Summary French Grammar- Articles (A Level)

French Grammar- Articles

●​ Definite articles
●​ Indefinite articles
●​ Partitive articles




Definite Articles


●​ Definite articles translate as 'the'


Masculine Feminine Plural

le la les


●​ 'Le' and 'La' turn to L' when before a vowel sound. 'Les' does not
change.


Some Uses
●​ Used for abstract concepts (eg. Time)
○​ Je n'ai pas le temps. (I don't have time.)
●​ Used when talking about a concrete object generally, in addition to
being used to talk about a specific object.
○​ J'aime le café. (I like coffee.)
■​ Even though coffee is being used generally, and not about
a specific cup or type of coffee, the definite article is used.
●​ Used instead of possessive pronouns in reflexive constructions.
○​ Je me brosse les dents. (I brush my teeth.)
●​ Used for regions/countries/continents, unless the region follows 'en'
(which removes the need for the article.
○​ La Bretagne, La France, L'Europe (Brittany, France, Europe)

, ○​ When the region takes 'à', the definite article (or, rather, the
contraction of the definite article and à, is used).
■​ Eg. Au Portugal
●​ Used before languages, sports, school subjects, dates, days, and
seasons


À and the Definite Article


●​ À + le = au
●​ À + la = à la
●​ À + l' = à l'
●​ À + les = aux


Eg. Je parle au professeur. I talk to the teacher.
​ Nous parlons aux étudiants. We speak to the students.


'De' and the Definite Article


●​ De + le = du
●​ De + la = de la
●​ De + l' = de l'
●​ De + les = des


Eg. Une remarque du professeur. A comment from the teacher.
Le logement des étudiants. Student accommodation (literally: The
accommodation of the students).


Indefinite Articles


●​ Indefinite articles translate as 'a', 'an', or 'some' (if plural)