The French definite article that corresponds to English 'the' has several shapes:
Singular
1. 'le' occurs in front of some French singular nouns that begin with a consonant:
French/Français: English/Anglais:
Le restaurant : The restaurant
Le frère : The brother
2. 'la' occurs in front of all other French singular nouns that begin with a consonant:
French / Français English / Anglais
la rue : the street
la soeur: the sister
These two shapes do not occur indiscriminately, i.e., 'connaissance' can be preceded only by 'la' and never by 'le' and 'restaurant' only by 'le' and never by 'la' .
This permits classification of all French nouns into two classes, called genders, which play a major role in French grammar. Although the two noun classes are traditionally labeled masculine for 'le' and feminine for 'la'.
3. l' occurs in front of French singular nouns that begin with a vowel and is pronounced as part of the first syllable of those nouns:
French/Français : L'ami. Pronunciation: [la-mi]. English/Anglais: the friend.
L'enfant. [len-fan]. The child.
there is no distinctive mark of gender present in the definite article preceding it.
PLURAL
les' occurs in front of French plural nouns:
French / Français English / Anglais
Les parents: The parents
Les amis: The friends
When 'les' is followed by a noun beginning with a vowel, the s of 'les' is pronounced like a z at the beginning of that word.
hope that you can understand ! Xoxo 💋
YOU ARE READING
Learn French 🇫🇷
Non-FictionHi guys! Im Maiwenn and I'm a french girl😊 I'll start posting blogs on French lessons, vocabulary, all you need to know to travel in France or just for learn this beautiful language 🇫🇷I hope it will help you ! See y'a Start : 25/06/2019
