Definite and Indefinite Articles

Question 1

Definite Article

1. The definite article agrees with a specific noun in gender and number
2. The French definite article is used also in a general sense, a general statement, or feeling about and idea or thing.

Answer 1

Feminine Singular = la Masculine Singular = le

Plural = Les

Question 2

Indefinite Article

1. In French, indefinite articles take on the gender of the noun it precedes if singular, but also has a plural form that is used for either gender.

Answer 2

une, un, des

Question 3

Partitive Article

The partitive article de​ indicates, among other things, the word some. As for prepositions, de le becomes du and de les becomes des. Also, de l’ is used in front of workds starting with vowels.

When speacking about food, the partitve article is used sometimes, whie the definite article (le, la, les) is used at other times, and the indefinite article (un, une) in yet another set of situations.

In general de refers to a part of food (a piece of pie) where as le/la refers to food in general (I like pie…in general). The indefinite article refers to an entire unit of food (I would like a (whole) pie)

Question 4

When speaking about preferences, use the definite article.

J’aime la glace = I like ice cream

Nous préférons le steak = We prefer steak

Vous aimez les frites = You like fries

Answer 4

If the noun taken in a partitive sense happens to be preceded by a qalifying adjectie, or a negative verb, then de is used alone.

Nous avon mangé une tarte = We ate a pie

Nous n’avons pas mangé de tarte = We did not eat a pie

Nous n’avons pas mangé deux tartes = We did not eat two pies

Nous avons mangé de la tarte. = We ate some pies

Nous n’avons pas mangé de tarte. = We did not eat some pie/We id not eat any pie.

Question 5

When speaking about eating or drinking an item, there are specific situations for the use of each article:

Def Art….specific/whole items

J’ai mangé la tarte = I ate the (whole) pie

Ind. Art….known quantity

J’ai mangé une tarte = I ate a pie

Answer 5

Part. Art….unknown quantity

J’ai mangé de la tarte = I ate some pie

J’ai mangé beaucoup de tarte = I ate a lot of pie

Je n’ai pas mangé les tranches de tarte! = I didn’t eat the slices of pie

Part. Art….known quantity

J’ai mangé deux des tartes = I ate two of the pies