French Note 34
Omission of definite articles in French
You should know where not to put a definite article. This post deals with that problem .
1. After the preposition , " en" , generally the definite article is omitted.
En francais ,en automne , en hiver, en Inde, en France,
But remember the exception , " en l'air".
2. After the preposition , " sans" , the definite article is omitted.
Sans ami, sans lait, sans argent
Without friend, without milk, without money .
3. In a number of French expressions definite article is omitted before a noun.
Perdre courage, reprendre haleine,rendre visite,faire signe, ne souffler mot, rendre service,
Perdre patience,tomber par terre,à bras ouvert ,tenir tête à quelqu'un
Lose courage, catch up breath, make a visit, give a sign,to keep quite or not to utter a word
To lose patience, to fall, with open arms, to oppose someone
4. An important point which all learners should note. What is that ?
The preposition " de" followed by a plural noun , forms with that noun a complement undefined and general WITHOUT DEFINITE ARTICLE .
De+ complement of noun
L'arrivée de vols provenants de Delhi est retardée .
The arrival of flights originating from Delhi is delayed.
Please note that no definite article is put before " vols". It is a plural noun and a complement of the noun " l' arrivée " in this sentence.
But note this sentence ,
L'arrivée du vol de Chennai est avancée . ( du = de + le)
The flight from Chennai is before time.
Here " vol" is in singular . Surely the article " le " is needed and it is contracted to " du"
Have you understood ?
De + adjective + plural noun
L'Inde est riche de nombreux minéraux .
India is rich with plenty of minerals.
But,
Ce pays est doté d'une minéral rare.
In the second sentence the noun , " minéral " in singulier form is preceded by an indefinite
Article " une" which I am taking up in a separate note.
De+ complément d' objet
Parlez-moi d'animaux sauvages
Talk to me about wild animals.
Note that in the above sentence, " animaux sauvages " is the indirect object of the verb "
Parler". Why ?? Because , the object follows the verb after the preposition " de" , unlike
the case with direct objects which follow the verb without any preposition .
But ,
Parlez moi d'un pays de l'Asie .
Talk to me about an Asian country.
De+ complément d' agent
Le Pape est suivi de fidèles .
The Pope is followed by the faithful.
5. Whenever a noun is preceded by a possessive adjective , no article is needed.
Mon frère - don't say , " mon le frère " . It is wrong.
6. Whenever a noun is preceded by a demonstrative adjective like, " ce, cette , cet. Ces " ,
there is no need of any article.
Cette chose - don't say , " cette la chose " - it is wrong.
7. Whenever a noun is preceded by an interrogative/ exclamative adjective , do not put
any article .
Quel succès ! Quel succès ?
8. Whenever a noun is preceded by a cardinal number like un deux , trois. Etc
don't put article.
Deux livres , trois garçons
( but this rule is violated in certIn cases, " les deux livres, tous les deux, Les Mille et une Nuits ")
9. In the book covers for title , the article is not put.
Voyages de Gulliver ,
Pensées , Pascal
I am not very sure if this is a universal rule.
10. Every learner is taught in the first course that no definite article should be put
when you tell your or anybody' s profession .
Je suis avocat.
Elle est infirmière .
11. It was already mentioned that articles are absent before nouns in many expressions.
Avoir faim, avoir soif, avoir raison, avoir tort,donner raison,avoir peur, faire peur à qqn,
Mettre à jour , parler francais ,perdre confiance à qqn,prendre garde, rendre service
The learners can make their own list , when they come across such expressions while
reading French texts.
12. The article is omitted after prepositions like à. , de,and en.
Une tasse à café , une cabane à lapins, un pot à lait, un chapeau à plume,
Une robe à volants. ( une boîte aux lettres - exception to rule)
Une échelle de fer, une tasse de porcelaine , le professeur d'histoire, des adverbes de temps de lieu, de manière , un rage de dents ,
Une boîte en carton, la vie en rose.
13. The article is omitted often after other prepositions.
À genoux, à terre, à toute vitesse, à petites étapes, marcher à grands pas, parler à haute voix, à voix basse, suer à grosse gouttes
Après enquête ,après coup, après guerre,
Avant réception de ma lettre, le prix d'avant guerre,
Avec fierté , avec honneur ,avec joie,crime contre nature,
Sortir de prison, pleurer de chagrin ,
Faute d'argent,
Un numéro hors programme , escompte hors banque, hors champ, hors classe,hors concours,hors de prix, hors d'usage ,hors taxes
Par avion, par prudence, par ambition, par ordre, par personne
Sur parole
This is all about absence of articles in French before nouns. There are many more cases.
You will note that only by practice, you will know these finer points. One general
Rule is very difficult , nay, impossible to formulate. Please go through slowly and assimilate.
Please point out inadvertent errors. I shall stand corrected.
Happy learning .
Sayee Jayaraman
21/12/2014
06/02/2014
Omission of definite articles in French
You should know where not to put a definite article. This post deals with that problem .
1. After the preposition , " en" , generally the definite article is omitted.
En francais ,en automne , en hiver, en Inde, en France,
But remember the exception , " en l'air".
2. After the preposition , " sans" , the definite article is omitted.
Sans ami, sans lait, sans argent
Without friend, without milk, without money .
3. In a number of French expressions definite article is omitted before a noun.
Perdre courage, reprendre haleine,rendre visite,faire signe, ne souffler mot, rendre service,
Perdre patience,tomber par terre,à bras ouvert ,tenir tête à quelqu'un
Lose courage, catch up breath, make a visit, give a sign,to keep quite or not to utter a word
To lose patience, to fall, with open arms, to oppose someone
4. An important point which all learners should note. What is that ?
The preposition " de" followed by a plural noun , forms with that noun a complement undefined and general WITHOUT DEFINITE ARTICLE .
De+ complement of noun
L'arrivée de vols provenants de Delhi est retardée .
The arrival of flights originating from Delhi is delayed.
Please note that no definite article is put before " vols". It is a plural noun and a complement of the noun " l' arrivée " in this sentence.
But note this sentence ,
L'arrivée du vol de Chennai est avancée . ( du = de + le)
The flight from Chennai is before time.
Here " vol" is in singular . Surely the article " le " is needed and it is contracted to " du"
Have you understood ?
De + adjective + plural noun
L'Inde est riche de nombreux minéraux .
India is rich with plenty of minerals.
But,
Ce pays est doté d'une minéral rare.
In the second sentence the noun , " minéral " in singulier form is preceded by an indefinite
Article " une" which I am taking up in a separate note.
De+ complément d' objet
Parlez-moi d'animaux sauvages
Talk to me about wild animals.
Note that in the above sentence, " animaux sauvages " is the indirect object of the verb "
Parler". Why ?? Because , the object follows the verb after the preposition " de" , unlike
the case with direct objects which follow the verb without any preposition .
But ,
Parlez moi d'un pays de l'Asie .
Talk to me about an Asian country.
De+ complément d' agent
Le Pape est suivi de fidèles .
The Pope is followed by the faithful.
5. Whenever a noun is preceded by a possessive adjective , no article is needed.
Mon frère - don't say , " mon le frère " . It is wrong.
6. Whenever a noun is preceded by a demonstrative adjective like, " ce, cette , cet. Ces " ,
there is no need of any article.
Cette chose - don't say , " cette la chose " - it is wrong.
7. Whenever a noun is preceded by an interrogative/ exclamative adjective , do not put
any article .
Quel succès ! Quel succès ?
8. Whenever a noun is preceded by a cardinal number like un deux , trois. Etc
don't put article.
Deux livres , trois garçons
( but this rule is violated in certIn cases, " les deux livres, tous les deux, Les Mille et une Nuits ")
9. In the book covers for title , the article is not put.
Voyages de Gulliver ,
Pensées , Pascal
I am not very sure if this is a universal rule.
10. Every learner is taught in the first course that no definite article should be put
when you tell your or anybody' s profession .
Je suis avocat.
Elle est infirmière .
11. It was already mentioned that articles are absent before nouns in many expressions.
Avoir faim, avoir soif, avoir raison, avoir tort,donner raison,avoir peur, faire peur à qqn,
Mettre à jour , parler francais ,perdre confiance à qqn,prendre garde, rendre service
The learners can make their own list , when they come across such expressions while
reading French texts.
12. The article is omitted after prepositions like à. , de,and en.
Une tasse à café , une cabane à lapins, un pot à lait, un chapeau à plume,
Une robe à volants. ( une boîte aux lettres - exception to rule)
Une échelle de fer, une tasse de porcelaine , le professeur d'histoire, des adverbes de temps de lieu, de manière , un rage de dents ,
Une boîte en carton, la vie en rose.
13. The article is omitted often after other prepositions.
À genoux, à terre, à toute vitesse, à petites étapes, marcher à grands pas, parler à haute voix, à voix basse, suer à grosse gouttes
Après enquête ,après coup, après guerre,
Avant réception de ma lettre, le prix d'avant guerre,
Avec fierté , avec honneur ,avec joie,crime contre nature,
Sortir de prison, pleurer de chagrin ,
Faute d'argent,
Un numéro hors programme , escompte hors banque, hors champ, hors classe,hors concours,hors de prix, hors d'usage ,hors taxes
Par avion, par prudence, par ambition, par ordre, par personne
Sur parole
This is all about absence of articles in French before nouns. There are many more cases.
You will note that only by practice, you will know these finer points. One general
Rule is very difficult , nay, impossible to formulate. Please go through slowly and assimilate.
Please point out inadvertent errors. I shall stand corrected.
Happy learning .
Sayee Jayaraman
21/12/2014
06/02/2014
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