Lesson 3 of 40 · win the Article Wizard badge
Il, la, un, una — nomi e articoli
Nouns and their articles
Uh oh — every object in the classroom has grown eyes, and each one wants the right little hat: il or la.
🎯 By the end you can…
- Tell whether a noun is masculine or feminine
- Choose il / lo / la and un / uno / una
- Name everyday objects around you
🎬 Listen to the scene
Tap a line to hear it, then say it back louder than Luna barks.
What is this?
It's a book. And this is a pen.
Where is Marco's book?
🔑 Two genders
| the | a | example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine -o | il | un | il libro, un cane |
| masculine s+cons., z, ps, gn | lo | uno | lo studente, uno zaino |
| feminine -a | la | una | la casa, una mela |
| -e (either gender) | il / la | un / una | il pane, la notte |
Adam's tip: Before a vowel: l'amico, l'acqua; un amico but un'amica.
🤯 Wow fact
In Italian a table is a girl (la tavola) and a book is a boy (il libro). Nobody knows why. Blame the Romans.
🗣️ Say it fast, say it silly
Il libro, la luna, lo zaino, l'amico!
Three times in a row without tripping = you win.
🧠 Puzzle time
Answer in your head first, then tap to check. 0 of 8 checked
Add il, lo, la or l'.
Add un, uno or una.
😂 Barzelletta — Luna's joke
What did lo say to il?
🚀 Your mission today
Grab five things near you and say il or la before each one. Guess if you must — guessing is training.
🎲 Play it with someone
Il o la?
Share your screen with photos of ten objects. Students shout the article first, then the noun. Fast, noisy, no writing.
My desk in Italian
Each student describes three things on their desk: «Sulla scrivania c'è un computer, una tazza e due libri.»
🧪 End-of-lesson quiz
Eight quick questions. Get 6 right to win the Article Wizard badge.
This lesson belongs to Unit 1 — Saying hello. Pass every quiz in the unit — and know 10 words — to be promoted to the next level.
💪 Keep the streak going
- Article trainer: the in-depth il / lo / la drill
- Flashcards, Set 7 — Around the House
- Label five objects at home with sticky notes
Word sets for this lesson
