When do you use the definite article - ARTICLES - Easy Learning Italian Grammar

Easy Learning Italian Grammar (2011)

ARTICLES

4. When do you use the definite article?

Italian uses the definite article much more than English does. As a rule of thumb, Italian sentences rarely start with a noun that has no article.

I bambini soffrono.	Children are suffering.
Mi piacciono gli animali.	I like animals.
Le cose vanno meglio.	Things are going better.
Il nuoto è il mio sport preferito.	Swimming is my favourite sport.
Non mi piace il riso.	I don’t like rice.
Lo zucchero non fa bene.	Sugar isn’t good for you.
La povertà è un grande problema.	Poverty is a big problem.
L’Australia è molto grande.	Australia is very big.
La Calabria è bella.	Calabria is beautiful.

Note that if the name of a country comes after the Italian word in, which means to or in, the article is not used.

Vado in Francia a giugno.	I’m going to France in June.
Lavorano in Germania.	They work in Germany.

Tip

When you translate an English sentence which starts with a noun, don’t forget to use the definite article in Italian.

Le macchine costano caro.	Cars cost a lot.
La frutta fa bene.	Fruit is good for you.

In the following cases, the article is used rather differently in Italian from in English:

When you’re talking about parts of the body and bodily actions, use the definite article. The English adjectives my, your, his and so on are not translated.

Dammi la mano.	Give me your hand.
Mi fa male il piede.	My foot is hurting.
Soffiati il naso!	Blow your nose!

Use the definite article when talking about clothes.

Si è tolto il cappotto.	He took off his coat.
Mettiti le scarpe.	Put your shoes on.

Use the definite article with the time, dates and years.

all’una	at one o’clock
alle due	at two o’clock
Era l’una.	It was one o’clock.
Sono le due.	It’s two o’clock.
Sono nata il primo maggio 1990.	I was born on May 1 1990.
Verranno nel 2012.	They’re coming in 2012.

Use the definite article with words such as my, your and his.

la mia casa	my house
le sue figlie	her daughters
i vostri amici	your friends

For more information on Possessive adjectives, see page 34.

When you talk about how much something costs per pound, per kilo, and so on; about rates, speeds, and about how often something happens, use the word aand the definite article.

Costano 3 euro al chilo.	They cost 3 euros a kilo.
70 km all’ora	70 km an hour
50.000 dollari al mese	50,000 dollars per month
due volte alla settimana	twice a week

You use the definite article when you are referring to people by using their titles, but NOT when you are speaking to them directly.

La signora Rossi è qui.	Mrs. Rossi is here.
Il dottor Gentile	Doctor Gentile
BUT
Scusi, signora Rossi.	Excuse me, Mrs. Rossi.

Key points

Definite articles are used much more in Italian than in English.

Italian sentences rarely start with a noun that has no article.

Sometimes the definite article is used very differently from English. For instance, you use it with parts of the body and the time.