Determinate Articles
Specific Definite Articles
What is an article?
The in English is a determinate article. The
determinate article that introduces a noun
phrase and implies that the thing mentioned has
already been mentioned, or is common
knowledge, or is about to be defined.
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Learning, Inc.
1A.1-2
• The definite article (the) indicates a specific person
or thing.
before . . .
masculine
singular
plural
a vowel
l’autore
the author
gli autori
the authors
z or s + consonant
lo sport
the sport
gli sport
the sports
other consonants
il libro
the book
i libri
the books
a vowel
l’amica
the friend
le amiche
the friends
a consonant
la casa
the house
le case
the houses
feminine
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher
Learning, Inc.
1A.1-3
Masculine Singular
Lo Zaino (The Backpack)
Due to the fact the word starts with the letter, “Z.”
Masculine Singular
Lo Studente (The Student)
Due to the fact the word starts
with the “S + a Consonant.”
Masculine Singular
Il Bambino (The Child)
Ends in an “-O”
Masculine Singular
Il 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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Learning, Inc.
feminine
automọbile
exam
notte
restaurant
1A.1-8
car
night
Masculine Singular
L’Esame (The Exam)
Starts with a vowel.
Masculine Singular
Il Ristorante (The Restaurant)
Masculine Singular
• L’Hamburger (Hamburger)
• If the word is masculine and starts with an “H”
use “L’”
• Nouns ending in a consonant or -ore are
masculine, and nouns ending in -ione are
feminine.
masculine
ạutobus
computer
dottore
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher
Learning, Inc.
feminine
bus
computer
lezione
lesson
stazione
station
televisione
(male) doctor
1A.1-12
television
Feminine Singular
La Notte (The Night)
Feminine Singular
L’Automobile (The Car)
Starts with a vowel
Feminine Singular
La Palla (The Ball)
Ends in an “A”
Feminine Singular
• La Studentessa (The Female Student)
• If word ends in –essa it is feminine.
Feminine Singular
• La Televisione (The TV)
• If word ends in -ione it is feminine.
• The definite article (the) indicates a specific person
or thing.
before . . .
masculine
singular
plural
a vowel
l’autore
the author
gli autori
the authors
z or s + consonant
lo sport
the sport
gli sport
the sports
other consonants
il libro
the book
i libri
the books
a vowel
l’amica
the friend
le amiche
the friends
a consonant
la casa
the house
le case
the houses
feminine
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher
Learning, Inc.
1A.1-18
Give One-Get One
• Write down in your notes one rule how to
identify a which determinate 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 determinate 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
Masculine Plural
Gli Zaini (The Backpacks)
Starts with “Z” and ends in “I”
Masculine Plural
• I Bambini (The Children)
• Ends in an “I”
Masculine Plural
• Gli Studenti (The Students)
• Starts with “S + Consonant”
and ends in “I”
Feminine Plural
Le Palle (The Balls)
Feminine Plural
• Le Studentesse (Female Student)
• If word ends in –esse it is feminine.
Feminine Plural
• Le Televisoni (TV)
• If word ends in -ioni it is feminine and plural.
Feminine Singular
• L’Università (The University)
It is singular because of the article.
Only in the singular you drop the vowel and add
apostrophe.
Feminine Plural
• Le Università (The Universities)
It is plural because of the article.
Strangely enough, in the plural you do not drop the
vowel and add an apostrophe.
Masculine Plural
• Gli Hamburger (The Hamburgers)
• “L’” becomes “Gli” in the plural
Feminine Singular or Plural
• La Foto or Le Foto
• (Is an abbreviation for fotografia meaning
Photograph)
• Abbreviated words do not change in the plural
• The definite article (the) indicates a specific person
or thing.
before . . .
masculine
singular
plural
a vowel
l’autore
the author
gli autori
the authors
z or s + consonant
lo sport
the sport
gli sport
the sports
other consonants
il libro
the book
i libri
the books
a vowel
l’amica
the friend
le amiche
the friends
a consonant
la casa
the house
le case
the houses
feminine
© and ® 2011 Vista Higher
Learning, Inc.
1A.1-31
Cloze Activity
.
1.Airii mangia
2.Alyssa beve
3.Vincent legge
4. Antonio mangia
5.Nicole mangia
mela.
acqua.
libro.
hamburger.
pizza.
Provalo! (Give it a try!)
Directions: Write the correct determinate article
for the following words.
1. Studenti
2. Televisioni
3. Hamburger
4. Bambini
5. Università
6. Palle
7. Professoresse
8. Zaini
9. Donne
10. Stazioni
11. Ristoranti
12. Automobili