Learning how to say “the” in French is an important step in mastering the language. In English, “the” is used before singular and plural nouns, whether they are masculine, feminine, or neutral. However, in French, the word for “the” changes based on the gender and number of the noun. This can seem tricky at first, but once you understand the rules, it becomes easier to use correctly.
In this article, we will explore how to say “the” in French, including its different forms. We will also look at other useful phrases like “to the,” “what the,” “days of the week,” and “the end” in French. By the end, you will have a better understanding of how to use these important phrases in everyday conversations.
How to Say “The” in French
In French, the word “the” changes depending on the gender and number of the noun it modifies. Here are the main ways to say “the” in French:
1. Le (pronounced “luh”) – Used for masculine singular nouns
- Meaning: “The” for singular masculine nouns.
- In a Sentence:
- Le livre est sur la table. (The book is on the table.)
- Le chien court. (The dog is running.)
2. La (pronounced “lah”) – Used for feminine singular nouns
- Meaning: “The” for singular feminine nouns.
- In a Sentence:
- La maison est grande. (The house is big.)
- La voiture est rouge. (The car is red.)
3. L’ (pronounced “l”) – Used for both masculine and feminine singular nouns starting with a vowel sound
- Meaning: “The” before singular nouns starting with a vowel or a silent “h.”
- In a Sentence:
- L’ami est ici. (The friend is here.)
- L’école est fermée. (The school is closed.)
4. Les (pronounced “lay”) – Used for plural nouns, regardless of gender
- Meaning: “The” for plural nouns, both masculine and feminine.
- In a Sentence:
- Les enfants jouent dans le parc. (The children are playing in the park.)
- Les filles chantent bien. (The girls sing well.)
Ways to Say “The” in French (continued)
5. Au (pronounced “oh”) – Used for masculine singular nouns with the preposition “à” (to the)
- Meaning: “To the” for masculine singular nouns.
- In a Sentence:
- Je vais au cinéma. (I am going to the cinema.)
- Il va au marché. (He is going to the market.)
6. À la (pronounced “ah lah”) – Used for feminine singular nouns with the preposition “à” (to the)
- Meaning: “To the” for feminine singular nouns.
- In a Sentence:
- Nous allons à la plage. (We are going to the beach.)
- Elle va à la bibliothèque. (She is going to the library.)
7. Aux (pronounced “oh”) – Used for plural nouns with the preposition “à” (to the)
- Meaning: “To the” for plural nouns, regardless of gender.
- In a Sentence:
- Ils vont aux magasins. (They are going to the stores.)
- Nous allons aux montagnes. (We are going to the mountains.)
8. Du (pronounced “dew”) – Used for masculine singular nouns with the preposition “de” (of the, from the)
- Meaning: “Of the” or “from the” for masculine singular nouns.
- In a Sentence:
- Je parle du livre. (I am talking about the book.)
- Il vient du parc. (He comes from the park.)
9. De la (pronounced “duh lah”) – Used for feminine singular nouns with the preposition “de” (of the, from the)
- Meaning: “Of the” or “from the” for feminine singular nouns.
- In a Sentence:
- Elle parle de la musique. (She is talking about the music.)
- Je viens de la maison. (I am coming from the house.)
10. Des (pronounced “day”) – Used for plural nouns with the preposition “de” (of the, from the)
- Meaning: “Of the” or “from the” for plural nouns, regardless of gender.
- In a Sentence:
- Il parle des livres. (He is talking about the books.)
- Nous venons des écoles. (We come from the schools.)
11. Lequel (pronounced “luh-kell”) – Used for asking about a specific masculine noun (which one)
- Meaning: Which one (masculine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Lequel de ces films préfères-tu ? (Which one of these movies do you prefer?)
- Lequel est ton préféré ? (Which one is your favorite?)
12. Laquelle (pronounced “lah-kell”) – Used for asking about a specific feminine noun (which one)
- Meaning: Which one (feminine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Laquelle de ces robes veux-tu ? (Which one of these dresses do you want?)
- Laquelle est la meilleure ? (Which one is the best?)
13. Lesquels (pronounced “lay-kell”) – Used for asking about specific plural nouns (which ones)
- Meaning: Which ones (masculine or mixed gender plural).
- In a Sentence:
- Lesquels préfères-tu ? (Which ones do you prefer?)
- Lesquels sont les plus chers ? (Which ones are the most expensive?)
14. Lesquelles (pronounced “lay-kell”) – Used for asking about specific plural feminine nouns (which ones)
- Meaning: Which ones (feminine plural).
- In a Sentence:
- Lesquelles de ces villes as-tu visitées ? (Which ones of these cities have you visited?)
- Lesquelles sont plus grandes ? (Which ones are bigger?)
15. Du (pronounced “dew”) – Used for masculine singular nouns with the preposition “de” (some of the)
- Meaning: Some of the (masculine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Je veux du pain. (I want some bread.)
- Il a bu du vin. (He drank some wine.)
16. De la (pronounced “duh lah”) – Used for feminine singular nouns with the preposition “de” (some of the)
- Meaning: Some of the (feminine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Elle a mangé de la pizza. (She ate some pizza.)
- Nous avons de la chance. (We are lucky.)
17. Des (pronounced “day”) – Used for plural nouns with the preposition “de” (some of the)
- Meaning: Some of the (plural).
- In a Sentence:
- J’ai des amis. (I have some friends.)
- Ils veulent des pommes. (They want some apples.)
18. Le tout (pronounced “luh too”) – Used to refer to “the whole” (masculine singular)
- Meaning: The whole thing (masculine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Il a mangé le tout. (He ate the whole thing.)
- Le tout est délicieux. (The whole thing is delicious.)
19. La totalité (pronounced “lah toh-tah-lee-tay”) – Used to refer to “the whole” (feminine singular)
- Meaning: The entirety (feminine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- J’ai vu la totalité du film. (I saw the whole movie.)
- La totalité des informations est ici. (All of the information is here.)
20. Le dernier (pronounced “luh der-nee”) – Used for referring to the “last” masculine noun
- Meaning: The last (masculine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Le dernier film était incroyable. (The last movie was incredible.)
- J’ai vu le dernier épisode. (I watched the last episode.)
21. La dernière (pronounced “lah der-nee-air”) – Used for referring to the “last” feminine noun
- Meaning: The last (feminine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- La dernière fois que j’ai vu ce film, c’était génial. (The last time I saw that movie, it was great.)
- Elle a mangé la dernière part de gâteau. (She ate the last piece of cake.)
22. Le même (pronounced “luh mem”) – Used for “the same” masculine noun
- Meaning: The same (masculine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Je porte le même pull. (I am wearing the same sweater.)
- Il a acheté le même livre. (He bought the same book.)
23. La même (pronounced “lah mem”) – Used for “the same” feminine noun
- Meaning: The same (feminine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- Elle porte la même robe. (She is wearing the same dress.)
- J’ai choisi la même couleur. (I chose the same color.)
24. Le plus (pronounced “luh ploos”) – Used for “the most” masculine noun
- Meaning: The most (masculine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- C’est le plus grand bâtiment. (It is the biggest building.)
- Le plus beau film est ici. (The most beautiful movie is here.)
25. La plus (pronounced “lah ploos”) – Used for “the most” feminine noun
- Meaning: The most (feminine singular).
- In a Sentence:
- C’est la plus belle fleur. (It is the most beautiful flower.)
- La plus grande ville est Paris. (The biggest city is Paris.)
26. Les plus (pronounced “lay ploos”) – Used for “the most” plural nouns
- Meaning: The most (plural).
- In a Sentence:
- Les plus jeunes sont ici. (The youngest are here.)
- Les plus grands gagnants sont annoncés. (The biggest winners are announced.)
Other Ways to Say “The” in French
Here is a table with additional ways to say “the” in French, including different contexts and examples.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Au | “oh” | To the (masculine singular) | Je vais au parc. (I am going to the park.) |
| À la | “ah lah” | To the (feminine singular) | Elle va à la bibliothèque. (She is going to the library.) |
| Aux | “oh” | To the (plural) | Nous allons aux magasins. (We are going to the stores.) |
| Du | “dew” | Of the, from the (masculine singular) | Il parle du film. (He is talking about the movie.) |
| De la | “duh lah” | Of the, from the (feminine singular) | Elle a besoin de la nourriture. (She needs some food.) |
| Des | “day” | Of the, from the (plural) | J’ai acheté des livres. (I bought some books.) |
| Lequel | “luh-kell” | Which one (masculine singular) | Lequel préfères-tu ? (Which one do you prefer?) |
| Laquelle | “lah-kell” | Which one (feminine singular) | Laquelle as-tu choisie ? (Which one did you choose?) |
| Lesquels | “lay-kell” | Which ones (masculine or plural) | Lesquels de ces films as-tu vus ? (Which ones of these films have you seen?) |
| Lesquelles | “lay-kell” | Which ones (feminine plural) | Lesquelles de ces robes sont les plus belles ? (Which ones of these dresses are the prettiest?) |
| Du | “dew” | Some of the (masculine singular) | J’ai bu du café. (I drank some coffee.) |
| De la | “duh lah” | Some of the (feminine singular) | Elle a mangé de la soupe. (She ate some soup.) |
| Des | “day” | Some of the (plural) | Ils ont pris des pommes. (They took some apples.) |
| Le tout | “luh too” | The whole (masculine singular) | J’ai mangé le tout. (I ate the whole thing.) |
| La totalité | “lah toh-tah-lee-tay” | The entirety (feminine singular) | J’ai vu la totalité du film. (I saw the whole movie.) |
| Le dernier | “luh der-nee” | The last (masculine singular) | Le dernier match était incroyable. (The last match was amazing.) |
| La dernière | “lah der-nee-air” | The last (feminine singular) | La dernière fois que je l’ai vu, c’était super. (The last time I saw him, it was great.) |
| Le même | “luh mem” | The same (masculine singular) | Je porte le même t-shirt. (I am wearing the same t-shirt.) |
| La même | “lah mem” | The same (feminine singular) | Elle porte la même robe. (She is wearing the same dress.) |
| Le plus | “luh ploos” | The most (masculine singular) | C’est le plus grand bâtiment. (It is the biggest building.) |
| La plus | “lah ploos” | The most (feminine singular) | La plus belle vue est ici. (The most beautiful view is here.) |
| Les plus | “lay ploos” | The most (plural) | Les plus grands gagnants ont été annoncés. (The biggest winners were announced.) |
| Le tout | “luh too” | The entire (masculine singular) | J’ai vu le tout du spectacle. (I saw the whole show.) |
| La totalité | “lah toh-tah-lee-tay” | The entirety (feminine singular) | La totalité de la classe a réussi. (The whole class succeeded.) |
| Duquel | “dew-kell” | Of which (masculine singular) | Duquel des films veux-tu parler ? (Which of the movies do you want to talk about?) |
| De laquelle | “duh lah-kell” | Of which (feminine singular) | De laquelle des deux préférerais-tu ? (Which of the two would you prefer?) |
| Desquels | “day-kell” | Of which (plural) | Desquels des élèves sont venus ? (Which of the students came?) |
| Desquelles | “day-kell” | Of which (feminine plural) | Desquelles des options veux-tu discuter ? (Which of the options do you want to discuss?) |
Response to “The” in French
When someone says “the” in French, the response usually depends on the context. Understanding how to reply correctly can help you sound more natural in conversations. Whether it’s responding to a question about a specific object, an action, or a situation, there are several ways to reply depending on the gender and number of the noun in question.
Here are some example responses to the different ways “the” can be used in French:
1. Le (Masculine Singular)
If someone refers to a masculine singular noun using “le,” you might respond by acknowledging the object or action.
Example:
- Question: Où est le livre ? (Where is the book?)
- Response: Il est sur la table. (It is on the table.)
2. La (Feminine Singular)
When “la” is used, the response refers to a feminine singular noun.
Example:
- Question: Où est la voiture ? (Where is the car?)
- Response: La voiture est dans le garage. (The car is in the garage.)
3. L’ (Used before a vowel or silent ‘h’)
“L'” is used when the following noun starts with a vowel sound. The response usually keeps this in mind.
Example:
- Question: L’école commence à quelle heure ? (What time does the school start?)
- Response: L’école commence à 8 heures. (The school starts at 8 o’clock.)
4. Les (Plural)
When “les” is used for plural nouns, your response will refer to more than one item.
Example:
- Question: Où sont les enfants ? (Where are the children?)
- Response: Les enfants jouent dans le jardin. (The children are playing in the yard.)
5. Au (To the – Masculine Singular)
If someone says “au,” they’re talking about going to a place with a masculine singular noun. Your response would reflect this.
Example:
- Question: Tu vas au parc ? (Are you going to the park?)
- Response: Oui, je vais au parc. (Yes, I am going to the park.)
6. À la (To the – Feminine Singular)
When the question involves a feminine singular noun with “à la,” you would reply using the same form.
Example:
- Question: Tu vas à la bibliothèque ? (Are you going to the library?)
- Response: Oui, je vais à la bibliothèque. (Yes, I am going to the library.)
7. Aux (To the – Plural)
When “aux” is used, it’s for plural nouns. Your response should reflect the plural form.
Example:
- Question: Vous allez aux magasins ? (Are you going to the stores?)
- Response: Oui, nous allons aux magasins. (Yes, we are going to the stores.)
8. Du (Of the – Masculine Singular)
“Du” is used when referring to something masculine singular, often with “de” (of the, from the).
Example:
- Question: Tu parles du film ? (Are you talking about the movie?)
- Response: Oui, je parle du film. (Yes, I’m talking about the movie.)
9. De la (Of the – Feminine Singular)
When referring to a feminine singular noun, use “de la” in your response.
Example:
- Question: Elle a besoin de la nourriture ? (Does she need some food?)
- Response: Oui, elle a besoin de la nourriture. (Yes, she needs some food.)
10. Des (Of the – Plural)
“Des” refers to plural nouns, both masculine and feminine.
Example:
- Question: Tu as vu des films ? (Did you watch any movies?)
- Response: Oui, j’ai vu des films intéressants. (Yes, I watched some interesting movies.)
11. Lequel (Which one – Masculine Singular)
If the question is about a specific masculine noun, the response should point out the noun.
Example:
- Question: Lequel de ces livres veux-tu ? (Which one of these books do you want?)
- Response: Je veux lequel avec la couverture bleue. (I want the one with the blue cover.)
12. Laquelle (Which one – Feminine Singular)
For a feminine singular noun, “laquelle” is used in the question and your response will follow.
Example:
- Question: Laquelle de ces robes préfères-tu ? (Which one of these dresses do you prefer?)
- Response: Je préfère laquelle rouge. (I prefer the red one.)
13. Lesquels (Which ones – Plural)
For plural nouns, use “lesquels” in your response.
Example:
- Question: Lesquels de ces films as-tu vus ? (Which of these movies have you seen?)
- Response: J’ai vu lesquels avec les acteurs célèbres. (I’ve seen the ones with famous actors.)
14. Lesquelles (Which ones – Feminine Plural)
When referring to feminine plural nouns, “lesquelles” is used.
Example:
- Question: Lesquelles de ces chansons sont les plus populaires ? (Which of these songs are the most popular?)
- Response: Lesquelles chantées par des artistes français. (The ones sung by French artists.)
15. Le tout (The whole – Masculine Singular)
This phrase refers to “the whole” of a masculine singular object or situation.
Example:
- Question: J’ai mangé le tout ! (I ate the whole thing!)
- Response: Le tout était délicieux. (The whole thing was delicious.)
16. La totalité (The entirety – Feminine Singular)
When referring to the whole or entirety of a feminine singular noun, this is the response.
Example:
- Question: Tu as vu la totalité du film ? (Did you see the whole movie?)
- Response: Oui, j’ai vu la totalité du film. (Yes, I saw the entire movie.)
17. Le dernier (The last – Masculine Singular)
When referring to the “last” of something masculine, this phrase comes in handy.
Example:
- Question: Quel est le dernier chapitre ? (What is the last chapter?)
- Response: Le dernier chapitre est très intéressant. (The last chapter is very interesting.)
18. La dernière (The last – Feminine Singular)
This is used when referring to the “last” of a feminine singular noun.
Example:
- Question: C’est la dernière chance ? (Is this the last chance?)
- Response: Oui, c’est la dernière chance. (Yes, this is the last chance.)
19. Le même (The same – Masculine Singular)
Use this when referring to the “same” masculine noun.
Example:
- Question: Tu as acheté le même pull ? (Did you buy the same sweater?)
- Response: Oui, j’ai acheté le même. (Yes, I bought the same one.)
20. La même (The same – Feminine Singular)
This is used for a feminine singular noun to indicate it’s the same.
Example:
- Question: Tu portes la même robe ? (Are you wearing the same dress?)
- Response: Oui, je porte la même robe. (Yes, I’m wearing the same dress.)
21. Les plus (The most – Plural)
When someone asks about the most in terms of plural items, this form is used.
Example:
- Question: Les plus grands arbres sont ici ? (Are the biggest trees here?)
- Response: Oui, les plus grands arbres sont ici. (Yes, the biggest trees are here.)
22. Le tout (The entire – Masculine Singular)
Used when referring to the whole or the entirety of a masculine object.
Example:
- Question: As-tu vu le tout ? (Did you see the whole thing?)
- Response: Oui, j’ai vu le tout. (Yes, I saw the whole thing.)
23. La totalité (The entirety – Feminine Singular)
This phrase is used when speaking about the whole or entirety of something feminine.
Example:
- Question: Tu as mangé la totalité ? (Did you eat the whole thing?)
- Response: Oui, j’ai mangé la totalité. (Yes, I ate the entire thing.)
24. Duquel (Of which – Masculine Singular)
When referring to a masculine singular noun, this is how you express “of which.”
Example:
- Question: Duquel de ces livres as-tu besoin ? (Of which of these books do you need?)
- Response: J’ai besoin duquel sur l’histoire. (I need the one about history.)
25. De la (Of the – Feminine Singular)
This refers to “of the” when the noun is feminine and singular.
Example:
- Question: De la peinture, tu en as ? (Do you have any paint?)
- Response: Oui, j’ai de la peinture rouge. (Yes, I have some red paint.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “The” in French
Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises to help you practice using the different ways of saying “the” in French. Each sentence is in French, and you need to fill in the correct form of “the” based on the context. After the exercises, you’ll find the answers along with the meanings.
Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises
- Je vais _______ parc. (I’m going to the park.)
- Elle aime _______ gâteau au chocolat. (She loves the chocolate cake.)
- Nous allons _______ plage cet été. (We are going to the beach this summer.)
- _______ école commence à 8 heures. (The school starts at 8 o’clock.)
- Il parle _______ film d’aventure. (He is talking about the adventure movie.)
- Tu veux _______ pommes rouges ? (Do you want the red apples?)
- _______ chien est très gentil. (The dog is very kind.)
- Nous avons _______ chance aujourd’hui. (We are lucky today.)
- _______ livres sont sur la table. (The books are on the table.)
- _______ dernier film était incroyable. (The last movie was amazing.)
- J’ai acheté _______ même chaussures que toi. (I bought the same shoes as you.)
- _______ plus grand arbre est ici. (The biggest tree is here.)
Answers
- au (Je vais au parc.) – I’m going to the park.
- le (Elle aime le gâteau au chocolat.) – She loves the chocolate cake.
- à la (Nous allons à la plage cet été.) – We are going to the beach this summer.
- L’ (**L’**école commence à 8 heures.) – The school starts at 8 o’clock.
- du (Il parle du film d’aventure.) – He is talking about the adventure movie.
- les (Tu veux les pommes rouges ?) – Do you want the red apples?
- Le (Le chien est très gentil.) – The dog is very kind.
- de la (Nous avons de la chance aujourd’hui.) – We are lucky today.
- Les (Les livres sont sur la table.) – The books are on the table.
- Le (Le dernier film était incroyable.) – The last movie was amazing.
- les (J’ai acheté les mêmes chaussures que toi.) – I bought the same shoes as you.
- Le (Le plus grand arbre est ici.) – The biggest tree is here.
Explanation of Answers
- Au is used when referring to a masculine singular noun with the preposition “to the” (e.g., au parc).
- Le is for masculine singular nouns (e.g., le gâteau).
- À la is for feminine singular nouns with the preposition “to the” (e.g., à la plage).
- L’ is used before a singular noun starting with a vowel sound (e.g., **L’**école).
- Du is used for masculine singular nouns with the preposition “of the” (e.g., du film).
- Les is used for plural nouns, both masculine and feminine (e.g., les livres).
- De la is for feminine singular nouns with the preposition “some of the” (e.g., de la chance).
- Les can also refer to the most or last in a plural sense (e.g., Les livres are plural).
- Le is used for both masculine singular nouns and to emphasize “the most” or “last” (e.g., le dernier film).
- Les is also used to say “the same” or “the most” for plural nouns (e.g., les mêmes chaussures).
Conclusion
Learning how to say “the” in French is a key step toward mastering the language. Whether it’s the masculine le, the feminine la, or the plural les, understanding these forms helps you describe things clearly and accurately. French also has additional phrases like au, à la, and des that further refine how you express “the” in different contexts, such as showing possession or indicating direction.
By practicing the different ways to say “the” and incorporating them into conversations, you can improve your French skills and sound more natural. Remember, the gender of the noun and whether it’s singular or plural play an important role in determining which form of “the” to use.
Keep practicing the exercises and responses, and soon you’ll be able to use these forms of “the” confidently in any situation. French is a beautiful language, and mastering these small details will bring you closer to fluency!