les
/lɛ/
In French, les is the plural definite article meaning "the".
les is a definite article used before plural nouns to refer to specific people or things. It is the plural counterpart to the singular articles le and la.
Which one should you use?
While le is used for masculine singular nouns and la is used for feminine singular nouns, les is used for both masculine and feminine plural nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
les is used for all plural nouns, regardless of whether the noun is masculine or feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/lɛ/
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'the' is used for both specific and general categories, les is often used to express a general truth about all members of a group, such as les chats meaning 'cats in general'.
- Les can act as a direct object pronoun meaning 'them', allowing a sentence to be structured as je les vois meaning 'I see them'.
- The word les traces back to the Latin 'illōs' and 'illās', which were used to point out specific people or things, much like the English word 'those'.
Examples in context
- Avez-vous lu "Les Liaisons dangereuses"?Have you read "Les Liaisons dangereuses"?This sentence uses les within a book title.Tatoeba #885342 by Scott, translation #890347 by Scott
- Les chiens aboient dans les rues.The dogs bark in the streets.
- Les fleurs dans les jardins sont magnifiques.The flowers in the gardens are beautiful.
- Les élèves écoutent attentivement les professeurs.The students listen attentively to the teachers.
- Les fillesThe girls
- Les voituresThe cars
- Les livresThe books
- Les chiensThe dogs
- Les tablesThe tables
- Les photosThe photos
- Les enfants jouent dans le jardin.The children are playing in the garden.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are looking at a photo album.
- NathanRegarde les photos de mon voyage.Look at the photos from my trip.
- LéaElles sont magnifiques, Nathan.They are magnificent, Nathan.
- NathanJ'adore les paysages ici.I love the landscapes here.
- LéaTu devrais y retourner bientôt.You should go back there soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry les, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries les, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
