The Definite and Indefinite Articles (still in progress).

In English the Definite Article is simply the word: "the."

The definite article in French is:

    1. le before a masculine noun: le garçon (the boy); le mur (the wall); le chat ( the cat).
    2. la before a feminine noun: la fille (the girl); la maison (the house); la lampe (the lamp)
    3. l' before a vowel of a (mute) "h"; l'homme (the man); l'enfant (the child); l'argent (the mney)
    4. les before all plural nouns: les filles (the girls); les garçons (the boys); les gens (the people).

How does one know the gender (masuline or feminine) of a noun in French?
-when dealing with animals it's simple: boy - girl; cow - bull; man- woman, and so on.
-when dealing with inanimate objects it's more difficult to explain, and I won't even go
   there at this time (this is more for the Historical Linguist to deal with).

When you're studying the vocabulary learn the correct definite article that goes with it!!
  Thus: the boy = le garçon; the house = la maison; les devoirs= the homework (some nouns are always    plural).
  If a noun begins with a vowel or a mute "h," most textbook will indicate gender
  or number (= singular or plural) by adding:
           (f.) for feminine; (m.) for masculine; (f.pl.) for feminine plural; (m.pl.) for masculine plural.   

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The Indefinite Article is:
     1. a -- a dog, a cat, a doughnut, a hand, a handicap.
     2. an before a vowel or a mute "h" -- an instant, an avenue, an urban legend, an hour, an hotel
        You may say that when the word beginning with an "h" is borrowed from a "romance" language it is mute;
        well, at time you can do it both ways -- but that not the topic here).
     3. some (yep, some) - the plural of a(n) is some.
         some cookies; some houses; some stupid, indefinite articles; some ideas...

still in progress