/le/

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Translation

the (plural)

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Word origin

The plural definite article, from Latin illos and illas ('those'), the accusative plural forms of ille ('that'), which weakened into the article.

Origin
Latin
Root
illos

Examples

.

The children have been playing in the garden since this morning.

.

The flowers on the table smell really good.

.

I really like the books by this French author.

.

Electric cars are becoming more and more popular.

, .

Every day I take the train to go to work.

is the plural definite article in French, used for both masculine and feminine nouns: les enfants (the children), les fleurs (the flowers). It is the plural of both le (masculine singular) and la (feminine singular), and unlike the singular forms it does not elide before a vowel. Instead, the final s links into the next word as a /z/ sound when liaison applies: les enfants is pronounced lez-enfants.

French uses the definite article in many places English drops it, especially with general statements: les chats aiment dormir (cats like to sleep), j'aime les pommes (I like apples). The contracted forms aux (from à les) and des (from de les) replace les after those two prepositions, but otherwise les stays the same in every position. See the French articles guide for how the full set fits together.

Where this fits

Used in

Stories

(79)

Grammar articles

(47)

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French · Free printables

les: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the French word "les" (the (plural)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.

This word is taught in chapter 1, lesson 6: French articles.