le
/lə/masculine
The English word "the" is translated into French. The default form is le. Wiktionary also lists l' and la.
Meaning: article (article)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| le | /lə/ /l‿/ |
masculine |
| l' | /l‿/ | |
| la | /la/ | feminine |
| les | /lɛ/ /lɛ.z‿/ |
plural |
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, you must choose between le and la based on whether the noun is masculine or feminine. While le and la distinguish between genders, the plural form les is used for both masculine and feminine nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form l' is used instead of le or la when the following word begins with a vowel or a silent h. For plural nouns, regardless of gender, use les.
How do you pronounce it?
/lə/
Did you know?
- The French word le is actually a shortened version of the Latin word illum, which means 'that one'. Over centuries, the beginning and end of the word were gradually dropped through pronunciation.
- French uses le or la to express general concepts, such as le courage for 'courage in general', whereas English uses no article at all.
- In spoken French, the s in les is usually silent unless the next word starts with a vowel, creating a linked sound called a liaison.
Examples in context
- Il a le ballon.He got the ball.This sentence shows how to use le with a masculine noun.Tatoeba #446522 by chtof, translation #292709 by CM
- Devine le prix ?Can you guess the price?This sentence demonstrates the use of le before a masculine noun.Tatoeba #129290 by sacredceltic, translation #276974 by CK
- Où est la gare ?Where is the railroad station?This sentence shows how to use la with a feminine noun.Tatoeba #136614 by Aiji, translation #26041 by CM
- Le chienthe dog
- Le garçonthe boy
- Le livrethe book
- La fillethe girl
- La maisonthe house
- Les chiensthe dogs
- Les garçonsthe boys
- Les maisonsthe houses
- Le mecthe guy
- Le profthe teacher
- Les bouquinsthe books
- Les flicsthe cops
- 17406 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are looking for his things at home.
- ManonOù est le sac de Gabriel ?Where is Gabriel's bag?
- GabrielLe sac est dans l'entrée.The bag is in the entrance.
- ManonMerci, je cherche le sac depuis dix minutes.Thanks, I have been looking for the bag for ten minutes.
- GabrielDe rien, Manon.You're welcome, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “the” translations and entries le, l', la, les, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, le, les, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
