How it works
Un and une introduce one countable thing: un with a masculine noun, une with a feminine noun. Des introduces more than one. Le, la and les refer to an identified thing or to a whole class. Le and la become l’ before a vowel or mute h. Unlike English “a” and “the”, French articles mark gender and number.
new item: un/une/des; identified item: le/la/l’/les
| Context or function | French form |
|---|---|
| Indefinite masculine singular | un |
| Indefinite feminine singular | une |
| Definite masculine singular | le |
| Definite feminine singular | la |
| Definite before a vowel or mute h | l’ |
| Definite plural | les |
Indefinite plural article
See it in a sentence
Voici une pomme.
Here is an apple.
Pomme is feminine singular; une introduces one apple.
Voici un vélo. Le vélo est neuf.
Here is a bicycle. The bicycle is new.
Le refers back to the previously introduced masculine singular vélo.
Put it into practice
Try it yourself
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