French Articles( the definite,the indefinite,the partitive)
The in-depth knowledge of all kind of french articles.
The definite article
The definite article in English is (the);it remains unchanged whether the noun it precedes is masculine, feminine or neuter,and whether it is singular or plural. In french there are several forms of the definite article, depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural. It is important to use the form of the definite article depending on whether the noun in question (masculine singular if the noun is masculine singular, feminine plural if the noun is feminine plural ,and so on).it is also important to note that french uses the definite article in a number of situations where it is not used in English.
Type of the definite article
Singular. Plural
Mas. Fem.
Standard. Le. La. Les
Elided . L'. L' . -
With à. Au. À la. Aux
With de. Du. De la . Des
- Je vais au cinéma/à la piscine/aux etats-État.
- Je reviens du cinéma/de la plage/ des États-Unis.
- Before bother masculine and feminine singular nouns beginning with a vowel of h mute the definite article chenges to l'.
- E.g. l'avion,l'hemme, l'hôpital,l'ho l'hôpital.
Note; if the h is aspire it does not change.
Le hérisson, la hache , le hareng
The definite article le combines with the PREPOSITION à tous form au , while Les combines with the same PREPOSITION to form aux.
Elle partie au cinéma .
Le footballeur a parlé aux journalistes.
Similarly, the definite article le add with PREPOSITION de to form du , while adds with the same PREPOSITION to form Des.
Elle revient du cinéma.
Il aime bien parler des vacances.
The next uses of the article in French are the same as in the English.
With official title given to only one person.
Le pape , le président de la repuRépubl, le premier ministre.
With well known objects of which there is only one.
Le soliel, le monde , la tour Eiffel, la tour de Pise.
With the names of rivers, mountains ranges, and oceans.
La Loire, le Danube, l'Himalaya.
With the nouns referring to an object which is clearly identified, or which has already been mentioned.
Apportez-moi le livre qui est sur la table.
Où sont les clés.
The following use of the definite article in french are different from the way it is used in English, and should be studied with care. The definite article is used;
With the first names or surname, if the name is proceded by an adjective:
Le petit jean-piJean
Le vieux m. Duval
With the abstract nouns ( nouns relating to ideas , concepts, and the like rather than concrete objects.
La beauté, la viellesse, le courage.
With the concrete nouns used in a general sense.
Les fruits sont bons pour la santé.
Elle n'aime pas le fromage.
J'aime jouer au football.
With nouns relating to part of body.
With the names of countries and continents.
La France, le Portugal, l'aise, l'Europe.
Keep in mind:-
The definite article is not used with feminine countries and continents. Instead of articles there en is preceded countries.
Il habite en France.
Nous avons voyagé partout en Europe.
With the name of department and of mountain peaks.
Le lot , le mont blanc.
With the name of languages
Il parle le français.
J'aime l'hindi.
Remember:-
The article is not used in some expressions.
Vous parlez bien français.
Nor is it used when the language is preceded by the PREPOSITION en :
Le livre est était écrit en français.
With the name of academic subjects;
J'AIME les maths,mais je déteste la géographie.
Keep in mind:-
The definite article is not used if the subject is preceded by the PREPOSITION.
Marie est très fort en mathématiques.
With dates ( note that in this case french simply uses the definite article on its own) where in English we would use the PREPOSITION on.
Nous sommes partis le 24 novembre ( on 24 novembre).
Must remember this difference:-
Je vais au théâtre samedi ( this satuSatu)
Elle va à la piscine le semedi.(on Saturday)
Nous avons rendez-vous le 10 janvier (this year)
Ils se sont rencontrés un janvier (some time in the past)
English uses a and an in expressions of prices or rates, french uses the definite article.
Il coûtent vingt francs le kilo.(20francs a Lillo)
Il roulait à cent kilomètres à l'heure.
With the names of seasons:
Le printemps , l'été, l'automne, l'hiver
Remember-
The article is not used after the PREPOSITIONS en .
Il est parti en vacances en été.
Il est revenu en automne.
En is used with été, automne and hiver, but au must be used with printemps.
With the names of religious festival:-
Ils reviendront pour la Diwali.
Genre des noms MASCULIN
le garçon l'élève
la fille
la table
1. Where is the boy? 2. Here is the boy. 3. Where is the girl? 4. There is the girl. 5. Where is the table? 6. There is the table. 7. Where is the chair? 8. Here is the chair. 9. Where is the pupil? 10. Here is the pupil. 11. Where is the blackboard? 12. There is the blackboard. 13. Where is the book? 14. Here is the book. 15. Where is the picture ? 16. There is the picture. 17. Where is Emile? 18. There is Emile. 19. Where is Mary? 20. Here is Mary.
Elle revient du cinéma.
Il aime bien parler des vacances.
Uses of the definite article.
The next uses of the article in French are the same as in the English.
With official title given to only one person.
Le pape , le président de la repuRépubl, le premier ministre.
With well known objects of which there is only one.
Le soliel, le monde , la tour Eiffel, la tour de Pise.
With the names of rivers, mountains ranges, and oceans.
La Loire, le Danube, l'Himalaya.
With the nouns referring to an object which is clearly identified, or which has already been mentioned.
Apportez-moi le livre qui est sur la table.
Où sont les clés.
The following use of the definite article in french are different from the way it is used in English, and should be studied with care. The definite article is used;
With the first names or surname, if the name is proceded by an adjective:
Le petit jean-piJean
Le vieux m. Duval
With the abstract nouns ( nouns relating to ideas , concepts, and the like rather than concrete objects.
La beauté, la viellesse, le courage.
With the concrete nouns used in a general sense.
Les fruits sont bons pour la santé.
Elle n'aime pas le fromage.
J'aime jouer au football.
With nouns relating to part of body.
With the names of countries and continents.
La France, le Portugal, l'aise, l'Europe.
Keep in mind:-
The definite article is not used with feminine countries and continents. Instead of articles there en is preceded countries.
Il habite en France.
Nous avons voyagé partout en Europe.
With the name of department and of mountain peaks.
Le lot , le mont blanc.
With the name of languages
Il parle le français.
J'aime l'hindi.
Remember:-
The article is not used in some expressions.
Vous parlez bien français.
Nor is it used when the language is preceded by the PREPOSITION en :
Le livre est était écrit en français.
With the name of academic subjects;
J'AIME les maths,mais je déteste la géographie.
Keep in mind:-
The definite article is not used if the subject is preceded by the PREPOSITION.
Marie est très fort en mathématiques.
With dates ( note that in this case french simply uses the definite article on its own) where in English we would use the PREPOSITION on.
Nous sommes partis le 24 novembre ( on 24 novembre).
Must remember this difference:-
Je vais au théâtre samedi ( this satuSatu)
Elle va à la piscine le semedi.(on Saturday)
Nous avons rendez-vous le 10 janvier (this year)
Ils se sont rencontrés un janvier (some time in the past)
English uses a and an in expressions of prices or rates, french uses the definite article.
Il coûtent vingt francs le kilo.(20francs a Lillo)
Il roulait à cent kilomètres à l'heure.
With the names of seasons:
Le printemps , l'été, l'automne, l'hiver
Remember-
The article is not used after the PREPOSITIONS en .
Il est parti en vacances en été.
Il est revenu en automne.
En is used with été, automne and hiver, but au must be used with printemps.
With the names of religious festival:-
Ils reviendront pour la Diwali.
Genre des noms MASCULIN
le garçon l'élève
la fille
la table
Translate following exercises
1. Where is the boy? 2. Here is the boy. 3. Where is the girl? 4. There is the girl. 5. Where is the table? 6. There is the table. 7. Where is the chair? 8. Here is the chair. 9. Where is the pupil? 10. Here is the pupil. 11. Where is the blackboard? 12. There is the blackboard. 13. Where is the book? 14. Here is the book. 15. Where is the picture ? 16. There is the picture. 17. Where is Emile? 18. There is Emile. 19. Where is Mary? 20. Here is Mary.
2. ( The indefinite article)
The indefinite article in English is
a or an if the word begins with a vowel in singular. There is no plural indefinite article in English . On the other hand, the plural of a book (I bought a book) is simply book.(I bought books), though it is also possible to use the word some in such cases ( I bought some books) , or any in negative sentence (I did't buy any books). In French there are forms of the indefinite article for both the singular and plural . The plural indefinite article cannot be left out in the same way that some can be omitted in English.
Forms of the indefinite article
Singular. Plural
Masculine. Un. Des
Feminine. Une. Des
Un ananas, une pomme. Des fruits
Note that :- when en is used in sentence, the articles should not be used.
In a negative sentence ( ne ......pas - ne ........ jamais) or in any negative sentences , the indefinite article un, une and Des change to de ( d' un front of vowel or mute h)
Des exemples :-
- Ils ont une voiture- ils n'ont pas de voiture.
- Il y a des verres propers - il n'y a plus de verres propers.
- Il y a des assiettes propers- il n'y a pas d'assiettes propers.
Keep In mind :-
If the negative is simply used to correct a mistaken impression, the article remains unchanged.
- Il n'a pas acheté des pommes, il a acheté des oranges.
- Nous n'avons pas envoyé une lettre, nous avons envoyé un télégramme
The plural article Des charges to de When when adjective is used before a plural noun:
Ils ont de grands enfants.
However , Des remains unchanged if the adjective is placed after the noun:
Ils ont des enfants bien élèves.
(Some extra dose)
When adjective+noun together make up a perticular type of set of phrase called a compound noun, whose meaning is different from that of each of its elements used separately, the indefinite article Des remains unchanged.
Il a dit des gros mots.
Il reste encore des petits- four.
If , adjective+noun do not make up a compound noun in other words if each element keeps its original meaning , then Des does change to de:
Ils ont de gros ennuis.
Il a de petits yeux.
Uses of the indefinite article:-
An English , the indefinite article is used with a noun which relates to someone or something which is not clearly identified, or which is being mentioned for the first time:-
- Ils viennent de s'acheter un aparapparte.(they have just bought themselves a flat.
- Il y a des soldes en ce moment. (There are sales on at the moment.)
- Il y a eu appel pour vous.
(Exercice for students)
1. Show me a book. 2. Show me a chair. 3. Show me a table. 4. Show me a blackboard. 5. Where is the notebook ? 6. Where is the picture? 7. Show me a boy. 8. Show me a girl. 9. The pupil (m.) is in the classroom. 10. Where is the teacher? 11. Show me a pencil and a notebook. 12. The pencil is on the table. 13. The notebook is under the book. 14. The blackboard is in the classroom.
(3. The partitive article.)
There is no partitive article in English , thought the adjectives some or any come close to expressing the same idea.in the singular ,the partitive article is used in French to express a quantity or amount of for example ,water ,bread,butter, salt, any thing else which is normally thought of in terms of amounts rather than numbers. It is to be quite normal to speak of five apples ! These nouns are termed uncountable. In plural the partitive article is used with all kinds of noun.
The partitive article in French does not say whether the amount involved is small or large. If you want to indicate this , you must use phrase such as beaucoup de or un peu de. Unless you indicate the actual amount in this way , the partitive article must always be used when referring to quantity or amount in French.
There is no partitive article in English , thought the adjectives some or any come close to expressing the same idea.in the singular ,the partitive article is used in French to express a quantity or amount of for example ,water ,bread,butter, salt, any thing else which is normally thought of in terms of amounts rather than numbers. It is to be quite normal to speak of five apples ! These nouns are termed uncountable. In plural the partitive article is used with all kinds of noun.
The partitive article in French does not say whether the amount involved is small or large. If you want to indicate this , you must use phrase such as beaucoup de or un peu de. Unless you indicate the actual amount in this way , the partitive article must always be used when referring to quantity or amount in French.
(Forms of the partitive article.)
Singular. Plural
Mas. Fem.
Standard. Du. De la. Des
Elided. De l' . De l' . Des
Je voudrais du lait/de la viande/des bonbons.
Before both masculine and feminine singular nouns beginning with a vowel or mute h , de l' is used.
Il a bu de l'eau.
The partitive article changes to de on negative sentence:-
- Voulez-vous du café ? Non merci, je ne prendrai pas de café.
- Voulez vous de la confiture ? Non je ne veux pas de confiture.
- Il a bu de l'eau ? Non il n'a pas bu d'eau, il a bu du vin.
Utilisation of the article.
The partitive article is used to indicate an indefinite quantity or amount:
- Il est allé acheter du pain .
- Il y a de l'eau partout dans la sllsa de bain.
- Voulez vous encore des épinards ?
Educative
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