Key Grammar Points: Articles in French

1. Definite Articles (le, la, l', les)

• These are used for specific items.
• Here are some examples:
  • le chat (the cat - masculine)
  • la maison (the house - feminine)
  • l’arbre (the tree - singular, starts with a vowel)
  • les livres (the books - plural)

2. Indefinite Articles (un, une, des)

• These are used for general items.
• Here are some examples:
  • un chien (a dog - masculine)
  • une voiture (a car - feminine)
  • des pommes (some apples - plural)

3. Agreement

• Articles must match the gender and number of the nouns they describe:
  • un petit garçon (a small boy)
  • une grande fille (a big girl)
  • des enfants heureux (happy children)

Usage Tips

• Use definite articles when talking about items you already know.
• Use indefinite articles for things that are new or not mentioned before.
• Don’t forget the gender of the nouns so you can pick the right article!