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Articles · le · un · du

Definite (le/la/les) for specific or general; indefinite (un/une/des) for one of many; partitive (du/de la/de l'/des) for some/any of an uncountable.

Examples

  • Le café est bon.Coffee is good. (general)
  • Je veux du café.I want some coffee.

How it works

French has THREE article systems where English has one. Choosing between them is one of the most common A1 stumbling blocks.

Definite

le / la / les, "the" or "in general"

A specific thing both speakers know:

La voiture est rouge.The car is red.
A general statement about a category:
J'aime LE café.I like coffee.

This second use trips up English speakers: French needs the article where English uses none. "I like coffee", not "I like the coffee".

Indefinite

un / une / des, "a / an / some" For countable things, one of many:

C'est UN livre.It's a book.
J'ai DES amis.I have friends.
un (m), une (f), des (plural).

Partitive

du / de la / de l' ("some / any" for things you can't count) For an unspecified amount of something you can't count: food, water, time, abstract qualities.

Je veux DU pain.I want some bread.
Elle boit DE LA bière.She's drinking beer.
Je bois DE L'eau.I'm drinking water.
(de l' before a vowel)

Contractions

à and de swallow le and les

à + le → auJe vais AU marché.I'm going to the market.
à + les → auxIl parle AUX enfants.He talks to the children.
de + le → dule livre DU professeur
the teacher's book
de + les → desla maison DES voisins
the neighbours' house
la and l' never fuse: à la gare, à l'hôtel, de la ville.

The big trap

after a negation, every one of un/une/des/du/de la becomes DE (or d' before a vowel):

J'ai un chat.I have a cat.
Je n'ai pas DE chat.I don't have a cat.
Je veux du pain.I want some bread.
Je ne veux pas DE pain.

I don't want any bread.

Il a des amis.He has friends.
Il n'a pas D'amis.He has no friends.

The definite article le/la/les does NOT change.

Elision

l' and d' before a vowel Before a word starting with a vowel or a mute h (an h that is not pronounced), le and la drop their vowel and become l'; de becomes d'. It keeps two vowel sounds from colliding:

l'enfantthe child
l'eauthe water
l'hôtelthe hotel
un verre d'eaua glass of water
la eaul'eau
le hôtell'hôtel

A few words start with an aspirated h, which blocks elision even though it is silent:

le hérosthe hero
(not "l'héros")

Quick decision

specific, or a general statement → le / la / les
one countable thing, or some countables → un / une / des
some uncountable amount → du / de la / de l'
after a negative → de instead of un / une / des / du / de la (le / la / les stay)

What you'll practise

  1. 1. Definite · le / la / les

    For a specific thing OR for a general statement (J'aime le café = I like coffee in general).

    • La maison est grande.The house is big.
    • J'aime les chats.I like cats.

  2. 2. Indefinite · un / une / des

    One of many — un (m), une (f), des (plural).

    • C'est un livre.It's a book.
    • J'ai des amis.I have friends.

  3. 3. Partitive · du / de la / de l'

    Some / any of an uncountable thing (food, water, time). du (m), de la (f), de l' (vowel).

    • Je veux du pain.I want some bread.
    • Elle boit de l'eau.She drinks water.

  4. 4. l' / d' before vowel

    le/la → l' before a vowel or mute h. de → d' likewise.

    • L'enfant joue.The child is playing.

  5. 5. au / aux / du / des (à, de + le / les)

    à + le → au, à + les → aux, de + le → du, de + les → des. à la, à l', de la, de l' never change.

    • Je vais au marché.I'm going to the market.
    • Il parle aux enfants.He talks to the children.

Practise it until it sticks

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