Je parle français

Definite Article

Part 2 in Unit 2: Definite Article

Definite Article

Article défini

The French definite article indicates either a particular noun or, contrarily, the general sense of a noun.

Par exemple...

Je vois le chien. I see the dog.

Il n'aime pas les oignons. He doesn't like onions.

1. The definite article

French has three forms of the definite article corresponding to the English article "the". They are Le, La and Les. There is also the singular l' used before vowels. Usage depends on the gender and number (singular, plural) of the .

Le is used with singular masculine nouns.

Le garcon, le train, le problème, le président, etc.

La is used with singular feminine nouns

La fille, la dame, la voiture, la difficulté, la maison

Les is used with plural nouns, whatever gender they may be

Les garçons, les filles, les personnes, les choses, les difficultés, etc.

L' is used in the singular before vowels, irrespective of gender

L'enfant, l'ami, l'amie, l'université, l'option, l'iris

Usage:
Use of the definite article in French is not always the same as use of the .

In simple defining contexts, usage is similar.

Example:

The car is in the street - La voiture est dans la rue
The first is the best - Le premier est le meilleur

However there some difficulties to be mastered .....

Difficulty! Article usage with plural count nouns in French
There are two ways of using count nouns (nouns referring to items that can be counted) in the plural: a generalizing use (i.e. all the items) and a restrictive use (i.e. some of the items) When count-nouns are used in a generalizing context in the plural, English indicates this generalization by omitting the article; French marks it by using the definite article.

Examples:

I like cakes : J'aime les gâteaux.
Children often make a lot of noise: Les enfants font souvent beaucoup de bruit.

Thus a plural count noun preceded by a definite article generalises, a plural count-noun preceded by an indefinite article is restrictive.
Children like sweets : les enfants aiment les bonbons
but
She has (some) children : elle a des enfants
The above examples show that the dividing line between the concepts of "generalisation" and "restriction" is not quite the same in French and English.

Difficulty! Article usage with singular non-count nouns in French
In French, it is not normally possible to use a noun without a predeterminer of one sort or another. Thus singular non-count-nouns which do not need an article or determiner in English normally require one in French.