il-

The definite article commonly identifies a referent recognizable from context. At the start of a phrase, il- occurs before many consonant-initial words. Attach it with a hyphen. Compare kappell, “a hat,” with il-kappell, “the hat.” Masculine, feminine and plural nouns do not select different articles.

Before a vowel, use l-. Before a defined consonant set, the article's consonant assimilates. Some initial clusters acquire a supporting vowel, giving forms such as l-iskola. The preceding word matters too: after a vowel-final word, the article can lack its initial i even before a consonant, as in Marija l-ktieb within a sentence.

Certain prepositions combine with the article. Attributive adjectives can also bear an article; this concerns noun-phrase structure rather than gender or number agreement.