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forms
In French, few nouns can stand alone. Most need to be introduced or 'determined' by an article.
As in English, an article is characterized as either definite ('the') or indefinite ('a', 'an').
In addition, French articles are also masculine or feminine,
singular or plural, according to the gender and number of the noun they determine.
Here are the definite articles in French:
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| Masculine singular: le (l') |
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Tex le tatou
Joe-Bob l'écureuil |
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Tex the armadillo
Joe-Bob the squirrel |
| Feminine singular: la (l') |
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Bette la chatte
l'Université du Texas |
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Bette the cat (female)
The University of Texas |
| Masculine and feminine plural: les |
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les tatous
les écureuils
les chats
les universités |
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the armadillos
the squirrels
the cats
the universities |
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élision and liaison
In the examples above, note that le and la both become l'
when they precede a noun beginning with a vowel or a silent h: l'escargot,
l'université. This is called elision.
Unlike le and la, les does not have a contracted, reduced form.
When les is followed by a word starting with a vowel, the normally silent final s of les is pronounced,
making a /z/ sound. This additional sound linking two words is called liaison.
Listen to the following examples:
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| Compulsory liaison with a vowel or silent h |
No liaison with a consonant |
les insectes
les animaux
les hommes |
les tatous
les fourmis |
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 Note that elision and liaison
occur with most words starting with h: l'homme, les hommes,
l'hiver, les hivers.
Exceptions to this rule are words beginning with an aspirate 'h'.
to identify a specific noun
The definite article is used to identify a specific noun or to refer to a noun that has already been specified.
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| Corey: Tu connais la tour de l'Université du Texas? |
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Corey: Do you know the UT Tower? |
| Tex: Bien sûr, c'est le symbole de l'Université! |
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Tex: Of course, it is the symbol of the University! |
| Corey: Et la Sixième rue? |
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Corey: What about Sixth street? |
| Tex: Eh bien, c'est les Champs-Elysées d'Austin! |
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Tex: Well, it's the Champs-Elysees of Austin. |
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to express general truths or concepts
French uses the definite article to express general truths or concepts.
English, in contrast, uses no article at all. Compare the following sentences:
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| Tex: L'argent ne rend pas l'homme heureux! |
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Tex: Money does not make man happy! |
| Tammy: Tu as raison. L'amour et la santé sont plus importants! |
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Tammy: You are right. Love and health are more important! |
| Tex: Bien sûr, pour les insectes et les animaux, l'argent n'existe pas! Mais l'amour est aussi important pour nous que pour les humains. Ah oui ... l'amour l'amour, toujours l'amour! |
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Tex: Of course, for insects and animals, money does not exist! But love is as important for us as it is for humans. Ah, yes, love, love, love, always love! |
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to express likes and dislikes
The French also use the definite article with verbs of preference, such as aimer, préférer, détester.
Once again, English omits the article in such general statements. For example:
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| Tex adore les croissants. |
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Tex loves croissants. |
| Joe-Bob préfère les doughnuts. |
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Joe-Bob prefers doughnuts. |
| Tammy n'aime pas le café. |
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Tammy does not like coffee. |
| Edouard apprécie la bonne cuisine française. |
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Edouard appreciates good French cuisine. |
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to indicate habitual recurrence
The definite article is used in French with moments of the day, days of the week, and seasons to indicate habitual recurrence. For example:
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| Le matin, Tammy va en cours. |
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Every morning, Tammy goes to class. |
| L'après-midi, elle va à la bibliothèque. |
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Every afternoon, she goes to the library. |
| Le lundi, Tex fait son jogging. |
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On Mondays, Tex goes for a jog. |
| L'été, il se baigne avec Tammy à Barton Springs. L'hiver, il skie à Purgatory. |
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Every summer, he bathes with Tammy at Barton Springs. Every winter, he skis in Purgatory. |
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in a series
The article is usually repeated in a series, in contrast to English. For example:
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| Tammy: Tex, aide-moi à mettre la table! Apporte les assiettes, les couteaux, les verres, les serviettes et le vin. |
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Tex, help me set the table! Bring the plates, knives, glasses, napkins, and wine. |
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no article
Cities usually do not require an article in French. For example:
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| Tex habite à Austin. |
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Tex lives in Austin, |
| mais il préfère Paris. |
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but he prefers Paris. |
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Continents, countries, states, regions, and oceans usually require an article (l'Afrique, la France,
le Texas, la Bourgogne, l'Atlantique etc.),
but there are a few exceptions, usually islands: Haïti, Israël, Madagascar.
See prepositions with place names for more information.
Months never require an article: janvier, février, mars, etc.
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| Cependant Tex adore mars à Austin. |
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Nevertheless Tex adores March in Austin. |
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Days of the week do not require an article in instances where they do not
indicate habitual recurrence. For example:
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| Lundi, il a rendez-vous avec Tammy. |
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Monday he has a date with Tammy. |
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Listen to the dialogue:
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| Tammy: J'aime beaucoup le français. C'est la langue de Molière et de Hugo, et surtout c'est la langue maternelle de Tex! |
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Tammy: I like French a lot. It is the language of Molière and of Hugo, and above all it is the mother tongue of Tex! |
| Bette: Alors comme ça Tammy, tu aimes bien les Français? |
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Bette: So Tammy, you really like French men? |
| Tammy: Oh oui! Surtout les Français qui portent le béret! |
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Tammy: I sure do! Especially French men who wear a beret! |
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