참여번역 : 어학사전

Definite and indefinite articles

40문장 100% 한국어 번역 4명 참여 출처 : 칸아카데미

2 영상보기

내 번역문 보기

영어 to

한국어

2단 보기 1단 보기

Definite and indefinite articles

[Voiceover] So we've covered the basic idea that divides the usage of "the" from a" and an".

"The" is the definite article, and a" or an" is the indefinite.

So when you're being non-specific in language, you would use the indefinite article as in, "May I have an orange?"

Cause it doesn't matter which orange you're asking for, you don't care, it's any orange, as opposed to if you wanted the orange.

This usage is much more specific, and it seems to indicate that there is only one orange.

You see the orange in particular that you want, you're identifying it, you're asking for it.

That's what this definite usage is.

Something that's interesting about the word "the" is that it can be used for both singular and plural nouns.

So it's both singular and plural.

So you could say "May I have the orange?"

You could also say "May I have the oranges?"

And "an" does not really allow this, it is only singular.

So you can't say "May I have an oranges?"

This is not standard.

What you'd probably say instead is "May I have some oranges?"

So this is not standard, does not work in standard American English.

The other thing about "a" or an" is that it's "a" or an".

The indefinite article changes depending on the vowel sound that comes after it.

So changes for vowel sounds.

Now what does that mean?

Well it means that if you know that word that you're going to say next like ah or ooh or eh or uh or ee, then you're gonna change it to "an".

So it's the difference between saying "A box," and "An apple."

What we don't say in standard American English is "a apple."

It's not as easy on the mouth, frankly, it takes a little bit more effort.

And any linguist will tell you that the way languages develop is that they were word laziness.

So we say "a box" but we say an apple."

Something a little weird though, you want to make sure that you're looking for vowel sounds not just for vowels.

Because some vowels, for example, the letter U don't always produce "ooh" sounds.

Sometimes if they're at the beginning of a word, like in word union, so if you say "a union," that produces a yuh" sound, and yuh" is technically a consonant sound.

That's not a vowel.

But there are certainly cases like "An underwater boat," where the letter U does produce an ooh" or an uh" sound, and that's a vowel.

So if you're gonna start the word with a vowel sound, what you wanna do is choose "an" instead of a" but just be careful of the letter U for example.

So to recap, "the" is the definite article.

You can use it for both singular and plural usage.

"May I have the orange? May I have the oranges?"

"A" or an" is indefinite and it's only singular, so you can say "May I have an orange?" or "May I have some oranges?"

Before a vowel sound, "a" changes to an" so you say a box," but an apple". Not "a apple."

You say "a union," but an underwater boat."

You can learn anything. David out.

번역 0% 대기중

Definite and indefinite articles발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

[Voiceover] So we've covered the basic idea that divides the usage of "the" from a" and an".발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

"The" is the definite article, and a" or an" is the indefinite.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So when you're being non-specific in language, you would use the indefinite article as in, "May I have an orange?"발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

Cause it doesn't matter which orange you're asking for, you don't care, it's any orange, as opposed to if you wanted the orange.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

This usage is much more specific, and it seems to indicate that there is only one orange.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

You see the orange in particular that you want, you're identifying it, you're asking for it.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

That's what this definite usage is.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

Something that's interesting about the word "the" is that it can be used for both singular and plural nouns.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So it's both singular and plural.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So you could say "May I have the orange?"발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

You could also say "May I have the oranges?"발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

And "an" does not really allow this, it is only singular.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So you can't say "May I have an oranges?"발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

This is not standard.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

What you'd probably say instead is "May I have some oranges?"발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So this is not standard, does not work in standard American English.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

The other thing about "a" or an" is that it's "a" or an".발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

The indefinite article changes depending on the vowel sound that comes after it.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So changes for vowel sounds.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

Now what does that mean?발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

Well it means that if you know that word that you're going to say next like ah or ooh or eh or uh or ee, then you're gonna change it to "an".발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So it's the difference between saying "A box," and "An apple."발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

What we don't say in standard American English is "a apple."발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

It's not as easy on the mouth, frankly, it takes a little bit more effort.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

And any linguist will tell you that the way languages develop is that they were word laziness.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So we say "a box" but we say an apple."발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

Something a little weird though, you want to make sure that you're looking for vowel sounds not just for vowels.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

Because some vowels, for example, the letter U don't always produce "ooh" sounds.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

Sometimes if they're at the beginning of a word, like in word union, so if you say "a union," that produces a yuh" sound, and yuh" is technically a consonant sound.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

That's not a vowel.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

But there are certainly cases like "An underwater boat," where the letter U does produce an ooh" or an uh" sound, and that's a vowel.발음듣기

다른 번역문 등록

So if you're gonna start the word with a vowel sound, what you wanna do is choose "an" instead of a" but just be careful of the letter U for example.발음듣기