Asturian

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Etymology 1

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Contraction of the masculine article el.

Article

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l' m

  1. (definite) the
Usage notes
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  • The masculine singular article el contracts to l' before a word beginning with a vowel or h: l'asturianu (the Asturian), l'hermanu (the brother)
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Etymology 2

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Contraction of the feminine article la.

Article

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l' f

  1. (definite) the
Usage notes
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  • The feminine singular article la contracts to l' before a word beginning with a or ha: l'asturiana (the Asturian), l'habitación (the habitation)
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Catalan

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Pronunciation

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Article

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l' m or f

  1. Contraction of el: the
  2. Contraction of la: the

Usage notes

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  • el is contracted to l' before a vowel or h-.
    l'avithe grandfather
  • la is contracted to l' before a vowel or h-, except before a following unstressed (h)i- or (h)u-.
    l'àviathe grandmother
    l'horathe hour
    l'única filla (stressed ⟨u⟩)the only daughter
    la ullada (unstressed ⟨u⟩)the glance

Pronoun

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l'

  1. Contraction of el.
  2. Contraction of la.

Usage notes

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  • l' is the elided (elida) form of the pronoun. It is used before verbs beginning with a vowel. The exceptions regarding the contraction of la mentioned above apply as well.
    L'envejo.I envy him/her.
    La interessa. (unstressed ⟨i⟩)It interests her.

Declension

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Corsican

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Article

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l'

  1. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of u, lu: the
  2. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of a, la: the
  3. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of i, li: the
  4. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of e, le: the

Pronoun

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l'

  1. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of u, lu: him
  2. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of a, la: her
  3. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of i, li: them
  4. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of e, le: them

See also

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References

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Esperanto

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Pronunciation

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Article

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l' (definite)

  1. (poetic) Apocopic form of la: the

Usage notes

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It is used mainly in poetry and lyrics as a tool for enforcing a specific meter or rhythm, although it may at times be used in prose for a poetic stylistic effect.

A space is used after l' (e.g. "de l' mondo", not "de l'mondo"). It is most common after prepositions ending in a vowel, de l' (of the) being most common by far.

When possible it is pronounced at the end of the proceeding syllable rather than at the start of the following syllable (e.g. de l' animo (of the soul) is pronounced /del aˈni.mo/ rather than /de laˈni.mo/).

Frequent or consistent use of l' can be found as a feature of the ideolects of some people, but this is considered non-standard, and is discouraged by the majority of fluent speakers.

Derived terms

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Franco-Provençal

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Determiner

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l' m or f

  1. Prevocalic clipping of la
  2. Prevocalic clipping of lo

Pronoun

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l' m or f

  1. Prevocalic clipping of la
  2. Prevocalic clipping of lo

French

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /l‿/
  • Audio:(file)

Article

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l’ m or f (singular, definite)

  1. (before a vowel or mute h) Apocopic form of le, la: the
  2. (Quebec, colloquial, after a vowel) Apocopic form of le: the
    • 2002, Jean-François Pauzé (lyrics and music), “La Manifestation”, in Break Syndical:
      À la manifestation, / on rêvait d’révolution / se gelant l’cul avec une poignée de comparses / sous la pluie froide du mois d’mars
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Pronoun

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l’ m or f (third-person singular)

  1. (before a vowel or mute h) Apocopic form of le, la: him, her, it
  2. (Quebec, colloquial, after a vowel) Apocopic form of le: him, it
    • 2002, Jean-François Pauzé, Marie-Annick Lépine (lyrics and music), “Toune d'automne”, in Break Syndical:
      Icitte y’a papa qui se r’met / fe sa p’tite opération / t’aurais du l’voir, y fakait / fallait l’traiter aux p’tits oignons
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
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Further reading

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Friulian

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Friulian Definite Articles
singular plural
masculine il
l'
i
feminine  la
l'
lis

Article

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l' m or f (definite)

  1. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of il, la: the

Haitian Creole

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Etymology

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Contration of li, from French lui.

Pronoun

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l'

  1. Alternative spelling of l; contraction of li.

Article

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l'

  1. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of la: the

Italian

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Italian Definite Articles
singular plural
masculine il
lo/l'
i
gli
feminine  la/l' le

Pronunciation

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Article

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l' m or f (apocopated) (definite)

  1. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of il/lo, la: the

Pronoun

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l' m or f (apocopated)

  1. (before vowels) Apocopic form of lo, la: him, her, it

Usage notes

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  • Optionally elides before a vowel, especially before ho and ha: l'ho, l'ha. Elision before other verbs beginning with a stressed vowel is less common: lo era instead of l'era, lo è instead of l'è.

See also

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Ladin

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Article

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l' f (singular)

  1. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of la: the

See also

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Leonese

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Etymology 1

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Contraction of the masculine article el.

Article

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l' m sg

  1. Apocopic form of el: the
Usage notes
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  • The masculine singular article el contracts to l' before a word beginning with a vowel or h.

Etymology 2

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Contraction of the feminine article la.

Article

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l' f sg

  1. Apocopic form of la: the
Usage notes
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  • The feminine singular article la contracts to l' before a word beginning with a or ha.

Ligurian

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Article

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l' m sg (definite)

  1. (before a vowel) the (+ a masculine name in the singular)

Middle French

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Article

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l'

  1. elided form of le, la: the

Usage notes

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  • Earlier manuscripts omit the apostrophe
  • lamethe soul

Neapolitan

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Etymology

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From Latin ille, illa.

Particle

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l' m and f (singular and plural definite)

  1. (before a vowel) Apocopic form of 'o, 'a: the

Old French

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Article

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l'

  1. (before a vowel sound) Apocopic form of la/le: the

Usage notes

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  • Original manuscripts omit the apostrophe
  • lamethe soul

Romagnol

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Alternative forms

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  • e' before a consonant

Article

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l' m (before a vowel)

  1. the

Sassarese

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /l‿/, (after a word ending in a vowel) /r‿/

Article

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l'

Sassarese definite articles
singular plural
masculine lu/l' li/l'
feminine la/l'
  1. Apocopic form of lu
  2. Apocopic form of la
  3. Apocopic form of li

Pronoun

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l'

  1. Apocopic form of lu
  2. Apocopic form of la
  3. Apocopic form of li

Usage notes

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  • Used before a vowel sound.