the

Pronunciation

stressed, before a vowel

• (UK) enPR: thē, IPA ^(key): /ðiː/, SAMPA: /Di:/
• (US) enPR: thē, IPA ^(key): /ði/, SAMPA: /Di/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

unstressed, before a consonant

• enPR: thə
• IPA ^(key): /ðə/
• SAMPA: /D@/

• Audio (CAN)

  (file)

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Determiner

Determiner the

1. (definite) (singular & plural) (count & non-count) Used, to show that you're talking about something that your listener will not mistake for another one.

   Compare "I read a book." and "I read the book."

2. (definite) (singular & plural) (count & non-count) Used with a stress, to show that the word following is special.

   Are you the John Smith that I went to school with?

3. (definite) (plural) Used with an adjective that acts like a noun to mean all of the people or things concerned.

   The poor need our help.

4. (definite) Used with superlatives forms of adjectives and adverbs.

   You are the best.

Notes

• the is called "the definite article"