THE INDEFINITE Article Homepage
The Indefinite Article French Italian Portuguese Romanian Spanish Translation
     
Singular Masculine un ami un amigo/ uno studente um amigo un amic un amigo a friend
     
Feminine une valise una valigia uma maleta o valiză una maleta a suitcase
     
Neutral None None None un stilou None a pen
     
Plural Masculine des amis uni amici/ studenti uns amigos unii amici unos amigos some friends
     
Feminine des valises une valigie umas maletas unele valize unas maletas some suitcases
     
Neutral None None None unele stilouri None some pens
How to Avoid Confusions?
The indefinite article is used to express an unspecific entity or more than one entity, but not the whole group.
Examples: Un muchacho te llama (Spanish: One boy calls you), Elle vend des tulipes (French: She sells tulips).
In negative sentences, the article is ommited in Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish. In French it is replaced by de.
Examples: Non vendono pane (Italian: They don't sell bread), Je ne veux pas de vin (French: I don't want wine).
In French and Italian, the partitive articles are often used; they are not used in Spanish, Romanian, and in Portuguese.
They are generally used with a singular noun that can be divided in very small quantities, like liquids and food.
In French: de + definite article (du, de la, des). Examples: Je bois du vin blanc (I drink white wine).
In Italian: di + definite article (del, dello, della, dei, degli, delle). Examples: Compro della carne (I buy meat).
Romanian has three genders (masculine, feminine, and neutral), and as such three sets of articles.  
For the neutral gender, the article is a combination of the masculine (for singular) and of the feminine (for the plural).