Definite Articles
The definite articles are le (masculine singular),
la
(feminine singular), and les (masculine and feminine plural). The
singular forms contract to l' when preceding a vowel or an unaspirated
"h" (watch for certain set exceptions:
le does not contract before
the numeral onze, for example.) The definite article agrees in number
and (for the singular forms) in gender with the nouns they modify (see
Noun):
-
le livre the book
-
la voiture the car
-
l'animal the animal
-
les arbres the trees
The definite article is used to refer to specific objects, people, and
events which have been defined by the speaker or the context (just as in
Engliish):
-
Voici le livre que j'ai acheté. Here's the
book I bought.
-
Le chat est sur le toit. The cat is on the roof.
-
Il a dit qu'il apporterait l'argent. He said he would
bring the money.
It is also used to refer to general categories or to abstract concepts
(usually ommited in English):
-
La politique est fascinante. Politics are fascinating.
-
Le vrai courage est rare. True courage is rare.
-
Le temps fuit. Time flies.
It is frequently used after verbs expressing opinion, liking or disliking:
-
J'adore les enfants. I love children. (i.e. all children)
-
Je n'aime pas les animaux. I don't like animals.
(i.e. all children)
The definite article is used before days of the week only to indicate a
recurring or habitual action:
-
Le mardi, les musées sont fermés. On
Tuesdays the museums are closed.
-
Le samedi, je fais la grasse matinée. On Saturdays
I sleep in.
-
On va au cours de biologie le mardi et le jeudi. I
go to biology class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The definite article is used with dates:
-
Je suis né le 16 juin 1980. I was born on
June 16, 1980.
It is used when speaking about parts of the body:
-
Elle a les yeux bleus. She has blue eyes.
When used with measurements, the definite article means "a" or "per:
-
La salade de thon, c'est 15F la livre. Tuna salad
costs 15F a pound.
Definite articles also function as direct object pronouns, replacing both
people and things (unless an indefinite article is used):
-
Je vois la soeur de Paul. --- Je la vois. I see her.
-
Je vois sa soeur. --- Je la vois. I see her.
-
Je vois cette dame. --- Je la vois. I see her.
but:
-
Je vois une dame. --- J'en vois une. I see
one (of them).
See Indefinte
artcles, Pronominal
adverb en.
The definite article is used with names of countries and with titles:
-
La France est dix-sept fois plus petite que les Etats-Unis.
France is seventeen times smaller than the United
States.
-
Le président Mitterrand a accompli deux mandats.
President Mitterrand completed two terms.
The definite article contracts with the prepositions de and à:
de + le = du
de + la = de la
de + l' = de l'
de + les = des |
à + le = au
à + la = à la
à + l' = à l'
à + les = aux |
So:
-
On m'a déjà parlé du problème.
They
already spoke to me about the problem.
-
Elle va voyager aux Antilles. She is going to travel
to the West Indies.
Next
Topic
Previous
Topic
Usage
of the Articles Index
Descriptive
French Grammar
French
Language Main Page
Modern
Romance Languages
Main Page
Orbis Latinus Main
Page
This page is part of Orbis
Latinus
© Zdravko Batzarov