Articles - the definite article

1 Definitions

An article is a word such as the or a appearing before a noun that describes the scope of reference of that noun . (This means describing whether the noun referred to is specific or non-specific, a part or whole of a category, and so on.) In French there are three types of article:

•   the definite article - used when describing something specific or general:
        le chien, la table, les Français
•  the indefinite article - used when describing something non-specific:
        un chien, une table, des tables
•  the partitive article - used to express something as part of a category:
         du pain, de la farine

2 The definite article le, la, les

2.1 Principal uses

The definite article in French has two main uses:

•  First, the equivalent of the in English, making it clear that the noun refers to a particular thing:

Les gens qui habitent à côté ont un chien

The people who live next door have a dog

•  Second, it shows that the noun is being used in a general sense to mean the whole of its class or type. Here English generally uses no article:

Les gens doivent faire plus pour protéger l'environnement

People must do more to protect the environment

2.2 Use before names of languages

The definite article is present before names of languages:

Le français est une langue difficile

French is a difficult language

Je connais bien le russe

I have a good knowledge of Russian

2.3 Use before titles

The definite article is used before most titles:

2.4 Before geographical names

The definite article is normally used with names of continents, countries, mountains and rivers.

Towns, however, do not have an article unless this is part of its name:

Le vol pour Paris / pour le Caire a une heure de retard

The Paris / Cairo flight is one hour late

When in English the words to, from, and in are used with a country or continent, the rules are as follows:

•  With feminine singular names, to or in are translated by en, and from is translated by de. No article is present:

•  With masculine or plural names, to or in are translated by à, and from is translated by de. An article is always present:

2.5 Use in times

The definite article is used before days of the week for habitual actions:

J'y vais le samedi mais pas le lundi

I go on Saturdays but not on Mondays

but not for specific actions:

J'y vais samedi mais pas lundi

I'm going on Saturday but not on Monday

2.6 Use in dates

Nous sommes arrivés le 1er octobre

We arrived on 1st October

Nous sommes arrivés lundi le 1er octobre / le lundi 1er octobre

We arrived on Monday 1st October

The definite article is normally used before names of seasons, which are all masculine nouns . Note, however:

2.7 Musical instruments, sport etc

When expressing the idea of playing a musical instrument, French uses jouer de plus the definite article :

When expressing the idea of playing a sport or game, French uses jouer à plus the definite article :

2.8 Use with parts of the body

The definite article is often used where English would use a possessive adjective :

Elle ferma les yeux pour mieux se concentrer

She closed her eyes to concentrate better

Elle marchait les yeux fermés

She was walking with her eyes shut

Je me suis lavé les dents avant d'aller me coucher

I brushed my teeth before going to bed

2.9 Words beginning with h

The article l' is used in front of an unaspirated h: l'heure (hour), l'histoire (story) etc.

But le, la is used in front of an aspirated h: la hache (axe).