L'
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Megan J.Kwiziq community member
L'
I still don't understand when do you do l'.
This question relates to:French lesson "Le/la/l' = The (French Definite Articles)"
Asked 8 years ago
![](/files/shared/_avatar-mids/user/1/gruff-circle_579f7c00a5caf.png)
Hi Megan,
If the next word starts with the letter a, e, i, o or u, then you contract le or la to l'.
If it starts with an h, but the h is silent/mute/unpronounced when the word is spoken (so in effect the next letter which is a vowel is the real first letter) then again, contract le or la to l'.
It just makes the words a bit easier to say and that's reflected in how they're written.
Does this answer your question?
If the next word starts with the letter a, e, i, o or u, then you contract le or la to l'.
If it starts with an h, but the h is silent/mute/unpronounced when the word is spoken (so in effect the next letter which is a vowel is the real first letter) then again, contract le or la to l'.
It just makes the words a bit easier to say and that's reflected in how they're written.
Does this answer your question?
![](/files/shared/_avatar-mids/user/8569/_DSF2754_57eced00dc139.jpg)
LauraKwiziq team member
Joakim,
Yes, there are, but you don't contract in front of them: le yaourt, le yurt, etc.
![](/files/shared/_avatar-mids/user/1/gruff-circle_579f7c00a5caf.png)
GruffKwiziq team member
You would contract "le" + "y" though (the adverbial pronoun) - again because it's pronounced as a vowel here. "Je l'y rejoins" for example.
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