French Definite and Indefinite Articles

French Definite and Indefinite Articles

By Recardoe Rodriques

Definite Articles

Definite articles are used to describe a specific object. In English, we only have one definite article 'the'. For example: She sings the song about Pluto. Since we're talking about a specific song, we use a definite article.

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Indefinite Articles

Indefinite Articles are the opposite. Instead of referring to a specific object, they refer to any one of a number of objects or one part of a group. In English, there are two indefinite articles 'a' and 'an'.

'A' is used before a word begining with a consonant. e.g. You can have a cookie.

​'An' is used before a word beginning wwith a vowel. e.g. You can have an orange.

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Now, let's take a look at Definite and Indefinite Articles in French ​

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L’article défini (Definite Article)

French has four definite articles. They are le, la, l', les.

Le comes before singular masculine nouns​. Par exemple:

le livre - the book

La comes before​ singular feminine nouns. Par exemple:

​la table - the table

L' comes before singular masculine and feminine nouns that begin with a vowel or h muet. Par exemple:

l'apricot - the apricot​ l'hopital - the hospital

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Subject | Subject

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les livres - the books

les tables - the tables

les abricot - the apricots

les hopitals -​ the hospitals

​Plural

le livre - the book

la table - the table

l'abricot - the apricot

l'hopital - the hospital​

Singular

L’article défini (Definite Article)

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Les comes before plural masculine and feminine nouns. Par exemple:

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​L'article indéfini (Indefinite Article)

French has three indefinite articles. They are un, une, des.

Un comes before singular masculine nouns. Par exemple:

un crayon - a pencil

Une comes before singular feminine nouns. Par exemple:

une gomme - an eraser

​Des comes before plural masculine and feminine nouns. Par exemple:

des tables - some tables ​

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Subject | Subject

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​L'article indéfini (Indefinite Article)

Subject | Subject

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In French 'des' means 'some', and thus is often used to express an amount that is unknown. Par exemple:

des crayons - some pencils

des stylos - some pens​

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Fun Fact​

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Now, let's recap

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Multiple Choice

____ livre = the book

• le

• la

• un

• une

Multiple Choice

____ livre = a book

• le

• la

• un

• une

Multiple Choice

____ table = the table

• le

• la

• un

• une

Multiple Choice

____ table = a table

• le

• la

• un

• une

Multiple Choice

_____ gomme = the eraser

• le

• la

• un

• une

Multiple Choice

_____ gomme = an eraser

• le

• la

• un

• une

Multiple Choice

_____abricot = the apricot

• le

• la

• l'

• une

Multiple Choice

_____hopital = the hospital

• le

• la

• l'

• une

Multiple Choice

_____hopital = the hospital

• le

• la

• l'

• une

Multiple Choice

____ sacs = the bags

• un

• une

• les

• des

Multiple Choice

____ règles = some rulers

• un

• une

• les

• des