Les Articles

Définis
The Definite Article

BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 1

French nouns are grouped into masculine singular nouns, feminine singular
nouns and plural nouns.
Most masculine singular nouns in French do not end with the letter ‘e’.
Examples:
garcon (boy), stylo(pen), crayon(pencil), cahier(exercise book), etc.
Exceptions: livre (textbook), village(village), stade(stadium), le zèbre, etc.
On the other hand most feminine singular nouns in French end with the
letter ‘e’.
Examples:
fille(girl), voiture(car), craie(chalk), règle(ruler), table(table), etc.
BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 2
Exceptions: maison(house), peau(skin), paix(peace), façon(manner),
main(hand), souris(mouse) boisson(drink), télévision(television),
passion(passion), revision (revision) etc.

Plural nouns in French end with the letter s or x.

Examples:
garçons(boys), filles(girls), enfants(children), animaux(animals),
oiseaux(birds), châteaux(castles), chapeaux(hats), etc.

BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 3

Now that we can identify masculine singular nouns, feminine singular nouns
and plural nouns in French, we are going to look at the French definite articles:
le, la, l’ and les and how to use them correctly.
Unlike English that has only one definite article ‘the’, French has four as
mentioned above.
In English, we can say the boy, the boys, the girl, the girls, etc. This is not so in
French.
We need to identify the gender of the noun and know which article to use.
In French;
The article le is used for masculine singular nouns.
Examples: le chat (the cat), le chien(the dog), le pantalon (the trousers), etc.
BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 4
Let’s consider the sentences below:
• Le chien est méchant. (The dog is wicked)
• Le cahier est pour moi. (The exercise book is for me)
• Donne-moi le pantalon. (Give me the trousers)
• Le père de Samara est gentil. (Samara’s dad is kind)
• Le livre est très joli. (The textbook is very nice)

BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 5

The article la is used for feminine singular nouns.
Examples: la voiture(the car), la gomme(the eraser), la fille(the girl), la
maison(the house), la voix (the voice), la télévision(television), etc.
Let’s consider the sentences below:
• La voiture est pour mon papa. (The car is for my dad.)
• Il mange la pizza. (He is eating the pizza / He eats pizza).
• La fille est très belle. (The girl is very beautiful)
• La femme va au marché. (The woman is going to the market)

BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 6

The article l’ is used for masculine / feminine singular nouns that begin with
a vowel or the silent ‘h’.
Examples: l’enfant (the child), l’école (the school), l’oiseau (the bird),
l’ordinateur (the computer), l’hôpital (the hospital), l’hotel (the hotel) etc.
Let’s consider the sentences below:
• L’enfant est malade. (The child is sick).
• L’orange est délicieux. (The orange is delicious).
• Nous allons à l’église. (We are going to church).
• Je vais à l’hôpital. (I am going to the hospital).

BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 7

The article les is used for plural nouns.
Examples: les enfants (the children), les femmes (the women), les hommes
(the men), les chapeaux (the hats), les chats (the cats), etc.
Let’s consider the sentences below:
• Les enfants mangent la pizza. (The children are eating pizza)
• Les oiseaux sont belles. (The birds are beautiful)
• Voici les chats de Ruth. (Here are Ruth’s cats)
• Les élèves vont à l’école. (The pupils are going to school)
• Les stylos sont à Joseph. (The pens belong to Joseph)

BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 8

TRY THIS EXERCISE
complétez les phrases ci-dessous avec le, la, l' ou les.
1. Je vais à ___________ église.
2. Ma fille s’amuse avec __________ enfants.
3. _____________ voiture est pour mon papa.
4. _____________ femmes viennent ici souvent.
5. Elle manger __________ pizza.
6. Maman aime regarder _____________ télévision.
7. ____________ hôtel se trouve derrière ____________église.
8. _____________ professeur de français est gentil.
9. On va au champ avec ________________ hommes.
10. ________________ livre m’appartient.
BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH 11/24/2022 9
BY: NKRUMAH MENSAH
Avez-vous des questions? 11/24/2022 10