What are Definite Articles?
Definite articles point to specific, known nouns in French—like 'the' in English. The four forms are le (masculine singular), la (feminine singular), l' (before vowels), and les (plural). Choice depends on the noun's gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).
Definite articles (le, la, l', les) point to a specific noun and match its gender and number. Use le for masculine singular, la for feminine singular, l' before any vowel or mute h, and les for all plurals.
- •le + masculine noun: le chat (the cat)
- •la + feminine noun: la table (the table)
- •l' + vowel/mute h: l'oiseau (the bird), l'homme (the man)
- •les + all plurals: les chats (the cats), les tables (the tables), les oiseaux (the birds)
Step-by-step worked examples
Add the correct definite article: '_____ homme est ici.' (The man is here.)
'Homme' is masculine singular and starts with a vowel. Use l' before vowels regardless of gender. Answer: L'homme est ici.
Complete: '_____ filles jouent au parc.' (The girls are playing in the park.)
'Filles' is plural (more than one girl). All plurals use 'les' regardless of gender. Answer: Les filles jouent au parc.
Which article? '_____ livre est intéressant.' (The book is interesting.)
'Livre' is masculine singular and starts with a consonant. Use 'le' for masculine singular nouns. Answer: Le livre est intéressant.
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.Le vs. la: 'chaise' (chair) is feminine, so use…
Q2.Which article goes before 'école' (school)?
Q3.Three cats: '_____ chats'
Q4.'Le verre' means 'the glass' (masculine). What's the plural?
The full card deck, worked steps and AI-tutor support for “What are Definite Articles?” are in Notek — study by hand before your exam.
Common mistakes
Using 'le' or 'la' before a vowel: 'le apple' instead of 'l'apple'. — Correct: Always use 'l'' before any vowel or mute h: l'arbre, l'homme, l'école.
Forgetting that 'les' is for all plurals, male and female together. — Correct: 'Les' is the only plural article—gender does not matter in plural forms.
Confusing 'le' and 'la' because you don't know the noun's gender. — Correct: Learn gender with the noun: le chat, la table. Memorize gender as you learn vocabulary.
Using 'l'' with consonants: 'l'chat' instead of 'le chat'. — Correct: 'L'' only goes before vowels or mute h. If it's a consonant, use 'le' or 'la'.
FAQ
What are definite articles in French?
Words pointing to specific nouns: le (masc. sing.), la (fem. sing.), l' (vowel), les (plural).
When do you use 'l''?
Before any word starting with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or mute h: l'école, l'homme.
How do you know if a noun is masculine or feminine?
Use the article before it; or look in a dictionary. Most -e nouns are feminine, most others masculine.
Is 'les' used for masculine, feminine, or both plural?
'Les' is the only plural article and works for all nouns, regardless of gender.