INDEFINITE AND DEFINITE Articles

Indefinite Definite To modify singular nouns  I saw a dog this morning  It was not your dog, nor someone else’s you know. It was just a dog you happened to see. To modify specific nouns  I saw the picture this morning  You are referring to a specific picture that someone maybe described to you. It’s already known what picture you’re talking about. The Function of an article

Indefinite Articles Articoli indeterminativi Corresponds to a/an (in English)  A book ; a pencil ; an eraser Corresponds to the number one (in English)  One pen ; one brother ; one car There are 4 ways to say a/an in Italian  Un  Uno  Un’  Una

Rules for Indefinites Uno: masculine nouns beginning with…  Z = uno zaino (a backpack)  S + a consonant = uno scaffale (a bookcase) Un: masculine nouns beginning with…  All other nouns that do not take “uno”  Un libro (a book) ; un quadro (a picture) Una: feminine nouns beginning with…  a consonant = una finestra (a window) Un’ : feminine nouns beginning with…  a vowel = un’ aula (a classroom)

Can you try? Place the correct form of the indefinite article in front of these singular nouns. Banco Classe Signore Dottoressa Cattedra Cestino Temperamatite Parete Numero Oggetto

Definite Articles Articoli determinativi Corresponds to “the” in English Indicates gender (masculine/feminine) AND number (singular/plural) Identify specific items to which you are referring There are 7 definite articles  4 used in front of singular nouns  Il, lo, la, l’  3 used in front of plural nouns  I, gli, le  Refer to page in Prego

Masculine Feminine Il  Consonant beginning  Il signore (the man)  Il quaderno (the notebook)  Il cestino (the waste basket) Lo  Z or s + a consonant beginning  Lo zaino (the backpack)  Lo scaffale (the bookcase) La  Consonant beginning  La professoressa (the professor)  La classe (the class)  La bandiera (the flag) Singular Definite Rules

Masculine Vowel beginnings Feminine Vowel beginnings L’amico (the friend) L’inverno (the winter) L’anello (the ring) L’autunno (the fall) L’amica (the friend) L’estate (the summer) L’aula (the classroom) L’ ananas (the pineapple) The Singular Article: l’ used with both masculine and feminine

Masculine Feminine Gli  Z: gli zaini (the backpacks)  S +consonant: gli scaffali (the bookcases)  Vowel: gli amici (the friends) I  A consonant: I libri (the books) Le: all plural nouns  Le amiche (the friends)  Le matite (the pencils)  Le cattedre (the desks)  Le aule (the classrooms)  Le gomme (the erasers) Plural Definite Articles

Put them to the test A waste basket A school desk A paper A wall A chair A window A pen A board A class A lady The waste basket The school desk The paper The wall The chair The window The pen The board The class The lady

And again… The pencil sharpener The doctor (male) The point (of a pencil) The lamp The professor (female) The book The pen The paper The map The pencil sharpeners The doctors (male) The points (of a pencil) The lamps The professors (female) The books The pens The papers* The maps

FOR MORE RULES AND EXAMPLES PLEASE VISIT MY WEBPAGE UNDER HANDOUTS (A LINK LABELED “NOUNS”) BUT DO NOT PRINT IT OUT Website