Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn the basics of French definite and indefinite articles, including their forms for masculine, feminine, and plural nouns. Understand when to use articles like le, la, les, l', un, une, and des with practical examples to help you grasp gender and number agreement in French.
  1. The definite articles "le, la, les" are used to talk about a general concept or a specific thing.
  2. The indefinite articles "un, une, des" are used to refer to unspecified things or a quantity.
 Article définiArticle indéfini
Masculin (Masculine)LeUn
Féminin (Feminine)LaUne
Pluriel (Plural)LesDes

Exceptions!

  1. Use l' before a word that starts with a vowel or a silent h.

Exercise 1: Les articles définis et indéfinis

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

les, le, des, la, une, un, l'

1. Indéfini :
C'est ... habitant d'Angleterre.
(He is a resident of England.)
2. Indéfini :
Tu vis avec ... Français.
(You live with French people.)
3. Défini :
Il veut présenter ... Angleterre.
(He wants to present England.)
4. Défini :
Je suis dans ... capitale.
(I am in the capital.)
5. Défini :
Vous êtes dans ... pays.
(You are in the country.)
6. Indéfini :
J'habite avec ... Espagnol.
(I live with a Spaniard.)
7. Indéfini :
J'habite dans ... capitale d'Europe.
(I live in a capital city in Europe.)
8. Défini :
Nous habitons dans ... pays européens.
(We live in European countries.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Je suis ___ Français et j'habite en France.

(I am ___ Frenchman and I live in France.)

2. ___ Allemagne est un pays en Europe.

(___ Germany is a country in Europe.)

3. D'où viens-tu ? Je suis ___ Allemand.

(Where do you come from? I am ___ German.)

4. ___ France a Paris comme capitale.

(___ France has Paris as its capital.)

5. Ils vivent dans ___ maison à Londres, en Angleterre.

(They live in ___ house in London, England.)

6. Je voudrais vivre en ___ car je suis italien.

(I would like to live in ___ because I am Italian.)

Definite and Indefinite Articles in French

This lesson covers the essential French articles: definite articles (le, la, les, l') and indefinite articles (un, une, des). Articles help indicate the gender and number of nouns and are a key part of forming correct sentences in French.

Definite Articles

Definite articles correspond to the English word "the" and refer to specific or general items. They change according to the gender and number of the noun:

  • Masculine singular: le
  • Feminine singular: la
  • Plural (both genders): les
  • Before a vowel or silent 'h': l'

Indefinite Articles

Indefinite articles correspond to "a," "an," or "some" in English and denote unspecified items or quantities. They also change by gender and number:

  • Masculine singular: un
  • Feminine singular: une
  • Plural (both genders): des

Examples

Here are some examples to illustrate these articles:

  • Je suis un Français et j'habite en France.
  • L'Allemagne est un pays en Europe.
  • D'où viens-tu ? Je suis un Allemand.
  • La France a Paris comme capitale.
  • Ils vivent dans une maison à Londres, en Angleterre.

Important Notes

Remember to use l' before words starting with a vowel or silent 'h' for smoother pronunciation.

Differences from English

Unlike English, where "the" and "a/an" do not change, French articles vary according to gender and number. For example, English uses "the" for all nouns, but French distinguishes between le (masculine), la (feminine), and les (plural). Also, the plural indefinite article des means "some," which English often leaves implicit.

Useful French phrases include "Je suis un étudiant" (I am a student) and "C'est une voiture" (It is a car). These examples highlight how the article matches the noun's gender and number, a feature important for learners to master early on.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Alessia Calcagni

Languages for communication in international enterprises and organizations

Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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Last Updated:

Friday, 27/06/2025 01:29