Articles 2 (AQA GCSE French): Revision Notes
Articles 2
How to say 'some' in French
In French, expressing 'some' requires different articles depending on the gender and number of the noun you're using. These are called partitive articles, and they're essential for everyday French conversation.
| Gender | Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | du | du lait | some milk |
| Feminine | de la | de la glace | some ice-cream |
| Before vowel/silent h | de l' | de l'eau | some water |
| Plural | des | des animaux | some animals |
Understanding Partitive Articles
Partitive articles are unique to French and don't have a direct equivalent in English. While English speakers can say "I want bread" without "some," French speakers must always use the appropriate partitive article: "Je veux du pain."
Key vocabulary
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le lait | milk |
| la glace | ice-cream |
| l'eau | water |
| les animaux | animals |
| le pain | bread |
| les boissons | drinks |
Important grammar rule
The Negative Rule
After a negative expression, you only use de or d' (never du, de la, des). This is a fundamental rule that applies to all partitive articles in negative constructions.
Worked Example: Negative Partitive Articles
Positive: J'ai du pain. (I have some bread.) Negative: Je n'ai pas de pain. (I haven't got any bread.)
Positive: Il a des livres. (He has some books.) Negative: Il n'a pas de livres. (He hasn't got any books.)
How to say 'to the' in French
When you want to say 'to the' in French, the preposition à combines with definite articles to create contractions:
| Gender | Form | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | au | au bureau | to the office |
| Feminine | à la | à la gare | to the station |
| Before vowel/silent h | à l' | à l'école | to (the) school |
| Plural | aux | aux toilettes | to the toilets |
Grammar Tip: Articles in French vs English
Sometimes French includes the article where English doesn't. This is particularly common with abstract concepts and time expressions:
- On lutte pour l'égalité. (We fight for equality.)
- Il vient le vendredi. (He comes on Friday.)
Using 'some' and 'any' in questions
Understanding when to use 'some' versus 'any' in English helps you know when French uses partitive articles. The key principle is that French consistently uses partitive articles even where English might use 'any'.
Statements: You don't always need 'some' in English, but you must use it in French
- Veux-tu du lait ou du café? (Do you want milk or coffee?)
Questions: Where English uses 'any', French still uses 'some' (partitive articles)
- Avez-vous des boissons? (Have you got any drinks?)
- Avez-vous du pain? (Have you got any bread?)
Worked Example: Partitive Articles in Different Tenses
Present tense: J'achète du pain. Translation: I'm buying some bread.
Past tense: J'ai acheté de la glace. Translation: I bought some ice-cream.
Notice how the partitive article remains consistent regardless of tense.
Nouns from adjectives
You can transform adjectives into nouns by using the appropriate article. When the noun becomes a nationality, remember to add a capital letter for the people (but not the language):
Worked Example: Adjective to Noun Transformation
Adjective: Il est anglais. (He is English.) Language (noun): J'aime l'anglais. (I like English - the language) People (noun): Je m'entends bien avec les Anglais. (I get on well with English people)
Note the capital letter when referring to people, but lowercase for the language.
Pronunciation Tip: Liaison
The liaison between articles and words beginning with vowels is crucial for natural-sounding French. Practice connecting 'des animaux' (dez-animaux) and 'aux États-Unis' (oz-États-Unis) smoothly to sound more fluent.
Practice exercises
Translation Practice
French to English:
- Je veux du pain.
- Avez-vous de l'eau?
English to French: 3. I want some bread. 4. Are you going to the station?
Answers:
- I want some bread.
- Do you have any water?
- Je veux du pain.
- Allez-vous à la gare? / Tu vas à la gare?
Key Points to Remember:
- Use du/de la/de l'/des to say 'some' - the form depends on the gender and number of the noun
- After negatives, always use de or d' instead of the full partitive article
- The preposition à contracts with le and les to make au and aux
- French often includes articles where English doesn't, especially with abstract concepts
- When adjectives become nationality nouns, they need capital letters