Partitive articles in French are used to express an unspecified quantity of something, often translated as "some" or "any" in English. They are typically used with nouns that are uncountable or when the exact amount is unknown.
Formation
Partitive articles are formed by combining the preposition de with the definite articles le, la, or les. The combinations are as follows:
| French Partitive Article | English Equivalent | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| du (de + le) | some (masculine singular) | Je veux du pain. | I want some bread. |
| de la | some (feminine singular) | Elle boit de la soupe. | She drinks some soup. |
| de l' | some (before vowel or mute h) | Il prend de l’eau. | He takes some water. |
| des (de + les) | some (plural) | Nous mangeons des fruits. | We eat some fruits. |
Choose the correct partitive article: Elle boit ___ soupe. (She drinks some soup.)
de la
Soupe (soup) is feminine singular, so the correct partitive article is de la.
Usage
- Partitive articles are used to talk about an unspecified quantity of something.
- They are often used with food, drink, and other substances that cannot be counted individually.
- They can also indicate that you are talking about part of a whole rather than the entire thing.
Examples
Singular Examples
| French Singular Example | English Singular Example |
|---|---|
| Je prends du fromage. | I take some cheese. |
| Elle veut de la salade. | She wants some salad. |
| On boit de l’eau. | We drink some water. |
Complete the sentence: Je prends ___ fromage. (I take some cheese.)
du
Fromage (cheese) is masculine singular, so the partitive article is du.
Plural Example
| French Plural Example | English Plural Example |
|---|---|
| Ils achètent des légumes. | They buy some vegetables. |
Negative Form
In negative sentences, partitive articles usually change to de (or d' before a vowel), regardless of gender or number.
| French Negative Example | English Negative Example |
|---|---|
| Je ne veux pas de pain. | I do not want any bread. |
| Elle ne boit pas d’eau. | She does not drink any water. |
| Nous n’achetons pas de fruits. | We do not buy any fruits. |
Complete the sentence with the correct negative form: Je ne veux pas ___ pain. (I do not want any bread.)
de
In negative sentences, du changes to de, so Je ne veux pas de pain.
Special Notes
- After quantity expressions (like beaucoup de, un peu de, assez de), use de without the article.
- With verbs like aimer, adorer, préférer (which express likes or preferences), use the definite article (le, la, l', les) instead of the partitive.
| French Quantity Example | English Quantity Example |
|---|---|
| Je mange beaucoup de pain. | I eat a lot of bread. |
| Elle boit un peu de lait. | She drinks a little milk. |
| French Preference Example | English Preference Example |
|---|---|
| J’aime le chocolat. | I like chocolate. |
| Nous préférons la salade. | We prefer salad. |
Summary
- Use du, de la, de l’, des to express “some” or an unspecified amount.
- Use de in negative sentences and after quantity expressions.
- Use definite articles (le, la, l', les) with verbs of preference, not partitives.
Examples
| French Example | English Example |
|---|---|
| Je veux du pain et de la confiture. | I want some bread and some jam. |
| Il y a de l’eau dans le verre. | There is some water in the glass. |
| Nous mangeons des pommes. | We eat some apples. |
| Tu ne prends pas de sucre ? | Don’t you take any sugar? |
| Elle a beaucoup de riz. | She has a lot of rice. |
| J’adore le fromage. | I love cheese. |
By understanding and practicing these rules, you can use partitive articles correctly to talk about unspecified quantities in French.
Flashcards (1 of 21)
- English Equivalent: some (masculine singular)
- English Example: I want some bread.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
