Articles: a, an, the

A / AN

General / One of many / One thing or person 

For example 

I don’t have a job right now. 

There is a woman at the bus stop. 

I bought a watch and a jacket. 

I have a car. (there are many cares and I have one) 

Can I ask a question? (there are many questions — can I ask one? 

Yoni is a student. (there are many students and Yoni is one) 

Tel Aviv is an interesting city in Israel. (there are many interesting cities in Israel and Tel Aviv is one) 

AN (not A) if the word starts with the vowel sound of a/e/i/o/u

For example 

I want to eat an apple and an egg. 

I went to an ice cream shop. 

I will bring an umbrella. 

There was an interesting program on TV last night. 

Special Case: 

an hour (h is not pronounced: hour, should be pronounced [ ouuhr, ou-er ]) 

For example 

I will be there in an hour.  

A (not AN) if the word starts with a consonant sound. 

For example 

I work in a bank. 

She ate a banana. 

I am going to buy a jacket. 

She is wearing a hat. 

I am raising a cat. 

Special Case: 

a university (u is not pronounced: /u/niversity, should be pronounced  [yu-nuh-vur-si-tee]) 

a European country  (pronounced /yu/ropean)

For example 

I study Economics at a university. 

I mean a woman from a European country. 

THE

a. Specific and when it is clear which thing or person we mean. 

For example

Can you repeat the question, please? (= the question that you asked) 

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. 

The new hotel downtown is huge. 

I like the red flower in the basket.

I’m reading the book you bought for me. 

Please turn off the light and close the door. (the light and the door of the room)

I would like to speak to the manager, please. (the manager of this store)  

SPECIAL NOTES:

In general, we don’t use the article ‘the’ with the names of places. 

I live in Israel. 

I went to Thailand. 

Peru is in South America. 

But we use the in names with:

Names with ‘republic’/states’/kingdom’. 

I visited the United Kingdom last winter. (the UK)

I really want to live in the United States of America. (the USA)

the -s (plural names) 

I want to visit the Philippines. 

She is working in the Netherlands.