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Understanding Italian Definite Articles
In Italian, definite articles are like little words that come before nouns to tell us if we're talking about something specific. Just like in English we have 'the', in Italian, there are different words depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.
The Different Definite Articles in Italian
Important Points
'Il' is used for masculine singular nouns that start with a consonant.
'Lo' is used for masculine singular nouns that start with 'z', 's' + consonant, 'ps', 'pn', 'gn', or 'x'.
'L'' is used for both masculine and feminine singular nouns that start with a vowel.
'La' is used for feminine singular nouns that start with a consonant.
'I' is used for masculine plural nouns that start with a consonant.
'Gli' is used for masculine plural nouns that start with a vowel, 'z', 's' + consonant, 'ps', 'pn', 'gn', or 'x'.
'Le' is used for all feminine plural nouns.
Examples of Using Definite Articles
Examples
Illibro è sul tavolo. (The book is on the table.)
Lozaino è pesante. (The backpack is heavy.)
L'amico di Maria è simpatico. (Maria's friend is nice.)
Now you know that the definite article in Italian depends on the noun it describes. It's important to pay attention to whether your noun is masculine or feminine, and whether it's singular or plural.
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