ITALIAN LESSONS - ARTICLES / ARTICULI
Definite and Indefinite articles – Articuli indeterminativo ed determinativo
Articles are words that precede the substantive (a noun).
Definite article: used to indicate that a thing is unique in some way.
Indefinite article: used to indicate that a thing is not identified as unique.
In Italian the article must agree in gender and number with the noun, which means that the definite article la, for example, should precede a singular and feminine. Study the chart below:
| Articles | Definite - THE | Indefinite - A / AN | |
| Singular | Plural | Singular (there is not a formal plural) | |
| Masculine (maschile) | IL / L' / LO | I / GLI | UN / UNO |
| Feminine (femminile) | LA / L' | LE | UNA / UN' |
* Note
L - before a vowel
Lo- before words starting with: s + another consonant (ie: st; sb) or z
Gli- before a vowel or words starting with: s + another consonant (ie: st; sb) or z
Un' - before a vowel (only to feminine words)
Uno - before words starting with: s + another consonant (ie: st; sb) or z
Una - before a consonante
Examples
Study the examples below:
| Definite article - masculine |
-
Il libro – The book
-
L'amico – The friend (the male friend)
-
Lo spettacolo – The spectacle
-
Lo zio - The uncle
-
I libri – The books
-
Gli amici – The friends
-
Gli spettacoli - The spectacles
-
Gli zoccoli - The claws
| Indefinite article - masculine |
-
Un libro – A book
-
Un premio - a prize
-
Un amico – A friend
-
Uno spettacolo – A spectacle
-
Uno zoccolo - A claw
| Definite article - feminine |
-
La macchina – The car
-
L'amica – The friend (the female friend)
-
Le macchine – The cars
-
Le amiche
| Indefinite article - feminine |
-
Una macchina – A car
-
Un´amica – a friend (a female friend)
