3.2. Uses of Indefinite Articles and Definite Articles

3.2.1. Uses of Indefinite Articles

Mandatory Uses

1. Countable Nouns

Hao un libro.	I have a book.
La fémena mangîa un pomo.	The woman eats an apple.
Un momènto, per favore.	One moment, please.

Ella ha unos pomos.	She has some apples.

Optional Uses

1. Expected Characteristics

In Romance languages of the Iberian peninsula (Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan), speakers usually omit the indefinite article before things that are common or associated with a subject.

Neolatin presents this option, but it is not obligatory due to the absence of this characteristic in all other major Romance languages.

Non hao automòbile.	I do not have an automobile.
Stèfano ha cane?	Does Stèfano have a dog?
Hao appontamènto vèneres.	I have an appointment on Friday.

2. The Indefinite Adjectives “Altro” and “Tale”

Romance languages of the Iberian peninsula (Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan) and Romanian omit the indefinite article, whereas languages like French and Italian include the indefinite article. In the case of “tale”, it is in the sense of similarity.

Un altro día / Altro día	Another day
Jammais hai visto (una) tale incompetèntsa!	Never have I seen such incompetence!

3.2.2. Uses of Definite Articles

Mandatory Uses

1. General Nouns or Abstract Nouns

Definite articles are required when speaking about nouns in a general or abstract sense.

Me place lo caffè.	I like coffee.
La aqua èst un líquido.	Water is a liquid.
La educatione èst importante.	Education is important.

2. Specific Nouns

Use the definite article to refer to a specific object.

Lo libro que cerco èst verde.	The book that I am looking for is green.
Hao visto la nòva versione, mais prefèro la antica.	I have seen the new version, but I prefer the old one.

3. Names of Languages

Definite articles are used with names of languages when the language is the subject of a sentence.

Lo japonese èst una lengua diffícile.	Japanese is a difficult language.
Me place molto lo neolatino.	I really like Neolatin. (Literally: The Neolatin pleases me much.)

4. Body Parts and Personal Items

In Romance languages, it is required to use the definite article in some cases where a possessive adjective (like “your”) would be used; specifically, in the case of body parts and personal items (like clothing).

Me dòle lo estòmaco. / Me face male lo estòmaco.	My stomach hurts. (Literally: It hurts me the stomach).
Apre los òllîos!	Open your eyes! (Literally: Open the eyes!)
Elle perdeu los oclares	He lost his glasses. (Literally: He lost the glasses.)

5. Set Phrases

There are some set phrases involving places that require the definite article.

En lo espatio	In space
En la televisione / Ad la televisione	On television

6. Personal Titles

When talking about someone with a title, use the definite article.

Lo doctore Lopez èst colombiano.	Doctor Lopez is Colombian.
La professora Russo sape molto.	Professor Russo knows a lot.

Note that this rule does not apply for the title of “San” or “Santa”.

San Patritio èst reconoscîuto como lo santo patròno de la Irlanda.	Saint Patrick is recognized as the patron saint of Ireland.

When speaking directly to the person with the title in question, omit the definite article.

“Salve, Doctore Lopez!”	“Hello, Doctor Lopez!”
“Como estates, Professora Russo?”	“How are you, Professor Russo?”

7. Habitual Actions in the Week

There are two types of situations when talking about an event in a week. The first situation is talking about an event that occurs only one time.

In this case, French and Italian do not use a definite article. Meanwhile, Spanish and Portuguese do use the definite article.

FRENCH AND ITALIAN	SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE	TRANSLATION
Doméneco vamos ad lo parche?	Vamos ad lo parche lo doméneco?	Can we go to the park on Sunday?

The second situation is talking about an event that occurs weekly on a regular basis.

In this case, French and Italian use a singular definite article. Meanwhile, Spanish and Portuguese use a plural definite article.

FRENCH AND ITALIAN	SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE	TRANSLATION
Trepallîas lo mèrcores?	Trepallîas los mèrcores?	Do you work on Mondays?

The French and Italian usage is recommended in Neolatin because French and Italian comprise distinct branches of Romance languages throughout a large part of Europe, whereas Spanish and Portuguese belong to the same branch in a more limited geographical area.

8. Firms, Institutions and Clubs

Organizations must be accompanied by a definite article to mark that they are single entities. The gender of the definite article depends on the definite article of the full name of the organization.

La Ecclesia	The Church (An entire religious institution, such as the Catholic Church)
La Roma	Roma (A football club)
Lo FBI	The FBI

Notice that because “La Roma” is an association (“associatione”), it has a feminine gender. Similarly the gender of “FBI” is masculine because it is an office (“officio”).

9. Telling Time

Èst la una.	It is one o’clock.
Son las òcto.	It is eight o’clock.
Partiremos ad las tres.	We will leave at three.

10. Numbers and Sequences

Items from a sequence must be accompanied by a definite article.

Quale èst lo plano B?	What is plan B?
Quale èst la respòsta ad lo número 3 (tres)?	What is the answer to number 3?
Somos lo número uno!	We are number one!
Per favore, aprite vòstros libros ad la pàgina 50 (cinquanta).	Please open your books to page 50 (fifty).
Pènso que la estatsone 5 (cinque) èst la mellîore.	I think season 5 is the bèst one.

11. Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns must also have an accompanying definite article.

Mèa casa èst pettitta, mais la toa èst grande.	My house is small, but yours is large.
Mèo colore preferito èst lo rosso, et lo too?	My favorite color is red, and yours?
Mèo telèfono functiona, mais lo soo non.	My telephone works, but his does not.
Pone toa mano sopre la mèa.	Put your hand on mine.

Optional Uses

1. Possessive Adjectives

Definite articles are optional in possessive adjectives.

Mèo nome / Lo mèo nome	My name
Nòstro sònnîo / Lo nòstro sònnîo	Our dream

2. Percentages

Percentages are optionally accompanied by a definite article (seen in Spanish, Catalan and Italian).

La aqua copre lo 71% (septanta-et-uno per cènto) de la superficie de la Terra.	Water covers 71% (seventy one percent) of Earth’s surface.

Usa lo còdice por obtenere un descònto de lo 50% (cinquanta per cènto).	Use the code to obtain a discount of 50% (fifty percent).

When talking about an increase or decrease by percentage, there is no single consensus.

Example: The population has grown by 50%.

• Portuguese: La populatione ha crescîuto 50%.
• Spanish and Catalan: La populatione ha crescîuto un 50%.
• French: La populatione ha crescîuto de 50%.
• Italian: La populatione ha crescîuto de lo 50%.
• Romanian: La populatione ha crescîuto con 50%.

A recommended option is to avoid a preposition (like in Portuguese).
La populatione ha crescîuto 50%.

3. Companies and Corporations

It is optional to place a definite article before the name of a company or corporation (seen in Catalan, Italian and Portuguese). The definite article “la” is used because the word “company” is feminine in Neolatin (“la empressa”).

La General Motors	General Motors
La BP	BP
La Costco	Costco
La Amazon	Amazon
La Nintendo	Nintendo

4. Years

The use of the definite article with years is optional.

En 1980 / En lo 1980 (mille nove cèntos octanta)	In 1980 (nineteen eighty)

The construction of the definite article with the year can be thought of as a shortened form as saying “the year 1980” ("lo anno 1980").

The use of the definite article can also apply with prepositions.

Elle estudiau psicología fine ad lo 1980.	He studied psychology until 1980.

5. Geography

Most Romance languages use definite articles for the names of countries, certain cities and other geographic features.

Vòllîo visitare la Francia.	I want to visit France.
La Euròpa Centrale èst bèlla.	Central Europe is beautiful.

Some cities require a definite article in Romance languages.

La Mecca	Mecca
Lo Cairo	Cairo

Geographical features generally lose the definite article when used with the prepositions “en” or "de".

Estao en Francia.	I am in France.
Paris èst la civetate plus populosa de Francia.	Paris is the most populous city in France.

However, the definite article can optionally be restored when the noun is modified.

Viaggîarai en la Euròpa Centrale.	I will travel to Central Europe.

3.2.3. When to Not Use Articles

1. Identity

When describing the identity of a person, avoiding using the indefinite article with the verb “essere”.

Lo sennîore Lopez èst professore.	Mister Lopez is a teacher.

However, when an adjective is used to describe the person, the indefinite article is required.

Lo sennîore Lopez èst un professore rígido.	Mister Lopez is a strict teacher.

In a similar manner, when using the word “como” to talk about a person’s identity, it is necessary to omit the indefinite article.

Como matre, comprèndo.	As a mother, I understand.
Me guadannîo la vita trepallîando como mecànico.	I earn my living working as a mechanic.

2. Exclamations

Avoid using the indefinite article during exclamations, such as with the exclamative adjective “que”.

Que bòn caffè!	What good coffee!
Que bèlla jornata!	What a beautiful day!
Que pena!	What a pity! / What a shame!
Que dolore!	What a pain!

3. The Numbers “Hundred” and “Thousand” in the Singular Form

When in the singular form, the words “cènto” (meaning “hundred) and “mille” (meaning “thousand”) lack the indefinite article and always retain the same base form. Neolatin does not have a short form of these words specifically for the singular form like in Spanish and Portuguese.

Cueste vèllîo vídeojòco còsta cènto dollares.	This old video game costs one hundred dollars.
Cueste computatore còsta mille euros.	This computer costs one thousand euros.

4. Numerals That Express Titles of Rulers

Carlos V (“Quinto”) fu imperatore de lo Sacro Impèrio Romano Germànico et rege de Espannîa.	Charles V (“the Fifth”) was an emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and a king of Spain.

Charles the Fifth already implies a ruler, so it would simply be “Carlos Quinto”. However, if the title of “King” is used with the name, the definite article is required.

Lo rege Carlos	King Charles

Lo rege Carlos V	King Charles V

5. Unspecified Quantities or Uncountable Nouns

If the amount of the object is general or unimportant, avoid using articles.

La libraria vende libros.	The bookstore sells books.
Cueste plato contène carne?	Does the dish contain meat?
Non hao patièntia por cuesto.	I have no patience for this.
Non hao tèmpo!	I do not have time!
Pono doas collîarias de súccaro en mèo caffè.	I put two spoonfuls of sugar in my coffee.
Necessito benzina.	I need gasoline.