TKG English Learner's Dictionary

the

thedeterminer

American /ðə/ British /ðə/ also /ði/ before a vowel sound, as in the apple; also the strong form in American English also (British) /ðiː/ the strong form, when the word is stressed or said alone The is normally unstressed: ðə before a consonant sound (the car, the university) and ði before a vowel sound (the apple, the hour). The strong form, ði in American and ðiː in British English, is used when the word is stressed or said alone.
very commondefining vocabulary

The points to a particular person or thing, one that the listener or reader can tell from all the others.

  1. particular oneused before a noun to show that the listener or reader knows which person or thing is meant

    The person or thing is known because it was mentioned before (I bought a coat and a hat; the hat was cheap), because it is clear from the situation (Could you close the door?), or because the words after the noun say which one (the book I lent you).

    Collocations

    phrase in the morning, in the evening, at the moment, on the way, in the end, at the same time

    Compare a (a or an is used when the listener does not yet know which one is meant, or when it does not matter which); an

    1. aused instead of my, your, his, and so on before a part of the body, especially after a preposition

  2. only oneused before a noun for something of which there is only one, or only one that matters to the people talking

    There is no need to say which one: the sun, the sky, the sea, the world. In the same way people say the doctor, the station, the government, or the news, meaning the one in their own life or town.

    Collocations

    phrase the sun, the moon, the sky, the world, the weather, the internet

  3. whole kindused before a singular noun to talk about every member of a kind of thing

    This use is common in writing and in general statements about animals, machines, and instruments: the tiger, the computer, the piano. In everyday speech a plural noun with no article is more usual: Bicycles are cheap; computers have changed the way we work. For a musical instrument, the is the normal choice: play the piano.

    1. aused before an adjective to mean all the people of that kind

      The plus an adjective takes a plural verb: the poor are, not the poor is.

      Collocations

      phrase the poor, the rich, the young, the old, the sick, the dead

  4. best, first, onlyused before words such as best, biggest, first, second, only, same, next, and last, which pick out one thing from all the others

    These words leave only one possible choice, so the goes with them: the best day, the first time, the same thing. Next and last take the when they mean the one after or before in a series, but not in next week or last year.

    Collocations

    phrase the best, the first, the last, the only, the same, the next

  5. by the hourused after by before a unit of measurement to say how something is counted, sold, or paid for

    • The workers are paid by the hour.
    • Apples are sold by the kilo at the market.
    • You can rent a boat by the day.

    Collocations

    phrase by the hour, by the day, by the kilo, by the dozen

  6. stressed theused with strong stress before a noun to say that this is the best known or most important one of its kind

    Here the is said with stress, ði in American English and ðiː in British English, and in print it is often in italics. It says that everyone knows or wants this one: the place to eat, the person to ask.

Usage

The is used before the names of rivers, seas, oceans, deserts, groups of islands or mountains, and countries whose names are plural or contain a noun such as republic or kingdom. Most other names, of people, cities, countries, streets, and single lakes or mountains, take no article. In the more, the better and similar pairs, the is not this determiner but an adverb meaning roughly "by that much"; see the (adverb).

Common mistakes

I love the nature. I love nature.
Nature, life, music, and other uncountable nouns take no article when they mean the thing in general.
I like the music very much. I like music very much.
With the, the sentence means a particular piece of music that both people know about; for music in general, use no article.
Can I use bathroom? Can I use the bathroom?
A singular countable noun needs a determiner, and the listener knows which bathroom is meant.

See also the (the correlative use in the more, the better, a different part of speech)

For translators

Meaning across languages Languages with articles do not all use them where English does. Many put an article before an abstract or general noun (life, music, nature) where English has none, and some use one before a name or a possessed noun. Translate the by asking whether the listener can already tell which one is meant.
Grammar trap Many languages have no article, and learners from them leave the out or add it where English has none. A singular countable noun always needs some determiner. Use the when both speaker and listener know which one is meant; use no article for a plural or uncountable noun taken in general.
Pronunciation trap Weak forms: ðə before a consonant sound and ði before a vowel sound: the apple, the hour (the h is silent). The choice depends on the sound, not the letter: the university takes ðə because it begins with a y sound. The strong form is used only for stress.