Articles
Definite, indefinite, contractions, zero article, and partitive meaning.
The article identifies the noun
Catalan articles agree with the noun in gender and number. Use the definite article when the listener can identify the referent, when you mean a class in general, and with many names in ordinary central Catalan. Use the indefinite article when you introduce one non-identified member of a class.
Definite and indefinite forms
| Masculine | Feminine | |
|---|---|---|
| Singular definite | el llibre · l’home | la taula · l’amiga |
| Plural definite | els llibres | les taules |
| Singular indefinite | un llibre | una taula |
| Plural indefinite | uns llibres | unes taules |
El and la normally apostrophize before a vowel or silent h: l’avi, l’hora. Important exceptions preserve clarity: la universitat, la iaia, la una and feminine words beginning with unstressed i/u sounds. The plural forms never apostrophize.
Contractions
A + el = al, de + el = del, and in the plural als, dels. With an apostrophe there is no contraction: a l’hotel, de l’escola. The literary combinations pel/pels represent per + el/els.
| Separate meaning | Required form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a + el | al | Vaig al mercat. |
| a + els | als | Ho dono als veïns. |
| de + el | del | Vinc del centre. |
| de + els | dels | Parlem dels resultats. |
When the article disappears
- After ser, professions, religions, and roles normally have no article when they classify: Soc arquitecta; és budista; treballa de cambrer. Add an article when the noun is identified or modified: És l’arquitecta del projecte.
- After quantities and indefinite expressions, mass nouns use no partitive article: Vull pa; beu molta aigua; no tenim temps.
- Languages take an article as topics or objects—El català és romànic; estudio el català—but often lose it after en or when manner is meant: Ho diu en català; parla català.
- Days take the article for habitual reference: Els dilluns treballo a casa. A single dated day may stand without it: Arribo dilluns.
Generic, definite, and partitive meaning
Catalan has no dedicated partitive article equivalent to French du/de la. A generic class commonly takes the definite article—M’agrada el cafè—while an unspecified amount after a verb may have zero article—Vull cafè. Use en when replacing a quantity: En vull dos (“I want two of them”).
Examples in context
He deixat les claus damunt la taula.
I left the keys on the table.
Busco un pis que tingui balcó.
I’m looking for a flat that has a balcony.
La Júlia és metgessa, però avui no treballa.
Júlia is a doctor, but she is not working today.
El pa d’aquest forn és molt bo.
The bread from this bakery is very good.
Voldria pa i una ampolla d’aigua.
I’d like bread and a bottle of water.
Anem al cinema després de la feina.
We’re going to the cinema after work.
Els diumenges dinem amb els avis.
On Sundays we have lunch with the grandparents.
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