A few days ago
Aiko

the article the?

which is right? or both are ok?

can u tell me if there is any difference?

A:can you send me the picture of you in THE bikini?

B:can you send me the picture of you in A bikini?

(you have seen the picture but you are not there with the person now)

Top 7 Answers
A few days ago
the antibeckham

Favorite Answer

Both are OK.

1)”the picture of you in A bikini” refers to a specific picture, which you have seen before, in which the person happens to be wearing a bikini.

2)”the picture of you in THE bikini” refers to a specific picture, which you have seen before, of the person in a specific bikini which is the main focus of your request.

Now, if it were 3)”A picture of you in A bikini”, then it refers to any picture of the person in a bikini. Likewise, 4)”A picture of you in THE bikini” refers to any picture in which the person is wearing the specific bikini.

Muzukashii desune. Ganbatte kudasai.

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A few days ago
ahiddentableau
Short answer: it doesn’t matter. Really, the picture is the subject, not the bikini. I’m assuming there’s only one picture with one bikini. In that case, it would be clear to the other person either way. “The” is more specific, and would refer to “the specific bikini we were talking about before.” “A” would be non-specific, but since there’s only one picture, the meaning is clear.

Articles in English have a lot of flexibility. In a lot of cases, either a or the are correct. Most students of English want a rule, but that’s not very helpful. Just remember the basic difference (“a” for something non-specific/not previously mentioned, “the” for something specfic/previously mentioned) and you’re fine.

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A few days ago
Anonymous
Both can be right. The first is about the specific bikini. The second is more generally when the bikini in question is not a particular bikini.
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A few days ago
xchaitea
For A, it’s entitling a specific bikini. While, B, it’s just telling you to wear a (random) bikini. Both are OK.
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A few days ago
Shaggy
It depends on the subject of the sentence. If you say The bikini, then the bikini is the subject but if you say a bikini then the person is the subject, because it could be any bikini.
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A few days ago
Bethany
The definite article in this case refers to a single item known to both parties: the bikini in the photo. Both of you must know that this is the bikini being referenced before you can safely use “the”.

“A” bikini is any two-piece she happens to have lying around and in this case we can safely assume your interest is not so much in the swimwear as in the body it adorns.

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A few days ago
House
“The bikini” refers to a specific bikini. Presumably the listener already knows which one.

“A bikini” means that any bikini will do.

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