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Grammar
Objective: Differentiate between definite and indefinite concepts and apply the correct article in context.
| Article | Usage | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| un | Masculine singular | un livre | a book |
| une | Feminine singular | une table | a table |
| des | Plural (masculine and feminine) | des livres | some books |
English often drops the article before singular countable nouns, but French requires un or une in every such case.
Livre is a masculine noun, so it takes un. The feminine une would apply to words like table or chaise.
Un is the masculine singular indefinite article. Livre is masculine, so it takes un rather than une.
Une is the feminine singular form. Sœur is feminine, matching the article ending.
Des is the plural indefinite article, used for both genders without distinction.
Un introduces a non-specific apartment. If the apartment were known to both speakers, the definite article l' would be required.
Une before a feminine noun in a polite request. Baguette is a feminine noun.
5 exercises · about 8 minutes
In a negative sentence, un, une, and des are replaced by de or d' before a vowel. This is a fixed rule.
Un and une are singular only. Plural nouns always take des, regardless of gender.
In the negative, des becomes d' before a vowel. The article does not survive in its original form.
De replaces the indefinite article in negative constructions. Here problème is masculine singular.
Des is repeated for each plural noun. French does not allow one article to cover two separate noun phrases.