No Words for A and The
Leave out a and the when you read Latin, and add whichever one English needs.
How It Works
English cannot do without a and the, so you add one when you translate. Latin leaves them out, and a reader supplies them from the story.
| Latin | Possible English |
|---|---|
| puella ridet | the girl is smiling, or a girl is smiling |
| librum habeo | I have a book, or I have the book |
| rex in villa est | the king is in the house, or a king is in a house |
Names and titles need no article in English either, so Deus bonus est means God is good. Prayers keep the same short style: Pater noster is Our Father.
Examples (5)
- Puella ridet.
The girl is smiling.
No article is written. In another story it could be a girl is smiling.
- Marcus librum legit.
Marcus is reading a book.
Librum could be a book or the book. The story decides.
- Rex in villa est.
The king is in the house.
Neither rex nor villa carries an article.
- Unus puer in horto est.
One boy is in the garden.
When the number is the point, Latin says unus (one).
- Deus bonus est.
God is good.
Names and titles take no article in English either.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The lack of a and the is the first big difference from English, so the overview of Latin comes first.
Related Patterns
- Six Noun Cases
The endings do the job that little words do in English.
Foundations - The Nominative Case
The form of the noun that names the subject.
Level 1 - This: hic, haec, hoc
A word that points to something near.
Level 3 - That: ille, illa, illud
A word that points to something far.
Level 3 - Counting One to Ten
Unus and the other numbers.
Level 2
Practice No Words for A and The in Bubblegum
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