The partitive article is used to talk about a portion of matter, a food, a drink, or a thing that is not counted as a whole unit. It does not designate a precise quantity: du pain, de la soupe, de l’eau, des fraises. If the article is removed, the sentence becomes drier or changes meaning. With the definite article, one talks about a known or general thing, as in Articles Définis. With the absence of an article, one often expresses a different idea, studied in Absence d'article.

The partitive takes four forms : du, de la, de l’ and des. They appear before the noun and are chosen according to the gender, number and the sound of the following word. We say du fromage, de la confiture, de l’huile, des légumes. These forms follow the same general functioning as the ordinary articles presented in Articles Définis and Articles Indéfinis, but they are used to express an imprecise quantity rather than a person or a whole thing.

Forms of the partitive according to the noun

Idea
We use du in front of a masculine singular noun starting with a consonant.
We use de la in front of a feminine singular noun starting with a consonant.
We use de l’ in front of a singular noun beginning with a vowel or a mute h.
We use des in front of a plural noun to talk about an indefinite quantity.

With a masculine singular noun, one uses du : du lait, du café. With a feminine singular noun, one uses de la : de la farine, de la crème. The gender of the noun thus governs the form of the partitive. When the noun begins with a vowel or a mute h, de la becomes de l’ : de l’eau, de l’herbe. We always keep agreement with the noun that follows, not with the meaning of the sentence.

Choice according to the gender of the noun

Idea
We choose du when the noun is masculine singular.
We choose de la when the noun is feminine singular.
We choose de l’ when the noun begins with a vowel or a mute h.

When the noun is plural and an indefinite quantity is being referred to, we use des : des biscuits, des pommes, des idées. Here, des does not indicate an exact number. It simply presents an unspecified quantity of countable elements. For a defined plural, one would use les within the framework of Articles Définis.

Choice according to the number of the noun

Idea
We use des with a plural noun to talk about an imprecise quantity.
We do not use du nor de la before a plural noun in this sense.

The partitive naturally appears with foods, drinks, and substances that we do not count one by one. We say du riz, de la viande, de l’huile, de l’essence, du sucre. These words denote a substance or a portion, not separate objects. In a restaurant, in a recipe, or in a purchase, the partitive gives a normal, unmeasured quantity: Je prends du poisson, Elle verse de l’eau, Il achète de la farine.

Uses with foods and substances

Usage	Explanation
Drinks and liquids	We use the partitive to talk about an unmeasured amount of drink or liquid.
Creamy or loose foods	We use the partitive for foods taken in an undefined portion.
Materials and substances	We use the partitive to talk about a material without counting it.

After a simple negation, the partitive becomes de or d’ in standard language. We say Je ne veux pas de pain, Il n’a pas d’eau, Nous n’avons pas de café. The form remains the same for masculine, feminine and plural. Negation replaces the idea of an indefinite quantity with the absence of that quantity. With definite articles, the negative form follows a different logic, presented in Articles Définis.

Partitive after simple negation

Idea
After a simple negation, the partitive becomes de in front of a consonant.
After a simple negation, the partitive becomes d’ in front of a vowel or a mute h.

As soon as a quantity becomes precise, the partitive disappears after a number, a measure, or an expression of quantity. We say un kilo de pommes, trois verres d’eau, une bouteille de lait, beaucoup de sucre, un peu de sel. The quantity word or number takes the place of the partitive. We then use de or d’ between the quantity and the noun. The noun retains its value of matter or group, but it is no longer presented as a vague quantity.

De after precise quantity or measure

Idea
After a precise quantity, we use de before the noun.
After a measure expression, we use d’ in front of a vowel or a mute h.
After a number or indicated amount, the noun often keeps de.

The partitive talks about an unspecified part: Je veux du fromage. The definite article talks about a known, specific, or general thing: Le fromage est cher, La mer est froide, Les légumes sont bons pour la santé. In a single family of words, meaning changes with the article. J’achète du poisson means a portion. Le poisson can refer to the category, a known species, or a fish already identified. The difference between indefinite quantity and general reference is clearly seen in comparison with Articles Définis and Articles Indéfinis.

Contrast between quantity and generality

Usage	Explanation
Indefinite quantity	We use the partitive when talking about an unspecified portion of something.
Thing known in general	We use the definite article when talking about an identified or general thing.
Global abstract idea	We use the definite article to talk about a concept taken as a whole.

The partitive often appears with verbs of preference, habits, and certain daily activities. We say J’aime du jazz, Je bois du thé le matin, Nous faisons du sport, Elle écoute de la musique. Here, the partitive presents an activity or a material as something one practices, consumes, or appreciates without counting the units. After verbs like faire in this sense, the group faire + du + noun forms a very common expression.

Uses in preferences and routines

Usage	Explanation
Dietary preferences	We often use the partitive to express what one likes to eat or drink.
Everyday habits	We keep the partitive to talk about a routine with an imprecise quantity.
Activities and leisure	We use the partitive in certain activities where we talk about an uncounted practice.

Some constructions keep the partitive in common use, especially in speech: avoir du temps, avoir de la chance, prendre du temps, faire du bruit. In these expressions, the noun does not denote a countable object. The partitive is part of a fixed set. In speech, one also occasionally encounters shortcuts or variations after certain verbs, but the standard form remains that of the partitive when expressing an indefinite quantity. For article-less uses, compare with Absence d'article.

du sirop d érablede la cassonadedu pain

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On dit souvent du pain dans la vie courante pour parler d une portion de painOn emploie du sirop d érable dans un usage très courant pour parler de cette spécialitéOn utilise de la cassonade pour nommer un sucre roux très présent dans la cuisine locale

Variants and common expressions in speech

Region	Variant	Definition	Example
France	du pain	We often say bread in everyday life to refer to a portion of bread.	Au marché, il achète du pain encore chaud.At the market, he buys bread still warm.
Belgique	de la cassonade	We use brown sugar to name a very common sugar in local cuisine.	La tarte reçoit de la cassonade avant le four.The tart takes brown sugar before baking.
Canada	du sirop d érable	We use maple syrup in very common usage to talk about this specialty.	Le matin, elle verse du sirop d érable sur ses crêpes.In the morning, she pours maple syrup on her pancakes.

Scramble