l'

Article Elision

Level 1

El and la usually become l’ before a vowel sound or silent h.

How It Works

Elision replaces the vowel of the singular article with an apostrophe: l'amic, l'hora. The following noun keeps its gender even though l’ looks the same for both. Plural els and les never elide.

Feminine la stays before unstressed initial i or u, including after h: la història, la universitat. Compare stressed l'illa. Both articles stay before consonantal i/u: el iogurt, la iaia. Names of letters also keep the article: la a.

Articles before personal names depend on region. Central Catalan commonly has en/el Marc and l'Anna; Balearic usage includes en/na and n'Andreu/n'Anna. Do not impose n’ on every Catalan name beginning with a vowel. Feminine unstressed i/u also blocks elision in names such as la Irene or na Isabel.

Examples (3)

  1. L'home obre l'armari.

    The man opens the wardrobe.

  2. L'illa té una escola.

    The island has a school.

  3. La història és interessant.

    The story is interesting.

How It Connects

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l'Level 1Article Elision

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