French Contracted Articles vs Partitive Articles

It is important to understand the difference between French contracted articles vs partitive articles, especially when it comes to using them with negation.

Contracted Articles

French contracted articles involve the combination of a preposition and a definite article.

Preposition + Definite ArticleContracted FormExample
à + leauJe vais au marché.
I am going to the market.
à + lesauxJe parle aux étudiants.
I am talking to the students.
de + leduIl revient du cinéma.
He is coming back from the cinema.
de + lesdesElle vient des États-Unis.
She is from the United States.

Partitive Articles

French partitive articles are a specific type of articles used to express an indefinite quantity or an unidentified portion of something. They are used when referring to a noun that is uncountable or represents an indefinite amount. The partitive articles in French are “du,” “de la,” “de l’,” and “des,” which correspond to the English word “some” or the idea of “a portion of.”

de + ledu
ExampleJe mange du pain.
I am eating some bread.
de + lade la
ExampleElle mange de la mousse au chocolat.
She is eating some chocolate mousse.
de + lesdes
ExampleNous avons des amis.
We have some friends.
de l’de l’
ExampleJe bois de l’eau.
I am drinking some water.

Negation With Partitive Articles

It’s important to note that when the noun is used in a negative sentence or in a question where a negative response is expected, the partitive article is replaced by the indefinite article “de” or “d'”.

Tu bois du café?Are you drinking (some) coffee?
Tu ne bois pas de café?You aren’t drinking any coffee?
Tu achètes des fruits?Are you buying some fruit?
Tu n’achètes pas de fruits?You aren’t buying any fruit?

Negation With Contracted Articles

Contracted articles do not change after negation.

Il revient du cinéma.He is coming back from the cinema.
Il ne revient pas du cinéma.He is not coming back from the cinema.
Elle vient des États-Unis.She is from the United States.
Elle ne vient pas des États-Unis.She is not from the United States.

Don’t forget to download your free lesson guide, which includes all of these rules and examples to reinforce your understanding of French contracted articles vs partitive articles.

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Faillir + Infinitive

TO ALMOST DO SOMETHING

To express the idea that you almost or nearly did something (but didn’t), you can use the French verb faillir + infinitive along with avoir.  

This is so easy to do that you don’t even need to know how to conjugate faillir!  You can start using this verb today, even if you’re a beginner. All you need to know is how to conjugate the verb avoir in the present tense!

Faillir + Infinitive

The following construction is actually the passé composé, but don’t worry about that for now if you haven’t yet learned it.  You can still do this.

Just remember that using faillir this way means that you almost or nearly did something, and you’ll always use it the same way:

subject +present tense avoir +failli +any infinitive
Nousavonsfaillitomber
Nous avons failli tomber.We almost / nearly fell (down). 

Present tense conjugation of avoir 

j’ainous avons
tu asvous avez
il – elle – on ails – elles ont

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Réussir vs Réussir à

RÉUSSIR = TO SUCCEED / TO MANAGE / TO DO WELL

The French verb réussir can be used with or without the preposition à, depending on the context and the structure of the sentence.  This verb has many different meanings that don’t always directly translate to English. 

Without à: When réussir is followed by a direct object (noun or pronoun), it does not require the preposition “à.”  Réussir does not require à when followed by other prepositions like dans or sans. 

With à: When réussir is followed by an infinitive, it requires the preposition à.  Réussir also requires à when followed by an indirect object (noun or pronoun). 

Réussir ou Réussir à

WITHOUT ÀWITH À 
J’ai réussi l’examen.

⬇ direct object ⬇		J’ai réussi à comprendre.

⬇ infinitive ⬇
I passed the exam.I managed to understand.
Tu as bien réussi ta crème brûlée.

⬇ direct object ⬇		Max réussi toujours à être en retard. 

⬇ infinitive ⬇
You did a great job with your crème brûlée.Max always manages to be late. 
Il a réussi son coup.
idiomatic expression

⬇ direct object ⬇		La vie en France réussit à Roger.


⬇ indirect object (person) ⬇
He pulled it off. Life in France is going well for Roger.
Ma soeur a bien réussi sa vie.


⬇ direct object ⬇		Ça ne réussit pas à Stéphane de ne pas assez dormir.

⬇ indirect object (person) ⬇ 
My sister has done very well for herself.It doesn’t suit Stéphane not to get enough sleep. 
Elle a réussi dans sa vie personnelle et professionnelle.

⬇ preposition dans ⬇		Le fromage ne réussit pas bien à Léa!


⬇ indirect object (person) ⬇
She has thrived in her personal and professional life.Cheese doesn’t agree with Léa!
Comment réussir sans s’épuiser?

⬇ preposition sans ⬇		Je ne réussirai jamais à apprendre à skier.

⬇ infinitive ⬇
How to succeed without burning out?I’ll never manage to learn to ski.

Video + Lesson Guide

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Beaucoup De ou Beaucoup Des

In French, expressions of quantity are almost always followed by de or d’.  We do this with all kinds of quantities, and it doesn’t matter if the noun that follows is plural, singular, masculine or feminine. However, sometimes we need to ask the question: Beaucoup de ou beaucoup des?  There are certain situations that call for expressions of quantity to be followed by des, du, de la, or d’.

In the following examples, de or d’ replace the partitive articles du, de la, de l’, des. 

Beaucoup de – Peu de – Assez de

J’ai acheté beaucoup de livres.I bought a lot of books.
Elle a très peu d’argent.She has very little money.
Nous avons assez de provisions.We have enough supplies.

However, there is a time when the choice between using de, du, de la, de l’, or des with expressions of quantity can happen.  

It depends on whether the noun is followed by a relative pronoun, which would make the distinction between the quantity being general or specific to a particular context.  

Using du, de la, des, or de l’ indicates a specific quantity related to that particular noun. In the following examples, du, de la, des, and de l’ are not partitive articles, they are contracted articles.  

Partitive and contracted articles look the same, but the meaning is slightly different.  

Est-ce que tu veux boire du champagne?
Do you want to drink some champagne?
Partitive Article
Où est la clé du coffre?
Where is the trunk key? (the key of the trunk)
Contracted Article

Une part du – Quelques bouquets des – Beaucoup des

J’ai mangé une part du gâteau que tu as fait. I ate a piece of the cake (that) you made.
Elle a acheté quelques bouquets des fleurs qui étaient en vente.She bought some bouquets of the flowers that were for sale.
Nous avons visité beaucoup des villes que tu nous as suggérées.We visited many of the cities (that) you suggested.

Relative Pronouns

Remember that the use of “de,” “du,” “de la,” or “des” depends on whether the noun is followed by a relative pronoun and whether you want to convey a general or specific context related to the noun in question.

Beaucoup de poissons.A lot of fish.
Beaucoup des poissons que j’ai attrapés se sont échappés.A lot of the fish (that) I caught escaped.
Une tranche de gâteau.A slice of cake.
Une tranche du gâteau que ta maman a fait.A slice of the cake (that) your mom made.
Peu d’informations.Little information.
Peu des informations que j’ai trouvées étaient utiles.Few of the pieces of information (that) I found were useful.

Video + Lesson Guide

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French Double Pronouns Order

In French, it is common to use up to two pronouns right next to each other. The use of double pronouns allows for concise and precise communication while avoiding repetition.  It’s super important to know the French double pronouns order, and by the end of this lesson you’ll be a pro!

The pronouns that can be combined in this way include direct object pronouns, indirect object pronouns, reflexive pronouns, and the pronouns “y” and “en.”

In this lesson, we will explore using French double pronouns in several tenses, both with and without negation.

French Double Pronouns Order Chart

This chart differs slightly when using affirmative commands.

ME
TELE
NOUSLALUI
VOUSLESLEURYEN

ME – TE – NOUS – VOUS

These can be reflexive pronouns, direct object pronouns, or indirect object pronouns.

LE – LA – LES

These are direct object pronouns.

LUI – LEUR

These are indirect object pronouns.

Y – EN

Y and EN are adverbial pronouns.

Examples

Je les lui ai donnés.passé composéI gave them to him / her.
Je ne les lui ai pas donnés.négationI did not give them to him / her.
Elle me l’achète.présentShe’s buying it for me.
Elle ne me l’achète pas.négationShe’s not buying it for me.
Il va s’en souvenir.futur procheHe is going to remember it.
Il ne va pas s’en souvenir.négationHe is not going to remember it.
Il les y a vus.passé composéHe saw them there.
Il ne les y a pas vus.négationHe did not see them there.
Elle te les donnera demain.futur simpleShe will give them to you tomorrow.
Elle ne te les donnera pas demain.négationShe will not give them to you tomorrow.
Nous allons t’en parler.futur procheWe are going to talk to you about it.
Nous n’allons pas t’en parler.négationWe are not going to talk to you about it.
Je le lui ai dit.passé composéI told him (that).
Je ne le lui ai pas dit.négationI didn’t tell him (that).
Elle se les brosse.présentShe’s brushing them.
Elle ne se les brosse pas.négationShe is not brushing them. 

Why use double pronouns?

Combining pronouns in a sentence helps to clarify the relationships between the subject, objects, and locations, making conversations more precise and concise.

Video + Lesson Guide

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Revenir – Venir – Rentrer

The French verbs revenir, venir, rentrer are used to express different forms of movement or arrival. When followed by prepositions like “de,” “du,” or “des,” they indicate the origin or departure point of the action.

Use These Verbs With Countries

The verbs revenir, venir, rentrer follow a pattern when it comes to knowing which form of DE to use.

DEComing back, coming from, or returning home from a feminine country
DUComing back, coming from, or returning home from a masculine country
DESComing back, coming from, or returning home from a plural country

Revenir

“Revenir” means “to come back” or “to return.” When used with prepositions, it indicates coming back from a specific location.

DEJe reviens de France.I’m coming back from France.
DUNous revenons du Canada.We’re coming back from Canada.
DESIls reviennent des Pays-Bas.They’re coming back from the Netherlands.

Venir

“Venir” means “to come.” When used with prepositions, it indicates the origin or departure point of the action.

DEJe viens d’Espagne.I come from Spain.
DUNous venons du Japon.We come from Japan.
DESIls viennent des Bahamas.They come from the Bahamas.

Rentrer

“Rentrer” means “to go back home” or “to return home.” When used with prepositions, it indicates going back home from a specific location.

DETu rentres d’Angleterre?You’re back (home) from England?
DUVous rentrez du Mexique?You’re back (home) from Mexico?
DESJe rentre des États-Unis.I’m back (home) from the United States.

Pay attention to the prepositions: “de,” “du,” and “des” are used to indicate the origin or departure point. Choose the appropriate preposition based on the country that follows the verb.

Practice with different countries and locations: To become familiar with the usage, practice forming sentences using different countries.

Video + Lesson Guide

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French Texting Abbreviations

Stay in the loop with the latest slang and acronyms used in French text messages and in chatting. French can be formal and proper, and it can also be super casual and slangy, especially French texting abbreviations.

French texting adds a whole other dimension! It’s a crazy mix of shortcuts and acronyms that people use mostly in texts, social media, chats, forums, and even protest signs. It’s like a language of its own, always changing and expanding, so it’s pretty much impossible to make a definitive list of all the things people come up with.

Discover Essential French Texting Abbreviations

AbbreviationFrench MeaningEnglish Translation
cccoucouhi, hey
cc’estit’s
ctc’étaitit was
cvça va?how’s it going?
sltsaluthi, hello
stps’il te plaîtplease
bjrbonjourhello, good day
a+à plus (tard)see you later
tktt’inquiètedon’t worry
t ou?tu es où?where are you?
mdrmort de rireLOL
bcpbeaucoupa lot, much
jtmje t’aimeI love you
dsldésolésorry
pqpourquoiwhy
b1biengood, fine
tjrtoujoursalways
qqchquelque chosesomething
cc cv ?coucou ça va ?hi, how are you?
jspje ne sais pasI don’t know
avkavecwith
trkltranquillerelaxed, calm
pkpourquoiwhy
pk paspourquoi paswhy not
bsrbonsoirgood evening
bcp de tafbeaucoup de travaila lot of work
tgta gueuleshut up
jspje ne sais pasI don’t know
tttoutall
mtnmaintenantnow
keskequ’est-ce quewhat
tjtoujoursalways
c koic’est quoiwhat is that
ctbc’est tout bonall good
oqpoccupébusy
tlmtout le mondeeveryone
2riende rienyou’re welcome
dacd’accordok
Gj’aiI have
yail y athere is / there are
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French Verbs Apporter Emporter

The French verbs “apporter” and “emporter” both involve the idea of bringing or taking something from one place to another, but they differ in the direction of the movement. Understanding their nuances can be helpful in using them correctly.

Apporter

“Apporter” means “to bring” or “to bring along.”

It implies bringing something from another place to the current location of the speaker.

Use “apporter” when the movement is toward the speaker or the current location.

This is the verb to use when you’re going to bring something to a place and leave it there. You’re carrying something to a final point.

Emporter

“Emporter” means “to take away” or “to take along.”

It indicates taking something away from the current location of the speaker to another place.

Use “emporter” when the movement is away from the speaker or the current location.

The idea when you use the verb “emporter” is that you’re taking it away with you, and you’re going to keep it. You’re carrying something away when leaving a place.

Examples

J’apporte un bon livre.I’m bringing a good book (somewhere).
I’m leaving it there.
Apportez-moi un café.Bring me a coffee.
Leave it with me.
Elle apporte toutes ses affaires. She’s bringing all of her belongings (somewhere).
She’s leaving them there.
J’emporte ce livre avec moi.I’m taking this book (away) with me.
I’m keeping  it.
Emporte tes affaires.Take your belongings (away).
Keep them.
Nous emportons les meubles.We’re taking the furniture (away).
We’re keeping it.

Remember that these verbs can have other meanings and uses in different contexts, but the examples provided above illustrate their specific usage in terms of bringing or taking something from one place to another.

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French Verbs Amener Emmener

The French verbs “amener” and “emmener” both involve the action of bringing or taking someone or an animal along with you. However, there is a subtle difference in their usage, which lies in the direction of the movement.

Amener vs Emmener

The French verb “amener” typically implies bringing someone along to a place, or bringing someone to another person.  

Use “amener” when you’re bringing someone to a place, and you’re going to leave them there.

On the other hand, the French verb “emmener” suggests taking someone or an animal away from the current location. It indicates the action of taking someone or an animal with you to a place where you are not currently.

Use “emmener” when you’re bringing someone to a place, and you’re going to stay there with them.

Examples

Il amène son chien chez le vétérinaire.He’s bringing his dog to the vet.
He’s leaving the dog there.
Les parents amènent leur fils à l’école.The parents are bringing their son to school.
They are leaving him there.
Elle m’emmène à la plage.She’s taking me to the beach.
She’s staying there with me.
Nous emmenons les enfants au parc.We’re taking the children to the park.
We’re staying there with them.
Ce bus nous amène à la gare.
VEHICLE = INTERCHANGEABLE		This bus is bringing us to the train station.
Interchangeable with emmener.
Ce bus nous emmène à la gare.
VEHICLE = INTERCHANGEABLE		This bus is taking us to the train station.
Interchangeable with amener.

Remember that “amener” implies bringing someone or an animal to a place and leaving them there, while “emmener” suggests taking someone or an animal to a place and staying there with them. 

Exception

Sometimes, the verb “amener” can be used for bringing an object somewhere.  In this case, the object will be something that can’t be picked up and carried. 

Il amène sa voiture chez le garagiste.He is bringing his car to the mechanic.

Video + Lesson Guide

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French Adjectives Prochain Dernier

The placement of the French adjectives prochain and dernier can change the meaning and emphasis of the sentence. These adjectives can be placed either before or after the noun they modify, but their placement alters the meaning.

French Adjectives Prochain and Dernier Before and After Nouns

La prochaine année vs L’année prochaine:

  • La prochaine année: “the following year” or “the next year,” referring to the year that comes after the current one.
  • L’année prochaine: “next year,” indicating the specific year that follows the present year.

La dernière année vs L’année dernière:

  • La dernière année: “the final year” or “the last year,” indicating the most recent or concluding year of a specific period.
  • L’année dernière: “last year,” referring to the year that immediately precedes the present year.

Le prochain jour vs Le jour prochain:

  • Le prochain jour: “the following day” or “the next day,” referring to the day that comes after the current one.
  • Le jour prochain: “the upcoming day” or “the soon-to-come day,” emphasizing the proximity or expectation of the specific day.

Le dernier jour vs Le jour dernier:

  • Le dernier jour: “the final day” or “the last day,” indicating the most recent or concluding day of a particular period.
  • Le jour dernier: “yesterday” or “the day before today,” referring to the day that immediately precedes the present day.

Le prochain mois vs Le mois prochain:

  • Le prochain mois: “the following month” or “the next month,” referring to the month that comes after the current one.
  • Le mois prochain: “next month,” indicating the specific month that follows the present month.

Le dernier mois vs Le mois dernier:

  • Le dernier mois: “the final month” or “the last month,” indicating the most recent or concluding month of a specific period.
  • Le mois dernier: “last month,” referring to the month that immediately precedes the present month.

Le prochain matin vs Le matin prochain:

  • Le prochain matin: “the following morning” or “the next morning,” referring to the morning that comes after the current one.
  • Le matin prochain: “tomorrow morning,” indicating the specific morning of the following day.

Le dernier matin vs Le matin dernier:

  • Le dernier matin: “the final morning” or “the last morning,” indicating the most recent or concluding morning of a particular period.
  • Le matin dernier: “yesterday morning” or “the morning before today,” referring to the morning that immediately precedes the present morning.

By placing the French adjectives dernier and prochain before the nouns, we generally indicate a more general and abstract sense of time. When placed after the nouns, dernier and prochain typically provide a more specific and concrete reference to time.

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