Italian grammar · Beginner
Italian Definite Articles
Italian definite articles are the seven words for the: il, lo, l', la, i, gli, and le. The right one depends on the gender of the noun, its number, and the sound the next word starts with. Italian also uses the definite article in many places where English has none, such as general statements, possessives, and names of languages.
Gli studenti aspettano l'autobus.
The students are waiting for the bus.
What it is
English has one word for the. Italian has seven, because the article agrees with the noun in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural), and it also changes with the first sound of the next word. Masculine nouns take il and i before most consonants, lo and gli before s plus a consonant, z, gn, ps, x, and y, and l' and gli before a vowel. Feminine nouns take la and le, with l' before a vowel in the singular.
il libro, i libri (the book, the books); lo studente, gli studenti (the student, the students); l'amico, gli amici (the friend, the friends); la casa, le case (the house, the houses); l'amica, le amiche (the friend, the friends).
How to spot it
The article is chosen by the word immediately after it. If an adjective comes before the noun, the adjective's first sound decides: lo zio, but il vecchio zio; l'amica, but la vecchia amica.
- il ragazzo e lo zaino (the boy and the backpack)
- l'albero e gli alberi (the tree and the trees)
- la pizza e le pizze (the pizza and the pizzas)
- lo psicologo e gli psicologi (the psychologist and the psychologists)
Le does not elide in modern Italian: le amiche, le isole. Gli does not elide either in everyday writing: gli italiani, gli amici.
Definite Articles Quick Reference
The seven definite articles, by gender, number, and the first sound of the next word
| Next word starts with | Masculine singular | Masculine plural | Feminine singular | Feminine plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Most consonants | il (il libro) | i (i libri) | la (la casa) | le (le case) |
| s + consonant | lo (lo studente) | gli (gli studenti) | la (la scuola) | le (le scuole) |
| z | lo (lo zaino) | gli (gli zaini) | la (la zia) | le (le zie) |
| gn, ps, x, y | lo (lo gnomo, lo psicologo, lo yogurt) | gli (gli gnomi, gli psicologi, gli yogurt) | la (la psicologa) | le (le psicologhe) |
| A vowel | l' (l'amico) | gli (gli amici) | l' (l'amica) | le (le amiche) |
Common Definite Articles Examples in Italian
The definite article in everyday sentences:
Masculine Articles
- Mi piace molto lo sport.
- I really like sport.
- Gli amici di Marco sono simpatici.
- Marco's friends are nice.
Lo and gli look unusual at first, but they follow one rule: s + consonant, z, gn, ps, x, y, and, for gli, any vowel.
Feminine Articles
- La farmacia è chiusa.
- The pharmacy is closed.
- L'acqua è fredda.
- The water is cold.
- Le chiavi sono sul tavolo.
- The keys are on the table.
Feminine has only three forms: la, l', and le.
Where English Has No Article
- Il caffè italiano è forte.
- Italian coffee is strong.
- Mi piace la musica classica.
- I like classical music.
- I bambini amano i dolci.
- Children love sweets.
General statements about a whole category take the article in Italian.
With Possessives
- La mia macchina è nuova.
- My car is new.
- I nostri vicini sono gentili.
- Our neighbours are kind.
Possessives normally come with the article in Italian: il mio, la tua, i nostri.
How to Choose the Right Definite Article
Three questions decide the article: is the noun masculine or feminine, singular or plural, and what sound comes next?
Gender and Number Come First
Every Italian noun is masculine or feminine. Most nouns in -o are masculine and most in -a are feminine; nouns in -e can be either and must be learned. The article then matches the noun in number as well.
il ragazzo, la ragazza, i ragazzi, le ragazze
the boy, the girl, the boys, the girls
Masculine: il / i. Feminine: la / le.
Lo and Gli Before Difficult Sounds
Masculine words starting with s plus a consonant, z, gn, ps, x, or y take lo in the singular and gli in the plural. The extra vowel in lo makes these clusters easier to say.
Passami lo zucchero, per favore.
Pass me the sugar, please.
s + consonant, z, gn, ps, x, y → lo / gli.
L' Before a Vowel
Both lo and la drop their vowel before a word that starts with a vowel, which gives l'. In the plural, masculine l' becomes gli and feminine l' becomes le.
L'aereo parte all'una.
The plane leaves at one.
l'amico → gli amici, l'amica → le amiche.
The Next Word Decides
The article depends on the word directly after it, even when that word is an adjective. Lo studente becomes il nuovo studente, because nuovo starts with a plain consonant.
Lo stesso giorno ho conosciuto il nuovo studente.
That same day I met the new student.
lo studente, il nuovo studente.
General Statements Take the Article
English drops the article when it talks about a whole category: children, music, coffee. Italian keeps it: i bambini, la musica, il caffè.
Il vino rosso mi piace più del bianco.
I like red wine more than white.
Category in general = article in Italian.
Common Mistakes with Definite Articles
Incorrect: il studente (the student)
Correct: lo studente (the student)
Studente starts with s + consonant, so it takes lo. The plural is gli studenti, not i studenti.
Incorrect: i amici (the friends)
Correct: gli amici (the friends)
Masculine plural nouns that start with a vowel take gli. The singular is l'amico.
Incorrect: La mia madre è insegnante. (My mother is a teacher.)
Correct: Mia madre è insegnante. (My mother is a teacher.)
Singular family nouns with a possessive drop the article. In the plural it returns: le mie sorelle.
Incorrect: Mi piace musica. (I like music.)
Correct: Mi piace la musica. (I like music.)
When you talk about something in general, Italian uses the definite article where English has none.
Where Italian Uses the Article and English Does Not
The forms are only half of the topic. These are the places where Italian adds an article that English leaves out, or leaves one out where you might expect it.
Possessives and family members
Possessive adjectives normally take the article: il mio telefono, la nostra casa. Singular family nouns are the exception: mia madre, tuo fratello. In the plural the article comes back.
- Il mio telefono è scarico.
- My phone is dead.
- Mia sorella vive a Torino.
- My sister lives in Turin.
- Le mie sorelle vivono a Torino.
- My sisters live in Turin.
Loro always takes the article: la loro madre. Mamma and papà often take it too: la mia mamma.
Languages, countries, and titles
Names of languages and countries take the article as subjects or objects: l'italiano, l'Italia. Titles such as signor, dottor, and professor take it when you talk about someone, but not when you speak to them.
- L'italiano è una lingua bellissima.
- Italian is a beautiful language.
- L'Italia è un paese lungo e stretto.
- Italy is a long, narrow country.
- Il dottor Rossi è in ferie.
- Dr Rossi is on holiday.
After parlare, the article is optional: parlo italiano and parlo l'italiano are both correct.
Days and clock times
A day with the article means every week on that day: il sabato (on Saturdays). Without it, it means one specific Saturday: sabato (on Saturday, this week). Clock times take the feminine article (le tre, l'una), except mezzogiorno and mezzanotte, which take none.
- Il sabato vado in piscina.
- On Saturdays I go to the pool.
- Sono le tre.
- It's three o'clock.
- È l'una.
- It's one o'clock.
Le tre is plural because ore (hours) is understood. L'una is singular because it is one hour.
Foreign words
Borrowed words follow the same sound rules. Most are masculine. Words starting with h are treated as starting with a vowel.
- L'hotel è vicino alla stazione.
- The hotel is near the station.
- Il weekend andiamo al mare.
- At weekends we go to the seaside.
Borrowed words usually do not change in the plural: l'hotel, gli hotel; il weekend, i weekend.
Quick Check: Definite Articles
Write the correct definite article for each noun.
1. ___ zaino
Answer: lo
z takes lo
2. ___ isola
Answer: l'
feminine singular before a vowel
3. ___ studenti
Answer: gli
s + consonant, plural
4. ___ case
Answer: le
feminine plural
5. ___ amiche
Answer: le
le does not elide
6. ___ psicologo
Answer: lo
ps takes lo
Definite Articles FAQs
- What are the definite articles in Italian?
- There are seven: il, lo, and l' for masculine singular; i and gli for masculine plural; la and l' for feminine singular; and le for feminine plural. All of them mean the.
- When do you use lo instead of il?
- Use lo before masculine words that start with s plus a consonant (lo studente), z (lo zaino), gn (lo gnomo), ps (lo psicologo), x (lo xilofono), or y (lo yogurt). Before a vowel, lo becomes l'. Everywhere else, use il.
- What is the plural of l'?
- It depends on the gender. Masculine l' becomes gli: l'amico, gli amici. Feminine l' becomes le: l'amica, le amiche. Le does not elide in modern Italian.
- Why does Italian use the article where English does not?
- Italian uses the definite article for whole categories and general ideas (il caffè, la musica, i bambini), for languages and countries (l'italiano, l'Italia), and with most possessives (il mio libro). English leaves the article out in all these cases.
- Do you use the article with possessives in Italian?
- Usually yes: il mio libro, la tua casa, i nostri amici. The main exception is a singular family noun such as madre, padre, fratello, or sorella: mia madre, tuo padre. With loro, or in the plural, the article returns: la loro madre, le mie sorelle.