THE DEFINITE ARTICLES - Gli articoli determinativi

In italian we use different articles according to the gender (masculine or feminine) and the number (singular or plural).

The  two main articles used in the singular are:

IL        and        LA

We use IL before masculine singular words, as IL CANE (the dog) and we use LA before feminine singular words, as LA MELA (the apple).

However, sometimes we can also find the articles LO for the masculine singular and L’ before masculine and feminine words in the singular.

So now, let’s see when to use each of them:

For singular masculine words:

we use IL before words starting with consonants, but we use LO if the word starts with S+another consonant, Z, PS and GN.

We use L’ every time a word begins with a vowel.

For example we say:

IL CIELO (the sky) because CIELO is a masculine word which begins with a consonant.

But we say LO ZAINO (the back pack) because ZAINO begins with Z, and we say LO STADIO (the stadium), LO SCRITTORE (the writer), LO SCIENZIATO (the scientist) as all these words begin with S + another consonant.

We also say LO PSICOLOGO (the psychologist) as it begins with PS, and LO GNOMO (the dwarf) as it starts with GN.

Anyway, in Italian there are a very few words starting with PS and GN, so you won’t come across them very often. :)

If a singular word begins with a vowel we must use L’, as for example L’ALBERO (the tree), L’AMICO (the friend) or L’INCONTRO (the meeting).

Ok, now let’s see the articles in the singular feminine form:

We always use LA before words beginning with any consonant, and we use L’ before words starting with a vowel.

For example we say LA VALIGIA (the suitcase), LA CENA (the dinner) or LA CANZONE (the song). But we say L’ENTRATA (the entry), L’INSALATA (the salad) or L’ATTRICE (the actress) as they begin with a vowel.

Now, let’s talk about the articles in the plural form:

The two main articles are:

I for masculine plural words and LE for feminine plural ones.

However we can also find GLI for masculine words in the plural.

We use I before words beginning with a consonant, but, quite similarly as what happens with the singular articles, we use GLI before nouns starting with S+another consonant, Z, PS, GN and also before nouns beginning with a vowel.

For example we say: I BAMBINI (the children) as it starts with the consonant B, but we say GLI ZAINI (the backpacks) as it starts with Z, or GLI SCAFFALI (the shelves) as it starts with S + another consonant and GLI PSICOLOGI (the psychologists).

Or, for example: GLI UCCELLI (the birds) and GLI ANNI (the years), as they start with vowels.

We use LE instead for all feminine words in the plural with no distinction and no matter which letter they begin with.

So to conclude, you can have a look at the table below:

	SINGULAR	PLURAL
MASCULINE	IL (words starting with consonants)	I (words starting with consonants)
	LO (words starting with Z, S+consonant, PS, GN)	GLI (words starting with vowels, Z, S+ consonant, PS, GN)
FEMININE	LA (words starting with any consonant)	LE (words starting with any consonant)
	L’ (words starting with a vowel)	LE (words starting with a vowel)

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