English

Articles: el, la — and the apostrophe

Every noun has a gender, and the article travels with it. Learn a word with its article: not "casa" but la casa. For example: “el llibre → els llibres” — the book → the books. A rule from the Valencian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

How it works

Every noun has a gender, and the article travels with it. Learn a word with its article: not "casa" but la casa.

A rule of thumb for eight cases in ten: a consonant or -o at the end → el, -ala. Exceptions exist (el dia, la sal), but few.

Before a vowel the article shrinks to l': el homel'home, la aigual'aigua. The apostrophe is obligatory: "lhome" is not a word. In the plural — els, les.

By example

  • el llibre → els llibres
    the book → the books
  • l'home
    the man — el and home fuse into one word
  • l'aigua és freda
    the water is cold

How the rule settles in your head

A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.

Frequently asked

Articles: how does it work in Valencian?

Every noun has a gender, and the article travels with it. Learn a word with its article: not "casa" but la casa.

What does it look like in an example sentence Valencian?

“el llibre → els llibres” — the book → the books. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.

Next

Test the rule on examplesPractice