UNDER CONSTRUCTION
L'article Partitif (the partitive article)
Video
Notes
- The partitive article in French corresponds to the words "some" or "any" in English.
Ex: I want to eat some chocolate. - Often, though, English speakers will omit the partitive article.
Ex: I want to eat chocolate. - The partitive article is chosen based on the gender and number of the noun to which you are referring, and is used when expressing an inexact quantity.
Ex: Je veux manger du chocolat. > I want to eat some chocolate.
Gender/number |
Partitive article |
Example |
masculine/singular |
du |
du pain |
feminine/singular |
de la |
de la glace |
singular, beginning with a vowel |
de l' |
de l'eau |
plural |
des |
des cafés |
- If you recall, there are two other types of articles we have learned: the definite articles (le, la, les) meaning "the" and the indefinite articles meaning "a/an" (un, une, des).
- In comparison, the partitive article is used to indicate an unknown quantity of something, usually a food or drink.
- The partitive article will also be used when referring to mass nouns, or nouns that cannot be counted.
Ex: Je mange du riz. > I eat some rice.
- After adverbs that express a quantity, like beaucoup (a lot) or trop (too much), use "de" instead of any of the other forms of partitive articles, regardless of the gender or number of the noun.
Ex: Il y a beaucoup de thés. - When using a negative construction (ne... pas/rien, etc.), use "de" instead of any of the other forms of partitive articles, regardless of the gender or number of the noun.
Ex: Il mange de la soupe. > Il ne mange jamais de soupe.
Additional Sites
About.French
Information on the partitive articles and their uses.
Du vs. de la, des
How to tell when you need to use du, de la or the other partitive articles.
Grammarist
Information on the partitive article and how it is formed.
Information on the partitive articles and their uses.
Du vs. de la, des
How to tell when you need to use du, de la or the other partitive articles.
Grammarist
Information on the partitive article and how it is formed.