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French Grammar > Nouns and Articles (Chapter 1) > Flashcards

Nouns and Articles (Chapter 1) Flashcards

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1
Q

Name 3 nouns starting with h which do not use the article l’?

A

Le héro
Le haricot
Le hors-d’œuvre

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2
Q

What are the 10 noun endings that are usually feminine?

A

-sion
-tion
-ale
-ole
-té
-aison
-once
-ence
-ude
-ure

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3
Q

What are the 5 noun endings that are usually masculine?

A

-asme
-isme
-eau
-ment
-acle

L’enthousiasme pour le tourisme et l’eau est le commencement d”un miracle

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4
Q

What are the first 7 nouns with different meanings in their f and m forms?

A

L’aide (f) - help
L’aide (m) - helper
La critique - critisicism
Le critique - critic
La guide - reins
Le guide - guide
La livre - pound
Le livre - book
La manche - sleeve
Le manche - handle
La mode - fashion
Le mode - method, mode
L’office (f) - pantry
L’office (m) - office, duty

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5
Q

What are the second 7 nouns with different meanings in their f and m forms?

A

La pendule - clock
Le pendule - pendulum
La poêle - frying pan
Le poêle - stove
La poste - post office
Le poste - job
La somme - sum
Le somme - nap
La tour - tower
Le tour - turn, walk around
La vase - mud
Le vase - vase
La voile - sail
Le voile - veil

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6
Q

What are some nouns referring to people that can either be masc or fem and are the same in both forms?

A

le/la nomade
le/la malade
le/la enfant
l’artiste
l’élève

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7
Q

What are 5 nouns referring to people that only have one form (f or m)?

A

La personne (person)
La victime (victim)
Le guide (guide)
Le témoin (witness)
Le professeur (teacher)

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8
Q

How do most nouns form the plural and what are the 6 groups of exceptions?

A

Adding an s and change to les
-Nouns ending in:
1. ail
2. al
3. au/eau/eu/œu
4. ou
5. s/x/z
6. irregular

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9
Q

Nouns ending in which 3 letters do not change in the plural form?

A

Those ending in s, x or z
Le bras, les bras (arms)
Le nez, les nez
La fois, les fois (times)

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10
Q

Nouns ending in which 4 groups of letters add x in the plural form?
Name 2 exceptions

A

Those ending au, eu, eau, or œu
Les châteaux
La peau, Les peaux (skins)
Le feu, Les feux (fires)
Le vœu, Les vœux (wishes)

Exceptions:
Le landau, Les landaus (carriages)
Le pnue, les pneus (tyres)
(Note the p is pronounced in French!)

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11
Q

How do nouns ending in ou form the plural and what are the 7 exceptions?

A

They add an s (e.g. le trou - the hole -> les trous - the holes) except for the following which add an x:
les bijoux (jewels)
les choux (cabbages)
les hibou (owls)
les genoux (knees)
les cailloux (stones)
les joujoux (toys)
les poux (fleas, lice)

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12
Q

How do nouns ending in al form the plural?

A

They change to al to aux

L’animal - les animaux
le cheval - les chevaux
l’hôpital - les hôpitaux

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13
Q

How do nouns ending in ail form the plural?

A

Most but not all add an s

e.g. le détail -> les détails

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14
Q

What are the following irregular plurals?

Le gentilhomme
Le ciel
L’oeil
Le monsieur
Madame
Madamoiselle

A

Les gentilshommes - the gentlemen
Les cieux - the skies
Les yeux - the eyes
Messieurs - gentlemen
Mesdames - ladies
Mesdamoiselles - young ladies

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15
Q

How are plurals of compound nouns formed?
Le chou-fleur
Le beau-frère
La belle-sœur
La grand-mère
Le coffre-fort
L’arc-en-ciel
Le pique-nique
L’abat-jour
Le gratte-ciel
Le réveille-matin
Le tire-bouchon
Le couvre-lit
L’après-midi
Le tête-à-tête

A

They are all irregular - there seem to be 6 different groups but looks easier just to memorise them individually.

les choux-fleurs
les beaux-frères (BIL)
les belles sœurs (SIL)
les grands-mères
Les coffres-forts (safes)
Les arcs-en-ciel (rainbows)
Les pique-niques
Les tire-bouchons (corkscrews)
Les couvre-lits (bedspreads)
Les abat-jour (lampshades)
Les gratte-ciel (skyscrapers)
Les réveille-matin (alarm clocks)
Les après-midi (afternoons)
Les tête-à-tête (private talks)

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16
Q

When is the definite article used with general or abstract nouns?

A

Always (unlike in English)
He like bananas - il aime les bananes
Love is divine - L’amour est divin
Cigarettes are not good for your health - Les cigarettes ne sont pas bonnes pour la santé

17
Q

How is the definite article used with titles in French?

A
  1. In direct address it is not used however if talking about someone it must be used.
    Bonjour Docteur Wharton.
    Le docteur Wharton est arrivée.
    Comment allez-vous Général Pierron?
    Le général Pierron est un grand homme.
  2. It is never used with Monsieur, Mme or Mlle.
    Madame Blanc arrive.
18
Q

How is the definite article used with academic subjects and languages in French?

A
  1. The definitive article is always used with academic subjects
    I am studying history and maths
    J’étudie l’histoire and les mathématiques.
  2. The definitive article is always used with languages, with 3 exceptions:
    -after parler
    -arter en
    after de

Le français est une belle langue
J’étudie le français
but
Je parle français
J’ai un livre de français
Ce livre est écrit en français
(note the language is not capitalised)

19
Q

How is the definite article used with dates in French?

A

The definitive article is always used with dates.
He will be here on the 10th of August
Il sera ici le 10 août
Classes resume on Sept 6
Le 6 septembre, less classes recommencent
(note the month is not capitalised)

20
Q

How is the definite article used with days in French?

A
  1. The definitive article is used with days to indicate a habitual occurrence:
    I don’t work on Sundays
    Le dimanche, je ne travaille pas
    I have my French class on Mondays
    J’ai ma classe de français le lundi
    (note the day is not capitalised, and is always singular and always masculine in French)
  2. The definitive article is NOT used with days to indicate a one off occurrence:
    I went to the movies on Monday
    Je suis allé au cinéma lundi
    I will come to see you on Saturday
    Je viendra vous voir samedi
    Sunday is the last day of the week
    Dimanche est le dernier jour de la semaine.
21
Q

How is the definite article used with seasons in French?

A

1.The definitive article is used when discussing the seasons in a general sense:
Summer is a nice season
L’été est une saison agréable
Winter is a cold season
L’hiver est une saison froide

  1. But not when talking about doing something in a season:
    I go to the beach in Summer and I ski in WInter:
    Je vais à la plage en été st je fais du ski en hiver
  2. It is also not used, when it is an adjective
    e.g. winter dresses
    Les robes-d’hiver

(note the season is not capitalised)

22
Q

How is the definite article used with names of countries, mountains, rivers etc in French?

A

The definitive article is used with these:
France is a large country
La France est une grande pays
Corsica is an island
La Corse est une île

but not if there is a preposition
I am going to France
Je vais en France
The history of France
L’histoire de France

23
Q

How is the definite article used with expressions of quantity (weights and measures) in French?

A

1.The definitive article is used with expressions of quantity when used in conjunction with a price to indicate per:
Tomatoes are 2 francs a kilo
Les tomates coûtent deux francs le kilo

  1. But not otherwise
    The bananas weight 2 kg
    Les bananes pèsent deux kilos
24
Q

How is the definite article used with parts of the body or clothing in French?

A

The definitive article is always used with parts of the body or clothing:
He washes his hands
Il se lave les mains
He has his hands in his pockets
Il a les main dans les poches

The book says this is to avoid ambiguity. I assume they mean he has his hands in his pockets means he has his hands in someone else’s pockets.

25
Q

How does the definite article contract with à?

A

à + le = au
à + la = à la
à + l’h = à l’h
à + les = aux

Je vais au musée
Je parle aux garçons
Je vais à la pharmacie

26
Q

How does the definite article contract with de?

A

de + le = du
de + la = de la
de + l’h = de l’h
de + les = des

Je parle du garçon
Je parle des garçons
Je parle de la fille

27
Q

What are the 3 indefinite articles?

A

un, une, des - there is always a liason between des and a word beginning with a vowel

a painting - une peinture
some paintings - des peintures

28
Q

What are 7 situations where the definite article is omitted?

A
  1. After the verb être
    Elle est medicin/australienne
    but it is used if the noun is modified
    Il est un auteur célèbre
    Victor Hugo est un auteur qui tous les français connaissent
  2. After quel
    Quelle belle vue!
  3. Before nouns in opposition
    Paris, capitale de France, est une grande ville
  4. before a noun hat complements another noun
    a silk dress
    une robe de soie
  5. After sans (without)
    without doubt
    sans doute
  6. After avec when it is used for an abstract noun
    He works with care
    Il travaille avec soin
    He works with his friends
    Il travaille aves des amis
  7. After ni
    He has neither money nor bread
    Il n’a ni argent ni pain
29
Q

What is a partitive noun?

How is the partitive formed in French?

How is it used in French vs English?

A

The partitive noun is a noun that is used to describe a part or quantity of something. Partitive nouns are used with another noun to tell you how much of that noun there is.
e.g some soup/any oranges

The partitive is formed in French by combining de and the definite article -> de/de la/de l’h and des.

In English the definite article is omitted after some/any
E.g I am having some soup.
This is not the case in French and it must always be included (if it were the same as English, it would always be de but as you need to add the correct article, the de changes as above)
J’ai de la soup
Elle veut du sucre
Nous avons des livres

30
Q

When is the partitive used in French (vs the definite or indefinite article)?

A
31
Q

What are the 3 exceptions to the usual use of the partitive (vs the definite or indefinite article)?

A
  1. When the sentence is a negative
  2. When an adjective precedes a noun in the plural
  3. After expressions of quantity and expressions with de.
32
Q

Discuss the use of the partitive with a negative.

A

When the sentence is a negative, the partitive article is replaced by de

I have some bread/books/friends
J’ai du pain/des livres/des amis
I don’t have any bread/books/friends
Je n’ai pas de pain/de livres/d’amis

Note this also happens when it is a negative that is not a partitive
I have a dress
J’ai une robe
I do not have a dress
Je n’ai pas de robe
(I think this would be different to Je n’ai pas de robes which I am guessing would mean I don’t have any dresses)

2 exceptions (not common):
-when the idea is affirmative (rather than negative) and you are asking a question
Don’t you have any family here?
N’avez-vouz pas de la famille ici?
-if you want to emphasise the noun
I don’t have any respect for him, rather scorn
Je n’ai pas du respect pour lui, mais du mépris

33
Q

Discuss the use of the partitive when an adjective precedes a noun in the plural.

A

When an adjective PRECEDES a noun in the plural, the partitive becomes de (or more specifically it does not change to des as it usually would):
I have a good book/I have some good books
J’ai un bon livre/J’ai de bons livres
(rather than - I have some books - J’ai des livres, which is the normal plural use of the partitive)
But, note if the adjective comes AFTER the noun, you use the partitive as normal:
I have an interesting book/I have some interesting books
J’ai un livre intéressant/J’ai des livre intéressants

34
Q

Discuss the use of the partitive after expressions of quantity.

Name 7 expressions of quantity.

What are 2 exceptions to this rule?

What are 2 expressions of quantity that do not use an article at all?

A

In expressions of quantity, the partitive is always de.
Expressions of quantity include:
assez - enough
beaucoup - a lot
peu - a little
trop - too much
tant - so many
autant - as much
moins - less

Elle veut de l’eau - She wants some water
Elle veut un peu d’eau - She wants a little water
Il a des livres - he has some books
Il a beaucoup de livres - he has many books
Je bois du vin - I am drinking some wine
Je bois un verre de vin - I am drinking a glass of water

There are 2 exceptions to this rule:
La plupart - most
Bien - many

Most of the time, I work
Le plupart du temps, je travaille
Many times he makes mistakes
Biens des fois, il fait des fautes

2 expressions of quantity that do not use an article at all are:
plusieurs (several) and quelques (a few)
I have many/enough books - J’ai beaucoup de/assez de livres
I have several/a few books - J’ai plusieurs/quelques livres

35
Q

Discuss the use of the partitive after expressions with de.

Give 2 examples.

A

The partitive is not used after expressions using de (i.e. it stays as de or d’ and is NOT changes to du/de la/des/ del’h):
Avoir besoin de - to need
Se passer de - to get along without

I have some money
J’ai de l’argent
I need some money
J’ai besoin d’argent

French Grammar (5 decks)

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