Definite articles (le, la, les)
CEFR A1
French nouns are either masculine or feminine, and the article ("the") shows which. You must learn each noun with its article.
| Article | Used with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| le | masculine, singular | le père (the father) |
| la | feminine, singular | la mère (the mother) |
| l' | masculine or feminine before a vowel sound | l'ami (the friend), l'école (the school) |
| les | plural (masc. or fem.) | les enfants (the children) |
Examples in sentences: "Le chat dort." (The cat is sleeping.) · "La voiture est grande." (The car is big.) · "Les livres sont sur la table." (The books are on the table.)
Use the definite article for a specific, known thing — "le père de Marie" (Marie's father).
What this unlocks
Knowing the rule is not the same as producing it.
This page explains the pattern. The track drills it: the point arrives inside a mini-dialogue, then production marked against a CEFR descriptor, then a module test that returns you to your two weakest sessions if you miss it.