Rule reminder

The definite article (il, la, i, le) signals that a noun is already known to the reader or listener — either because it was introduced earlier in the text, or because it is uniquely identifiable from context. This 'second mention' function is a key cohesion device. Compare: 'Ho visto UN cane' (first mention, indefinite) vs 'IL cane abbaiava' (second mention, definite = the one just mentioned).