Talk in French Week 2 day1 definite, indefinite articles, last letter rules Flashcards
When is the definite article” Les” used?
The article “Les” is used for all plural nouns regardless of gender.
In French, the letter “h” at the beginning of a word is not pronounced, therefore words that begin with “h” are pronounced starting from the vowel, which is usually the next letter in the word.
Definite articles:
le (masculine singular)
le tableau - the board
la (feminine singular)
la table - the table
l’ (before a vowel or h*, usually masculine)
l’hôtel - the hotel
les (plural) regardless of gender
les tableaux, les tables, les hôtels*
Indefinite articles:
un (masculine singular)
un livre - a book
une (feminine singular)
une chaise - a chair
des (plural) regardless of gender
des livres, des chaises
General Rules
A definite article like “La” or “Le” is used to refer to something specific, which means something that has already been mentioned in the conversation — you know exactly what you are talking about.
An indefinite article would be used for something that is not specific, such as “a chair.” If you were to be more specific about the chair, e.g. saying “the big, red chair”, then you would use a definite article instead of an indefinite one. The rules in French are mostly the same as in English.
The (plural)
Les “lee”
Indefinite articles
un cochon (masculine singular) - a pig
des cochons (masculine plural) - pigs
une table (feminine singular) - a table
des tables (feminines plural) - tables
Des (plural masculine or femininie -“Dee”
du = de + le
“de+ les”= “des”
To eat
Manger- “mon Gee”
I eat
Je mange- “Je monge”
You eat
Tu Manges- “Tu monge”
He/She eats
Il/Elle mange= “eel/L monge”
We eat
Nous mangeons- “ monjon”
You eat
mangez-“vous monjay”
They eat
Ils/elles mangent- “eel/l monge”
To drink
Boire- “Bwar”
I drink
Je bois- “Je Bwah”
You drink
Tu bois-“tu Bwah”
He/She drink
il/elle boit- “eel/l Bwah”
We drink
Nous buvons- “bee von”
You drink
Vous buvez- “boo vay”
They drink
Ils/Elles boivent- “bawav”
Breakfast
petit-déjeuner- “dee jer knee”
Lunch
Le déjeuner- “dee jer knee”
Supper
Le souper- “ler sue pay”
Dinner
Le dîner- “Dee nay”
outside
dehors
why
pourquoi
why not
pourquoi pas
with
avec
maybe
peut-être
sausage
saucisses
ice cream
les glaces
especially
surtout
fruits
fruits
to add
ajouter- “ ah jou tay”
Further, more
davantage
recipe
recette
to season
assaisonner- “ah say zoo knee”
you can
vous pouvez- “poo vay”
your dish (meal)
votre plat
to beat
battre- “bat tra”
to beat them all
pour les battre tous.
to butter
beurrer-“burr ray”
You can butter
Vous pouvez beurrer
These little buns
ces petits pains
to boil
bouillir
Add the rest of the ingredients and boil for 30 minutes.
Ajoutez le reste des ingrédients et faites bouillir pendant 30 minutes.
to heat
chauffer-“show fay”
These foods must be (needs to be) heated
Ces aliments doivent chauffer
to cut
couper- cou pay
before going out
avant de sortir
all
tous
to cook
cuisiner- qwee zene nay
to cook
faire cuire
to grill
griller- “grill lay”
to mix
mélanger- may lan jay”
to roast
rôtir- “row tee ah”
to serve
servir- “ser vee ah”
to slice
trancher-“Trah shay
to pour
verser-“ver see”
fish
le poisson
chicken
le poulet- “poo lay”
potatoes
les pommes de terre- lee pom du tear”
vegetables
les légumes- “lee lee goo ma”
cake
le gâteau “ler ga toe”
yogurt
le yaourt
eggs
les œufs- “ooh”
butter
le beurre- ler burr”
ham
le jambon- “jum bo”
fries
les frites- “freet”
milk
le lait- “ler lay”
Recording of my voice saved to talk in french folder
French nouns are assigned a gender, which is either feminine or masculine, and the articles that precede it should match the gender of the nouns (feminine or masculine), as well as the count (singular or plural).
French definite articles are: Le (masculine singular), La (feminine singular), L’ (before a vowel or silent ‘h’ for singular), and Les (plural).
French indefinite articles are: Un (masculine singular), Une (feminine singular), and Des (plural).
The rules are similar to English grammar: you use definite articles if you are discussing something specific. You use indefinite articles for something more general.
When is the last letter pronounced?
Ah, the delightful dance of French pronunciation! 🇫🇷 Let’s unravel the mystery of those elusive final letters, shall we?
- General Rule: Most Final Consonants Are Silent:
In French, as a general rule, most consonants at the end of a word remain silent. They’re like introverts at a party—they prefer not to make a fuss.
So, if you encounter a word ending in a consonant, chances are you won’t hear it. It’s there, but it’s shy.
- Exceptions: When Do We Actually Pronounce the Last Letter?
While there’s no foolproof method to predict which letters will break their silence, here are some guidelines:
Vowels at the End: Except for unaccented E, vowels at the end of a word are usually pronounced. So, bid adieu to silent vowels!
C, R, L, and F: Most words ending in C, R, L, or F do pronounce that final consonant. They’re the extroverts of the French alphabet.
Adjectives: Here’s a twist—masculine adjectives often keep their final consonants silent, but when they become feminine, that consonant suddenly wants to be heard. It’s like a gender reveal party for consonants!
3. A Few Examples to Keep You on Your Toes:
un sac [sak] (a bag)
un décor [dékɔʁ] (a decoration)
neuf [nœf] (nine)
un fil [fil] (a thread)
4. Practice Makes Perfect:
Listen to native speakers, watch French movies, and immerse yourself in the language. Soon, you’ll develop an ear for those subtle nuances.
5. Bonus Tip: Liaisons!
Sometimes, even silent consonants wake up when they meet a vowel in the next word. These magical connections are called liaisons. For example:
Les amis [lez ami] (the friends) – The S in les links with the A in amis.
