The use of the definite article

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The use of the definite article

• Unit 4, Lesson 10

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What is the definite article?
The definite article is the word THE
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You already know two of the definite articles in
French!
The for a masculine noun
le Examples le baladeur the CD
player le livre the book le chien the dog le
cahier the notebook
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You already know two of the definite articles in
French!
The for a feminine noun is
la Examples la raquette la
moto la calculatrice la voiture
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What happens if the noun starts with a vowel
sound?
The le or la becomes l in front of any vowel
sound
Examples lordinateur laffiche lhotel
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WAIT!!!!
You know, I have more than one book and more
than one notebook and more than one pencil and
more than one pen and more than one CD and more
than one DVD.what do I do about that???
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Calm yourself! There is a simple solution!
First thing to make almost any noun in French
plural, add an S to the end of the word.
Second thing Change the LE or the LA to LES
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Check this out!

• le livre ------------- les livres
• la guitare ------------- les guitares
• lappareil-photo --------- les appareil-photos
• le sac ------------------ les sacs

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Do I have to keep repeating the noun?

• No, you can replace the noun with a subject
  pronoun, il or elle depending on the gender of
  the noun.

Où est lordinateur? Il est sur le bureau. Où
est la radiocassette ? Elle est dans ma
chambre ? Masculine nouns are replaced by
il Feminine nouns are replaced by elle (Well
work on plural nouns later)
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Besides saying the-----

• There are 2 times the French use the definite
  article where we do not use it in English.

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Compare the French and the English

• Jaime le français.
• Je préfère les maths
• Tu aimes le rap?
• Nous aimons les films en classe.

I like French. I prefer math. Do you like rap? We
like movies in class.
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• The rule
• Use the definite article (le, la, l, les) when
  you are talking about nouns in a general sense,
  aka where we do not use a the in English.
• (used a lot after aimer, préférer and adorer)

Why do the French do this? Because every noun
has to have some sort of article before it. PS
We do not know all of these articles right now
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• 2nd time to use the definite article
• Use le before a day of the week to say On (day
  of the week) or Every (day of the week)?

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Examples
Le jeudi, je regarde Greys Anatomy. On
Thursdays, I watch Greys Anatomy.
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Le dimanche, je regarde Rock of LoveEvery
Sunday, I watch Rock of Love.
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Le vendredi, je dîne au restaurant.On Fridays,
I eat at a restaurant.