How to Use De, Du, De La, Des in French

The Partitive Articles: Du, De la, De l', Des

In French, when you want to talk about an unspecified amount of something, like 'some bread' or 'any water', you use a partitive article. Think of it as taking a 'part' of a whole. The article you choose depends on the gender and number of the noun that follows.

• Use 'du' for masculine singular nouns: 'Je mange du fromage.' (I'm eating some cheese.)
• Use 'de la' for feminine singular nouns: 'Elle ajoute de la confiture.' (She adds some jam.)
• Use 'de l'' for singular nouns (masculine or feminine) that start with a vowel or a silent 'h': 'Vous buvez de l'eau ?' (Are you drinking some water?)
• Use 'des' for plural nouns (masculine or feminine): 'Nous achetons des légumes.' (We are buying some vegetables.)

These articles cover both uncountable items (like water or cheese) and countable items when the exact number isn't specified (like vegetables).

After Negation: It's Usually 'De'

Things change in negative sentences. After a negative expression like 'ne... pas', 'ne... jamais' (never), or 'ne... plus' (no more), the partitive articles 'du', 'de la', 'de l'', and 'des' all become 'de' (or 'd'' before a vowel).

This simplifies things: you don't need to worry about the noun's gender. Just use 'de'.

• Positive: 'Je bois du café.' (I drink coffee.) -> Negative: 'Je ne bois pas de café.' (I don't drink coffee.)
• Positive: 'Il y a de la chance.' (There is luck.) -> Negative: 'Il n'y a pas de chance.' (There is no luck.)
• Positive: 'Nous avons des amis.' (We have friends.) -> Negative: 'Nous n'avons pas d'amis.' (We don't have friends.)

Be careful: this rule does not apply after the verb 'être' (to be). The article remains the same. For example: 'Ce n'est pas du vin, c'est du jus de raisin.' (That's not wine, it's grape juice.)

After Expressions of Quantity: Use 'De'

Similar to negation, when you use an expression of quantity, you almost always follow it with 'de' or 'd''. The partitive articles 'du', 'de la', 'des' are not used here.

Common expressions of quantity include:

• beaucoup de (a lot of)
• un peu de (a little of)
• assez de (enough of)
• trop de (too much of)
• un kilo de (a kilo of)
• une bouteille de (a bottle of)
• un morceau de (a piece of)

For example: 'J'ai beaucoup d'amis.' (I have a lot of friends.) or 'Il faut un litre de lait.' (We need a liter of milk.)

The Preposition 'De': Possession and Contractions

'De' is also a preposition that often means 'of' or 'from'. It's used to show possession or a relationship between two things. In this role, 'de' sometimes combines with the definite articles 'le' and 'les'.

These contractions are mandatory:

• de + le = du. Example: 'Le livre du professeur.' (The teacher's book, literally 'the book of the teacher'.)
• de + les = des. Example: 'Les jouets des enfants.' (The children's toys.)

There is no contraction with 'la' or 'l'':

• de + la = de la. Example: 'La porte de la maison.' (The house's door.)
• de + l' = de l'. Example: 'L'ordinateur de l'étudiant.' (The student's computer.)

Partitive 'Des' vs. Contracted 'Des'

This can be a point of confusion. 'Des' can mean 'some' (partitive article) or 'of the' (preposition 'de' + 'les'). The meaning comes from the context.

Compare these two sentences:

• Partitive 'des' (some): 'J'ai vu des chats dans la rue.' (I saw some cats in the street.) Here, we are talking about unspecified cats.
• Contracted 'des' (of the): 'Je parle des chats de ma voisine.' (I am talking about my neighbor's cats, literally 'of the cats of my neighbor'.) Here, we are talking about specific cats.

A good tip is to see if you can replace it with 'some' in English. If you can, it is likely the partitive 'des'.

A Special Case: 'De' Before a Plural Adjective

In formal and written French, there is a specific rule for adjectives placed before a plural noun. The partitive article 'des' becomes 'de'.

For example, you say 'J'ai des amis.' (I have friends.). But if you add an adjective like 'bons' (good) before the noun, it changes: 'J'ai de bons amis.' (I have good friends.).

• Normal: 'Elle a acheté des fleurs.' (She bought some flowers.)
• With adjective before noun: 'Elle a acheté de belles fleurs.' (She bought some beautiful flowers.)

In everyday, informal conversation, you will often hear people say 'J'ai des bons amis.' While common, it's considered grammatically incorrect in writing and formal situations.

Common Verbs Followed by 'De'

Many French verbs require the preposition 'de' to connect to an object or another verb. It's helpful to learn these as complete phrases.

• parler de (to talk about): 'Nous parlons de nos projets.' (We're talking about our plans.)
• avoir besoin de (to need): 'J'ai besoin d'un stylo.' (I need a pen.)
• avoir envie de (to feel like/want): 'Elle a envie de chocolat.' (She feels like having chocolate.)
• rêver de (to dream of/about): 'Il rêve de vacances.' (He is dreaming of vacation.)
• s'occuper de (to take care of): 'Tu t'occupes du chien ?' (Are you taking care of the dog?)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a few frequent errors to watch out for as you practice:

• Using partitive articles after negation. Incorrect: 'Je n'ai pas du temps.' Correct: 'Je n'ai pas de temps.'
• Forgetting mandatory contractions. Incorrect: 'C'est le jardin de le château.' Correct: 'C'est le jardin du château.'
• Using a partitive article after a quantity word. Incorrect: 'Beaucoup des gens pensent que...' Correct: 'Beaucoup de gens pensent que...'
• Using 'des' before an adjective + plural noun. Incorrect: 'Elle a des jolies robes.' Correct: 'Elle a de jolies robes.'

Quick self-check

1. How would you say 'I would like some water'?

   Show answer

   Je voudrais de l'eau.

2. Translate: 'She doesn't have any brothers.'

   Show answer

   Elle n'a pas de frères.

3. How do you correctly say 'a lot of things'?

   Show answer

   Beaucoup de choses.

4. Combine 'le livre' and 'le garçon' to say 'the boy's book'.

   Show answer

   Le livre du garçon.

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