5.1 (Partitives) Flashcards
Partitives: What do they correspond to in English
They usually correspond to some or any in English.
(refer to uncountable items or mass nouns)
une tasse de
a cup of
un litre de
a litter of
trop de
too much of
Partitives:
de + les =
des
Partitives: the article des
Can function as either a plural indefinite or a plural partitive article, depending on whether the nouns can be counted
Countable:
Nous visiterons des musées à Dakar
(We will visit some museums in Dakar)
Uncountable:
Nous avons mangé des påtes
(We ate some pasta)
beaucoup de
a lot of
No articles are used with these two terms
quelques
plusieurs
Examples:
Ils ont mentionné quelques incertitudes
(they mentioned a few uncertainties)
On utilise plusieurs langues officielles
(we use several official languages)
Partitives: Some nouns can be countable or mass nouns, depending on the context
Compare these sentences
Elle prend un café
= she’s having a (cup of) coffee
BUT
Elle prend du café
= She’s having some coffee
Partitives: for expressions of quality
Use de with most expressions of quantity
Partitives:
de + l’ =
de l’
une boîte de
a can/box of
la plupart des
most of
un verre de
a glass of
Common expressions of quanitity
(Which use de)
(There are 12)
assez de un paquet de
beaucoup de (un) peu de
une boîte de un tas de
une bouteille de une tasse de
un kilo de trop de
un litre de un verre de
un tas de
a cup of
Des: Important rule to remember
Remember that des changes to de before an adjective followed by a noun
Example:
Ils préfèrent embaucher de jeunes travailleurs
(They prefer to hire young workers)
Partitives: How are they formed?
formed by combining de with the definite articles le, la, l’ and les
*notice that de contracts with le and les
de + le = du
de + la = de la
de + l’ = de l’
de + les = des
une bouteille de
a bottle of
(un) peu de
few/ (a) little of
Partitives:
de + le =
du
Des (when used with expressions of quantity)
(3)
Bien des
la moitié des
la plupart des
bien des
many
un paquet de
a package of
Assez de
Enough
Partitives: In a negative sentence
all partitive articles become de/ d’
Examples:
Les émigrès n’ont plus de travail.
(The emmigrants no longer have any work)
Le météo n’a pas prédit de pluie
(the forecast didn’t predict (any) rain
Partitives:
de + la =
de la
Unlike in English, the partitive must be used
Cet écrivan a du courage
= that writer has (some) courage
Elle lui a montré de la compréhension?
= Did she show her (any) understanding
la moitié des
half of
Partitives: When are they used?
when you want to talk about part of something
un kilo de
a kilogram of
