French Note 33
French Articles
Some members requested for a post on French Articles. Hence this and subsequent notes.
French Articles pose a great challenge to learners. The reason is not far to seek.
The exceptions to rules make it difficult. It requires time to understand the nuances
thoroughly . Broadly I shall take up the following.
1. L'article défini
2. L'article indéfini
3. L'article partitif
4. Absence et présence de l'article.
So there will be at least four notes.
1. Definite Articles
" le, la, les" are the definite articles which are placed before a noun. If the noun begins with a vowel or " h" mute, " le, la " become " l' " . When the noun is in masculine / singular form , we use " le". For féminine /singular " la" and for all plurals ." Les" are used as definite articles. This is only a recapitulation as you are all aware of this basic rule taught in elementary French courses.
Where do we put these articles ?
Only before nouns. But let us go for more details. I shall enumerate the circumstances with details.
1. When you put definite articles before a common noun , such nouns acquire a general sense.
Les enfants disent la vérité .
Children speak truth.
" enfants" is a common noun. In English , we do not put definite article. When we say " children " ,it means all children . The sense is general. But in French , you should put necessarily the definite article " les" and then only , "les enfants" acquires a general sense.
In other words, " les enfants " means all children in French . If you do not put the article in French, it will be a mistake. But if you put the article " the" in English , the meaning will change. Hope you appreciate this subtle point. Let us have more examples.
L'homme est mortel.
Man is mortal.
Le riz est cultivé en Inde.
Rice is grown in India.
Please note the definite articles before " homme" and " riz". They mean " man " and " rice " in a general sense.
Have I made this point clear ?
2. French requires definite article before the names of the countries unlike English .
J' habite la France.
Le Pakistan , L'Angleterre, L'Espagne, Le Canada, La Chine etc
You should remember the genders of the countries. It is a question of practice only. I can not give a general rule for the genders of the countries. If you don't remember, you can not put the correct article .
3. French requires definite articles before the names of languages.
Le francais est difficile à apprendre .
French is difficult to learn.
L'anglais , l'allemand ,le néerlandais , le hindi, le tamoul, l'espagnol
Note that there is no need of upper case for the first letter for language names unlike English.
english is wrong. English is correct.
Le Français is wrong. Le français is correct when you are referring to the language .
4. French articles should be put before all titles/ professional designations/ relations.
Voilà le docteur Rousseau .
Here is Dr. Rousseau .
J'attends le professeur Pierre Jardin.
I am waiting for Prof. Pierre Jardin.
Est-ce que tu vas chez la tante Elizabeth ?
Are you going to Aunt Elizabeth ' s place?
5. French requires definite articles when we mention parts of human body.
Je me lave les mains.
I wash my hands.
Elle hausse les épaules .
She shrugs her shoulders.
Elle a mal à la tête .
She has headache .
Tu as mal au dos ? (Au= le+à)
You have backache ?
Il souffre des dents ( des= de +les)
He suffers from toothache .
Elle s'est cassé la jambe.
Hélène a les cheveux blonds.
Elle a les yeux blues.
6. For things which are considered unique , we have to put definite articles .
Le soleil, la terre, le ciel, la lune etc.
The sun, the earth, the sky, the moon
7. Whenever a noun refers to a known person, place, thing etc, definite article is used.
In other words, the speakers know what is being referred.
Où est le livre ?
Where is the book ?
What is referred to is a particular book known to the interlocutors.
Le professeur n'est pas venu.
The professor did not come.
A particular professor known to the interlocutors.
Hope you followed.
8. While telling the price of things definite article is put before the units. It means " each"
Les tomates à 2 euro le kilo
Tomatoes at two euros per kilo
Ça coûte ₹100 le mètre .
That costs ₹ 100 per meter.
That is all for this note.
Remember I have not completed. There are many cases where one omits definite articles and cases where they are very necessary . Such cases will be dealt with subsequently. For the time being please learn what I have indicated.
I am open to correction from anyone for any inadvertent errors.
Happy learning !
Sayee Jayaraman
20/12/2014
06/02/2015
French Articles
Some members requested for a post on French Articles. Hence this and subsequent notes.
French Articles pose a great challenge to learners. The reason is not far to seek.
The exceptions to rules make it difficult. It requires time to understand the nuances
thoroughly . Broadly I shall take up the following.
1. L'article défini
2. L'article indéfini
3. L'article partitif
4. Absence et présence de l'article.
So there will be at least four notes.
1. Definite Articles
" le, la, les" are the definite articles which are placed before a noun. If the noun begins with a vowel or " h" mute, " le, la " become " l' " . When the noun is in masculine / singular form , we use " le". For féminine /singular " la" and for all plurals ." Les" are used as definite articles. This is only a recapitulation as you are all aware of this basic rule taught in elementary French courses.
Where do we put these articles ?
Only before nouns. But let us go for more details. I shall enumerate the circumstances with details.
1. When you put definite articles before a common noun , such nouns acquire a general sense.
Les enfants disent la vérité .
Children speak truth.
" enfants" is a common noun. In English , we do not put definite article. When we say " children " ,it means all children . The sense is general. But in French , you should put necessarily the definite article " les" and then only , "les enfants" acquires a general sense.
In other words, " les enfants " means all children in French . If you do not put the article in French, it will be a mistake. But if you put the article " the" in English , the meaning will change. Hope you appreciate this subtle point. Let us have more examples.
L'homme est mortel.
Man is mortal.
Le riz est cultivé en Inde.
Rice is grown in India.
Please note the definite articles before " homme" and " riz". They mean " man " and " rice " in a general sense.
Have I made this point clear ?
2. French requires definite article before the names of the countries unlike English .
J' habite la France.
Le Pakistan , L'Angleterre, L'Espagne, Le Canada, La Chine etc
You should remember the genders of the countries. It is a question of practice only. I can not give a general rule for the genders of the countries. If you don't remember, you can not put the correct article .
3. French requires definite articles before the names of languages.
Le francais est difficile à apprendre .
French is difficult to learn.
L'anglais , l'allemand ,le néerlandais , le hindi, le tamoul, l'espagnol
Note that there is no need of upper case for the first letter for language names unlike English.
english is wrong. English is correct.
Le Français is wrong. Le français is correct when you are referring to the language .
4. French articles should be put before all titles/ professional designations/ relations.
Voilà le docteur Rousseau .
Here is Dr. Rousseau .
J'attends le professeur Pierre Jardin.
I am waiting for Prof. Pierre Jardin.
Est-ce que tu vas chez la tante Elizabeth ?
Are you going to Aunt Elizabeth ' s place?
5. French requires definite articles when we mention parts of human body.
Je me lave les mains.
I wash my hands.
Elle hausse les épaules .
She shrugs her shoulders.
Elle a mal à la tête .
She has headache .
Tu as mal au dos ? (Au= le+à)
You have backache ?
Il souffre des dents ( des= de +les)
He suffers from toothache .
Elle s'est cassé la jambe.
Hélène a les cheveux blonds.
Elle a les yeux blues.
6. For things which are considered unique , we have to put definite articles .
Le soleil, la terre, le ciel, la lune etc.
The sun, the earth, the sky, the moon
7. Whenever a noun refers to a known person, place, thing etc, definite article is used.
In other words, the speakers know what is being referred.
Où est le livre ?
Where is the book ?
What is referred to is a particular book known to the interlocutors.
Le professeur n'est pas venu.
The professor did not come.
A particular professor known to the interlocutors.
Hope you followed.
8. While telling the price of things definite article is put before the units. It means " each"
Les tomates à 2 euro le kilo
Tomatoes at two euros per kilo
Ça coûte ₹100 le mètre .
That costs ₹ 100 per meter.
That is all for this note.
Remember I have not completed. There are many cases where one omits definite articles and cases where they are very necessary . Such cases will be dealt with subsequently. For the time being please learn what I have indicated.
I am open to correction from anyone for any inadvertent errors.
Happy learning !
Sayee Jayaraman
20/12/2014
06/02/2015
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