Meaning
the
In a sentence
Il caffè è sul tavolo della cucina.
The coffee is on the kitchen table.
Hai visto il mio telefono ieri sera?
Did you see my phone last night?
Non trovo il biglietto per il treno.
I can't find the ticket for the train.
Word forms (8)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| il | masculine · singular |
| lo | masculine · singular |
| l' | masculine · singular |
| la | feminine · singular |
| l' | feminine · singular |
| i | masculine · plural |
| gli | masculine · plural |
| le | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use 'il' for masculine singular nouns starting with a consonant (e.g., 'il libro').
- Don’t use 'il' with nouns starting with 's + consonant' or 'z'—use 'lo' instead (e.g., 'lo specchio').
- 'Il' contracts to 'l'' before vowels (e.g., 'l’albero'), but never with 'h' (e.g., 'il hotel').