What are common mistakes with Les articles définis?

Forgetting to use articles (French almost always requires one) and confusing gender. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English uses 'the' for all genders and numbers. French requires choosing le/la/les based on gender. English speakers also omit articles where French requires them (e.g., J'aime *le* chocolat). 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian has no articles at all, so the entire concept is difficult. Learners tend to omit articles or use them randomly. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech also has no articles. The concept is entirely new. Czech speakers often skip articles or struggle with gender assignment.

Les articles définis | French Grammar A1

Les articles définis

A1 — Articles

Definite articles: le, la, l', les

Can use definite articles to refer to specific things and general concepts

Definite articles: le, la, l', les

Examples

Le chat dort sur la table. — The cat is sleeping on the table.
J'aime les fleurs et l'art. — I love flowers and art.
Je vais au cinéma et aux magasins. — I'm going to the cinema and to the shops.

ArticlesA1

Les articles définis

Definite articles: le, la, l', les

Learning Goal

Can use definite articles to refer to specific things and general concepts

Exam Skills:Production écriteProduction orale

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Le chat dort sur la table.

The cat is sleeping on the table.

J'aime les fleurs et l'art.

I love flowers and art.

Je vais au cinéma et aux magasins.

I'm going to the cinema and to the shops.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

Les articles définis s'utilisent pour parler de quelque chose de spécifique ou déjà connu :

Genre	Singulier	Pluriel
Masculin	le garçon	les garçons / filles
Féminin	la fille	les garçons / filles
Devant voyelle/h muet	l'ami / l'école	les amis

Emplois principaux :

Chose spécifique : Le livre est sur la table.
Généralité : Les chats sont indépendants.
Choses uniques : le soleil, la lune
Avec les pays : la France, le Japon

Contraction : à + le = au, à + les = aux, de + le = du, de + les = des.

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Forgetting to use articles (French almost always requires one) and confusing gender. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English uses 'the' for all genders and numbers. French requires choosing le/la/les based on gender. English speakers also omit articles where French requires them (e.g., J'aime *le* chocolat).

Common Error Patterns

Used wrong gender article (le instead of la or vice versa)

Learn nouns with their article. Common patterns: -tion/-sion = feminine, -ment/-age = masculine.

Omitted a required definite article

French requires articles much more than English. General statements need le/la/les (J'aime LE chocolat).

Failed to contract à+le→au or de+le→du

Contractions with le/les are mandatory: à+le=au, à+les=aux, de+le=du, de+les=des.

Le chat dort sur la table.

The cat is sleeping on the table.

Le (masculine) for chat, la (feminine) for table. Both are specific items.

J'aime les fleurs et l'art.

I love flowers and art.

Les (plural) for fleurs. L' (elided) before art (vowel). In French, general statements use definite articles.

Je vais au cinéma et aux magasins.

I'm going to the cinema and to the shops.

Au = à + le (contraction). Aux = à + les (contraction). These are mandatory.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises

A1 Course

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Put it into practice

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Frequently asked questions

When is Les articles définis used?: Les articles définis s'utilisent pour parler de quelque chose de spécifique ou déjà connu :
How is Les articles définis formed?: Contraction : à + le = au , à + les = aux , de + le = du , de + les = des .
What are common mistakes with Les articles définis?: Forgetting to use articles (French almost always requires one) and confusing gender. 🇬🇧 English speakers: English uses 'the' for all genders and numbers. French requires choosing le/la/les based on gender. English speakers also omit articles where French requires them (e.g., J'aime *le* chocolat). 🇷🇺 Russian speakers: Russian has no articles at all, so the entire concept is difficult. Learners tend to omit articles or use them randomly. 🇨🇿 Czech speakers: Czech also has no articles. The concept is entirely new. Czech speakers often skip articles or struggle with gender assignment.