Every Italian noun is masculine or feminine and the article shows which: il/un for masculine, la/una for feminine. Masculine words starting with a vowel take l'/un, and ones starting with s+consonant, z, gn or ps take lo/uno - a rule about SOUND, not meaning.
Examples
- Il pane è ancora caldo.
- The bread is still warm.
- Vorrei un'insalata, per favore.
- I'd like a salad, please.
- Lo zucchero è sul tavolo.
- The sugar is on the table.
The mistake to avoid
Un'insalata has an apostrophe because it is feminine; un amico does not, because it is masculine.
Where this fits in
Food & ordering, Italian A1: Order at a café or restaurant, ask for the bill, and talk about basic food and drink.