the

adjective
UK: /ðə/
US: /ðə/

  1. Used before a noun to refer to a specific thing or person.

    1. I saw the cat in the garden [ ] [ ]
    2. The president of the company announced the new policy at the meeting. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used to refer to someone or something when it is clear which one you mean.

    1. She is the best student in class [ ] [ ]
    2. The price of the tickets includes the cost of the pre-show dinner. [ ] [ ]

  3. Used to refer to a single one of something that exists.

    1. The sun is shining brightly today [ ] [ ]
    2. The Earth orbits the sun once every 365 days, give or take a few hours. [ ] [ ]
the adverb

  1. Used to emphasize the uniqueness or importance of someone or something.

    1. She's the Mary I know [ ] [ ]
    2. This is the place where the band first began playing music together. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "the" in English means: Used before a noun to refer to a specific thing or person., Used to refer to someone or something when it is clear which one you mean., Used to refer to a single one of something that exists..

The phonetic transcription of "the" is /ðə/ in British English and /ðə/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "the": "I saw the cat in the garden". More examples on the page.