes, both are grammatically correct, but the preposition shifts the nuance of the meaning.
Thanks again for your great questions — you're already paying attention to some really important details!
Un abrazo
Silvia