Focused learning guide
Catalan articles and contractions: el, la, els, les and apostrophes
Choose Catalan definite and indefinite articles and form contractions with a, de and per without memorising disconnected lists.
Catalan articles agree in gender and number, elides vowels with apostrophes, and contracts certain preposition-plus-article combinations in predictable ways.
The core article set
Definite articles are el, la, els, les; indefinite forms are un, una, uns, unes. Some regional standards use additional forms. Learn nouns with an article to make gender visible.
Elision before vowels
Singular definite articles often become l’: l’amic, l’escola. Exceptions depend on pronunciation and spelling, including some unstressed i/u sounds and particular feminine words.
Contractions with prepositions
Combine a + el as al, de + el as del, and per + el as pel, with plural forms als, dels, pels. No contraction occurs when the article is apostrophised: de l’escola.
Questions learners ask
Frequently asked questions
Does Catalan use lo as an article?
Some varieties use lo, but learners should follow the standard and regional model relevant to them.
Is l’ masculine or feminine?
It can represent el or la; the noun and agreement reveal gender.
Why is it de l’ but del?
Apostrophised articles remain separate; the full el contracts with de.