[en] The linear σ model with broken U3 x U3 is compared with data of the lightest scalar and pseudoscalar mesons. When 5 of the 6 parameters are fixed by the pseudoscalar masses and decay constants, one finds that, already at the tree level, one has a reasonable description for the 4 scalar masses, describing mixing and up to 8 trilinear couplings of lightest scalars, taken as a₀(980), f₀(980), σ(∼500) and K^*₀(1430). This clearly indicates that these scalars are the chiral partners of the π, η, η', K, and this strongly suggests that they, like the latter, are (unitarized) q anti q states. (orig.)