Articles are a fundamental part of Italian grammar, and by the time you finish reading this guide, you’ll be well on your way to using them like a native speaker.

What Are Definite Articles?

In English, there is only one definite article: the.

In Italian, there are several, and they change depending on the gender, number, and first letter of the word that follows.

The main definite articles are:

Singular:

• il – for masculine nouns
• la – for feminine nouns
• l’ – for words masculine or feminine that begin with a vowel or a silent h
• lo – for masculine nouns starting with certain specific sounds

Plural:

• i – for most masculine plural nouns
• le – for all feminine plural nouns
• gli – for masculine plural nouns that would take lo or l’ in the singular

Basic Usage

Masculine Singular il

Used before most masculine nouns that begin with a consonant:

Feminine Singular la

Used before feminine nouns that begin with a consonant:

Masculine Plural i

Used for the plural of most masculine nouns that begin with a consonant:

Feminine Plural le

Used for the plural of all feminine nouns:

L’ Before Vowels and H

When a singular noun masculine or feminine begins with a vowel or a silent h, use l’ instead of il or la:

Masculine Plural gli

If the singular used l’, the plural form will be gli:

Lo and Gli for Special Cases

Use lo for masculine singular nouns that begin with:

• z e.g., zio, zaino
• s + consonant e.g., studente
• gn, ps, pn, x, y, or a silent h

Examples:

In the plural, lo becomes gli:

Summary Table: Definite Articles

When to Use Definite Articles in Italian

Unlike English, Italian often uses definite articles in a general or abstract sense, even when English does not:

Even If the Noun Doesn’t Change, the Article Does

Some Italian nouns don’t change in the plural, but the article always does. Pay attention to this when using borrowed or shortened words:

Indefinite Articles

In English, the indefinite articles are "a" and "an".

In Italian, the equivalents are:

• un – used before masculine nouns
• una – used before feminine nouns
• uno – used before masculine nouns starting with certain consonants
• un’ – used before feminine nouns beginning with a vowel or silent h

Examples with un masculine:

Examples with una feminine:

Uno – Special Case for Masculine Nouns

Use uno instead of un before masculine nouns starting with:

• z, gn, ps, pn, s + consonant, x, or y

Examples with uno:

Un’ – for Feminine Nouns Starting with a Vowel or H

Drop the final "a" of "una" and replace it with an apostrophe un’ before vowels or silent h.

Examples:

Partitive Articles

Partitive articles are used when you’re referring to an unspecified amount of something.

They are often translated into English as "some" or "any".

In Italian, partitive articles are formed by combining the preposition "di" (of) with the definite article (il, la, etc.).

This combination creates a contracted form:

Partitive Article Forms

Examples of Partitive Articles: