Indeterminate/Indefinite
Articles
Non-specific Indefinite Articles
What is an indefinite article?
A in English is a indeterminate article. The
indefinite article is a word, inflection, or phrase.
It is not determining the person, thing, time,
etc., referred to.
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1A.1-2
Articles
• The indefinite article refers to an
unspecified person or thing and
corresponds to the English a/an.
before . . .
masculine
feminine
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Learning, Inc.
z or s + consonant
a vowel or other consonants
a vowel
a consonant
1A.1-3
uno studente a student
un uomo a man
un’idea an idea
una città a city
Masculine Singular
Uno Zaino (The Backpack)
Due to the fact the word starts with the letter, “Z.”
Masculine Singular
Uno Studente (The Student)
Due to the fact the word starts
with the “S + a Consonant.”
Masculine Singular
Un Bambino (The Child)
Ends in an “-O”
Masculine Singular
Un Dottore (The Doctor)
• If word ends in –ore it is masculine.
• Nouns that end in -e may be either
masculine or feminine. Memorize the
gender of these nouns as you learn them.
masculine
esame
ristorante
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feminine
automọbile
exam
notte
restaurant
1A.1-8
car
night
Masculine Singular
Un Esame (The Exam)
Starts with a vowel, but is masculine.
Masculine Singular
Un Ristorante (The Restaurant)
Masculine Singular
• Un Hamburger (Hamburger)
• If the word is masculine and starts with an “H”
• Nouns ending in a consonant or -ore are
masculine, and nouns ending in -ione are
feminine.
masculine
ạutobus
computer
dottore
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feminine
bus
computer
lezione
lesson
stazione
station
televisione
(male) doctor
1A.1-12
television
Feminine Singular
Una Notte (The Night)
Add the appropiate indefintearticle.
Un ragazzo
1. ragazzo ___________
6. notte ______________
2. ufficio ______________
7. computer ______________
3. palla ______________
8. stazione ______________
4. caffè __________
9. idea __________
5. dottore __________
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10. studente __________
1A.1-14
Feminine Singular
Un’Automobile (The Car)
Starts with a vowel and it is feminine.
Feminine Singular
Una Palla (The Ball)
Ends in an “A”
Feminine Singular
• Una Studentessa (The Female Student)
• If word ends in –essa it is feminine.
Feminine Singular
• Una Televisione (The TV)
• If word ends in -ione it is feminine.
Give One-Get One
• Write down in your notes one rule how to
identify a which indeterminate article to use
with Masculine Singular/Plural or Feminine
Singular/Plural nouns.
• Be ready to discuss it with someone else.
• With your notes, talk to four other people in
class and write their rule in your notes.
• You have eight minutes.
Provalo! (Give it a try!)
Directions: Write the correct indeterminate
article for the following words.
1. Studente
2. Televisione
3. Hamburger
4. Bambino
5. Università
6. Palla
7. Professoressa
8. Zaino
9. Donna
10. Stazione
11. Ristorante
12. Automobile
Feminine Singular
• Un’università (The university)
It is singular because of the article.
Only in the singular feminine you drop the vowel
and add apostrophe.
Feminine Singular
• Una Foto (Is an abbreviation for fotografia
meaning Photograph)
• Abbreviated words do not change in the plural
Cloze Activity
.
1.Dominque mangia
mela.
2.Angie beve
acqua.
3.Andres legge
libro.
4. Zuri mangia
hamburger.
5.Jessica indossa
zaino.