Partitive Articles in French
Les articles partitifs
Partitive articles are used in French to talk about an unspecified quantity of something, especially with food, drinks, and abstract concepts.
Example: Je veux du fromage et de la salade.
Forms of Partitive Articles
The form of the partitive article depends on the gender and number of the noun.
| Gender / Number | Article | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | du | du riz |
| Feminine singular | de la | de la soupe |
| Before vowel / silent h | de l’ | de l’eau |
| Plural (all genders) | des | des fruits |
When to Use Partitive Articles
Partitive articles are used when the exact quantity of a noun is unknown or unimportant.
| Situation | French Example | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Food and drink | Je bois du café. | I drink (some) coffee. |
| Abstract nouns | Elle a de la patience. | She has (some) patience. |
| Mass nouns | Il achète du pain. | He buys (some) bread. |
| Plural items | Nous mangeons des légumes. | We eat (some) vegetables. |
Partitive Articles in Negative Sentences
In negative sentences, partitive articles usually change to de or d’.
| Affirmative | Negative | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Je bois du lait. | Je ne bois pas de lait. | I do not drink milk. |
| Elle mange de la viande. | Elle ne mange pas de viande. | She does not eat meat. |
| Il achète des pommes. | Il n’achète pas de pommes. | He does not buy apples. |
Partitive vs Quantity Expressions
After expressions of quantity, the partitive article is replaced by de.
| Expression | French Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| beaucoup de | beaucoup de pain | a lot of bread |
| un peu de | un peu de fromage | a little cheese |
| assez de | assez d’eau | enough water |
| trop de | trop de sucre | too much sugar |
Countable vs Uncountable Nouns
Partitive articles are mainly used with uncountable nouns, while countable nouns usually take indefinite articles.
How to Choose the Correct Article
Helpful questions when deciding whether to use a partitive article:
- Am I talking about an unspecified amount?
- Is the noun uncountable?
- Is the sentence negative?
- Is there an expression of quantity before the noun?
Important Exceptions
The partitive article does not change in some specific negative constructions.
| Structure | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Être + noun | Ce n’est pas du sucre. | Article stays the same |
| Emphasis | Ce n’est pas de la chance. | Contrast or correction |
Example Sentences
Je mange du pain tous les jours.I eat bread every day.
Elle boit de l’eau.She drinks water.
Nous ne voulons pas de café.We do not want coffee.
Ils achètent des légumes frais.They buy some fresh vegetables.
du rizsome ricetype: Uncountable
un gâteaua caketype: Countable