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Italian Articles Exercise Posted by on Nov 7, 2016 in Grammar

il lo la i gli le …. sounds rather like the ritornello (chorus) of a children’s rhyme doesn’t it. In fact it’s a list of the six Italian definite articles, all of which mean ‘the’.

Let’s revise how each of them is used, then we’ll have a go at an exercise to be sure that we’ve understood what goes where.

il = masculine singular, e.g. il fucile, il martello.

lo = masculine singular, used before ‘s’ plus a consonant, ‘z’, or a vowel, e.g. lo scarpone, lo zaino. N.B. lo becomes l’ before a vowel, e.g. l’albero.

la = feminine singular, e.g. la scrivania, la ragazza. N.B. la becomes l’ before a vowel, e.g. l’arancia.

i = masculine plural, e.g. i fucili, i martelli.

gli = masculine plural, used before ‘s’ plus a consonant, ‘z’, or a vowel e.g. gli scarponi, gli zaini, gli alberi.

le = feminine plural, e.g. le scrivanie, le ragazze, le arance

Di Antonio De Lorenzo - Opera propria, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1585572

Se vuoi visitare ___ Alpi con noi devi portare ___ scarponi. Photo CC by Antonio De Lorenzo

Exercise

Now fill in the gap in the Italian sentences with the correct definite article

Did you see the squirrel? Where, I really like squirrels!
Hai visto ___ scoiattolo? – Dove, a me piacciono molto ___ scoiattoli!

All the ladies went into the dining room
Tutte ___ signore sono entrate in sala da pranzo

can you pass me the nails please?
Mi passi ___ chiodi per favore?

I have to use the screwdriver
Devo usare ___ cacciavite

Turn the radio on, I want to hear the latest news
Accendi ___ radio, voglio sentire ___ ultime notizie

Look, the dog is in the field with the sheep!
Guarda, ___ cane sta nel campo con ___ pecore!

Where are the sandwiches? Have you checked in the rucksack?
Dove sono ___ panini? Hai controllato dentro ___ zaino?

The bee settled upon a flower
___ ape si è appoggiata su un fiore

The men couldn’t keep up with the boys
___ uomini non riuscivano a tenere passo con ___ ragazzi

If you want to visit the Alps with us you’ll need to wear your walking boots.
Se vuoi visitare ___ Alpi con noi devi portare ___ scarponi

The motorbike overtook the car
___ moto ha sorpassato ___ auto

The students have finished the exercise
___ studenti hanno finito ___ esercizio

 

Click here to see the answers

Did you see the squirrel? – Where, I really like squirrels!
Hai visto lo scoiattolo? – Dove, a me piacciono molto gli scoiattoli!

All the ladies went into the dining room
Tutte le signore sono entrate in sala da pranzo

can you pass me the nails please?
Mi passi i chiodi per favore?

I have to use the screwdriver
Devo usare il cacciavite

Turn the radio on, I want to hear the latest news
Accendi la radio, voglio sentire le ultime notizie

Look, the dog is in the field with the sheep!
Guarda, il cane sta nel campo con le pecore!

Where are the sandwiches? Have you checked in the rucksack?
Dove sono i panini? Hai controllato dentro lo zaino?

The bee settled upon a flower
l’ape si è appoggiata su un fiore

The men couldn’t keep up with the boys
gli uomini non riuscivano a tenere passo con i ragazzi

If you want to visit the Alps with us you’ll need to wear your walking boots.
Se vuoi visitare le Alpi con noi devi portare gli scarponi

The motorbike overtook the car
la moto ha sorpassato l’auto

The students have finished the exercise
gli studenti hanno finito l’esercizio

 

Any questions? Feel free to leave a comment.

P.S. If you’re browser or app doesn’t allow you to see the answers let me know and I’ll post them in the comments section.

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Comments:

  1. Patricia:

    Great test . Actually even experienced students of Italian make mistakes.

  2. Joan Engelhaupt:

    It’s great that now we can check our answers right away! I have two questions: If “lo” and “gli” are used before an “S’ followed by a consonant and a “z”, why is it “lo albero” and “gli uomini”? Also, why “Il cane sta nel campo” and not “Il cane e in campo”? Thank you.

    • Geoff:

      @Joan Engelhaupt Ciao Joan, I wrote:

      N.B. lo becomes l’ before a vowel, e.g. l’albero

      Hence l’albero (singular), gli alberi (plural).
      l’uomo (singular) gli uomini (plural)

      You can use either “Il cane sta nel campo” or “Il cane è
      nel campo”.

      Saluti da Geoff 🙂

      • Joan Engelhaupt:

        @Geoff Thank you, Geoff, but I still have a question: shouldn’t the rule be “lo” and “gli” before words beginning with “s” or “z” or A VOWEL? (in which case “lo” becomes “l'”)?

        • Geoff:

          @Joan Engelhaupt Ciao Joan, yes, it should be “lo” and “gli” before words beginning with “s” and a consonant, or “z” or a vowel? (in which case “lo” becomes “l’”).

          I’ve modified it in the blog it for the sake of clarity. Here’s what it now says: lo = masculine singular, used before ‘s’ plus a consonant, ‘z’, or a vowel, e.g. lo scarpone, lo zaino. N.B. lo becomes l’ before a vowel, e.g. l’albero.

          I do appreciate your feedback Joan. If I haven’t communicated something clearly enough I need to know so that I can modify it.

          Grazie mille, Geoff 🙂

  3. Eduardo:

    good test, also you have to know the gender of the screwdriver, il cacciavite; la radio for the radio, the alps for le Alpi.

  4. Chippy:

    Thank you so much – very useful test. Also served to remind me of other associated rules which I’d forgotten.

    • Geoff:

      @Chippy Sei il benvenuto/a Chippy

      P.S. Are you male or female? I don’t know what gender to write to you in!

      A presto, Geoff 🙂

  5. Gianna Shaw:

    Could you please provide answers as I am not able to click on the ‘click here’ 🙁
    Grazie

    • Geoff:

      @Gianna Shaw Eccole Gianna:

      Did you see the squirrel? – Where, I really like squirrels!
      Hai visto lo scoiattolo? – Dove, a me piacciono molto gli scoiattoli!

      All the ladies went into the dining room
      Tutte le signore sono entrate in sala da pranzo

      can you pass me the nails please?
      Mi passi i chiodi per favore?

      I have to use the screwdriver
      Devo usare il cacciavite

      Turn the radio on, I want to hear the latest news
      Accendi la radio, voglio sentire le ultime notizie

      Look, the dog is in the field with the sheep!
      Guarda, il cane sta nel campo con le pecore!

      Where are the sandwiches? Have you checked in the rucksack?
      Dove sono i panini? Hai controllato dentro lo zaino?

      The bee settled upon a flower
      l’ape si è appoggiata su un fiore

      The men couldn’t keep up with the boys
      gli uomini non riuscivano a tenere passo con i ragazzi

      If you want to visit the Alps with us you’ll need to wear your walking boots.
      Se vuoi visitare le Alpi con noi devi portare gli scarponi

      The motorbike overtook the car
      la moto ha sorpassato l’auto

      The students have finished the exercise
      gli studenti hanno finito l’esercizio

      How do you view our blogs, internet browser, e-mail, mobile device?
      A presto.


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