In Italian, articles are words that define a noun as specific or unspecific. There are two types of articles: definite articles, which refer to a specific item, and indefinite articles, which refer to a general item. The definite articles are il, lo, la, i, gli, and le, while the indefinite articles are un, uno, and una. Definite articles are used when the noun is known to the listener, such as il libro (the book). Indefinite articles are used for something not specifically identified, like un libro (a book). The choice of article depends on the gender and number of the noun.