3. Articles
In Italian, nouns are preceded by an article, which is determined by the gender and number of the noun. The article can either be definite or indefinite, depending on the context.
The indefinite article is used when something is mentioned for the first time:
Ho un gatto.
I have a cat.
Contrarily, the definite article is used when referring to something that has already been discussed, or when talking about something familiar to the listener or something considered common knowledge:
Il mio gatto si chiama Alfie.
My cat is called Alfie.
The definite article is also used in the following cases:
- When the noun refers to something abstract or to something that is the only one of its kind (e.g. Il sole splende. The sun is shining.)
- When speaking generally about a whole group (e.g. Il cane è un carnivoro. The dog is a carnivore.)
- When speaking about a specific time (e.g. Maria parte per Londra il mese prossimo. Maria leaves for London next month.)
| Masculine (singular) | Feminine (singular) | Masculine (plural) | Feminine (plural) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite | il, lo, (l’) | la, (l’) | i, gli | le |
| Indefinite | un, uno | una, un’ | – | – |
The feminine definite article is la and the corresponding indefinite article is una. If the noun begins with a vowel, either the definite form l’ or the indefinite form un’ are used. The plural form is le. There are two options for the masculine form.
The definite article il is used when the noun begins with a consonant (excluding a few consonants). Its corresponding indefinite form is un and the plural form is i.
The masculine articles lo (singl.) and gli (pl.) are used when the noun begins with the letters x, y or z, the letter combinations s+consonant, sc+i/e, ps, gn ja pn or a vowel:
lo xilofono xylophone
lo yogurt yoghurt
lo zoo zoo
lo sciopero strike
lo pseudonimo pen name
lo gnomo gnome
lo pneumatico tyre
NB! If the noun begins with a vowel, the article loses the letter “o”: e.g. l’albero tree.
The corresponding indefinite form is uno or, if the noun begins with a vowel, un. The indefinite article does not have a plural form.