Articles

We choose "a" or "an" by the sound of the next word, not the spelling. Use an before a vowel sound — an apple, an egg, an hour (h is silent), an heir. Use a before a consonant sound — a boy, a university (yoo-), a European (yoo-), a one-rupee coin (wun-). Indefinite articles introduce a person or thing for the first time.हम "a" या "an" अगले शब्द की ध्वनि से चुनते हैं, वर्तनी से नहीं। स्वर ध्वनि से पहले an — an apple, an egg, an hour (h मौन), an heir। व्यंजन ध्वनि से पहले a — a boy, a university (यू-), a European (यू-), a one-rupee coin (वन-)। अनिश्चयवाचक article किसी व्यक्ति/वस्तु का पहली बार परिचय कराते हैं।

Use the when the noun is specific — already mentioned, unique, or clear from context.the तब लगाएँ जब संज्ञा विशिष्ट हो — पहले उल्लिखित, अद्वितीय, या संदर्भ से स्पष्ट।

• Something already mentioned: "A man stole money. The thief hasn't been caught."पहले उल्लिखित: "A man stole money. The thief hasn't been caught."
• Unique things: the sun, the moon, the earth.अद्वितीय चीज़ें: the sun, the moon, the earth।
• Before superlatives & ordinals: "the highest building", "the first prize".superlative व क्रमसूचक से पहले: "the highest building", "the first prize"।
• Rivers, oceans, mountain ranges, deserts, monuments: the Atlantic, the Himalayas, the Eiffel Tower.नदियाँ, महासागर, पर्वतमाला, मरुस्थल, स्मारक: the Atlantic, the Himalayas, the Eiffel Tower।
• Plural-name countries: the United States, the Philippines. With an adjective for a whole group: the poor. With decades: the seventies.बहुवचन-नाम देश: the United States, the Philippines। पूरे समूह के लिए विशेषण के साथ: the poor। दशकों के साथ: the seventies।

Use no article in these general cases:इन सामान्य स्थितियों में कोई article नहीं:

• Uncountable & abstract nouns in general: "Honey is sweet." "Wisdom is better than riches." (but "Pass the sugar" = specific)सामान्य अगणनीय व भाववाचक संज्ञा: "Honey is sweet." "Wisdom is better than riches." (पर "Pass the sugar" = विशिष्ट)
• Plural countable nouns in general: "Computers are useful." "Spiders have eight legs."सामान्य बहुवचन गणनीय संज्ञा: "Computers are useful." "Spiders have eight legs."
• Proper nouns — countries, cities, people, languages: "India is a democracy." "Can you speak English?"व्यक्तिवाचक संज्ञा — देश, शहर, व्यक्ति, भाषाएँ: "India is a democracy." "Can you speak English?"
• Names of meals: "Dinner is ready." Professions in general: "Engineering is well paid." Years: "1948 was a great year."भोजन के नाम: "Dinner is ready." सामान्य पेशे: "Engineering is well paid." वर्ष: "1948 was a great year."
• school, college, university, church, bed, hospital, prison — when used for their normal purpose: "He is at university."school, college, university, church, bed, hospital, prison — सामान्य उद्देश्य के लिए: "He is at university."

• First mention → a/an; later mention → the. "I saw a girl. The girl was very beautiful."पहला उल्लेख → a/an; बाद में → the. "I saw a girl. The girl was very beautiful."
• Do not use "the" with a singular uncountable noun in general: The milk is nutritious → Milk is nutritious.सामान्य एकवचन अगणनीय संज्ञा के साथ "the" नहीं: The milk is nutritious → Milk is nutritious।
• Do not use "a/an" or a number with an uncountable noun: a water, two waters → water / "two glasses of water".अगणनीय संज्ञा के साथ "a/an" या संख्या नहीं: a water → water / "two glasses of water"।
• Use "the" with a meal only when it is a particular one: "The lunch we had at the restaurant was good."भोजन के साथ "the" तभी जब वह विशेष हो: "The lunch we had at the restaurant was good."