Chapter 16 Indefinite and Partitive Articles - PBworks · Chapter 16 Indefinite and Partitive Articles The indefinite article refers to beings and things not specifically identified

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Chapter 16 Indefinite and Partitive Articles

The indefinite article refers to beings and things not specifically identified (a cake, any cake, not the chocolate cake on the table). The partitive article expresses an indefinite quantity or part of a whole (some cake, a piece of cake, a few cakes).

[1] FORMS

a. The indefinite singular article in French has two forms, un and une, both corresponding to English “a (an).”

ARTICLE USED BEFORE EXAMPLE MEANING

un masculine singular nouns un livre a book

une feminine singular nouns une règle a ruler

Nicole a acheté une jolie robe et un sac rouge.

Nicole bought a pretty dress and a red bag.

EXERCICE A

Les Driscoll arrivent au nouveau centre commercial de leur ville. Exprimez ce qu’il y a à voir.

EXEMPLE: garage (m.)

Il y a un garage.

1. parfumerie (f.) ______________________________________________________________

2. grand magasin (m.) ____________________________________________________________

3. fleuriste (m.) _______________________________________________________________

4. bureau de poste (m.) __________________________________________________________

5. pharmacie (f.) ________________________________________________________________

6. librairie (f.) ________________________________________________________________

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.6. librairie (f.) ________________________________________________________________

7. banque (f.) ____________________________________________________________________

8. boulangerie (f.) _______________________________________________________________

9. cinéma (m.) ______________________________________________________________

10. pâtisserie (f.) _________________________________________________________

11. bijouterie (f.) _______________________________________________________________

12. café-restaurant (m.) ____________________________________________________

EXERCICE B

Exprimez avec l’article indéfini qui convient ce que M. Hernan met sur la table pour son petit déjeuner.

M. Hernan met sur la table ______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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b. The partitive is expressed by de + definite article.

NOTE: de + le = du


du masculine singular nouns beginning with a consonant

du fromage some cheese

de la feminine singular nouns beginning with a consonant

de la glace some ice cream

de l′ any singular noun beginning with a vowel

de l′argent some money

de l′eau some water

Il achète de la viande. He is buying some meat.

Prête-moi de l’argent. Lend me some money.

Elle a du travail à faire. She has some work to do.

NOTE: The partitive may not be omitted in French (as is some or any in English) and is repeated before each noun.

Veux-tu du rosbif et de la purée de pommes de terre?

Do you want roast beef and mashed potatoes?

Non, je veux du bifteck et de la salade. No, I want some steak and salad.

EXERCICE C

Robert a une faim de loup. Exprimez ce qu’il prend.

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.Robert a une faim de loup. Exprimez ce qu’il prend.

Robert prend_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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EXERCICE D

Mme Bonnard prépare son sac avant departir. Exprimez ce qu’elle choisit de prendre.


PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.Mme Bonnard prépare son sac avant departir. Exprimez ce qu’elle choisit de prendre.

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C. The plural form for both the indefinite and the partitive articles is des. Des expresses an unspecified amount or quantity, more than one item, and has no direct English equivalent.


des all plural nouns, des fruits (some) fruits

masculine or feminine des confitures (some) jams

des enfants (some) children

des idées (some) ideas

Les enfants ont des jouets. The children have toys.

Donnez-moi des légumes. Give me some vegetables.

Elle a écrit des poèmes. She wrote some poems.

As-tu des projets? Do you have any plans?

EXERCICE E

Exprimez ce que les personnes suivantes vont acheter.

EXEMPLE: Troy va décorer sa chambre.

Il va acheter des rideaux et des coussins.

1. Delphine va étudier l’art.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Tu vas préparer le petit déjeuner.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Nous allons avoir besoin de matériel scolaire pour l’école.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Vous allez célébrer Halloween.

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.4. Vous allez célébrer Halloween.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Les Ricardo vont aller en Europe.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Je vais aller à l’hôpital visiter mon ami.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NOTE: When an adjective precedes a plural noun, des is replaced by de (de becomes d’ before a vowel or silent h).

Je cherche de vieux disques. I'm looking for old records.

Tu portes de jolies bagues. You’re wearing nice rings.

Je voudrais d’'agréables vacances. I would like a pleasant vacation.

EXERCICE F

Exprimez ce qu’on vend dans ce centre commercial.

EXEMPLE: bons chocolats

On vend de bons chocolats.

1. jolis vêtements

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. excellentes chaussures

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. beaux articles de luxe

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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4. nouvelles cassettes

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. vieux livres

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. beaux verres en cristal

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d. In a negative sentence, all forms of the indefinite article and of the partitive become de without the article

Claude a un frère? Claude has a brother?

Il n’a pas de frère. He doesn’t have a brother.

Tu as des cousins? Do you have any cousins?

Non, je n’ai pas de cousins. No, I don’t have any cousins.

Je n’ai pas mangé de glace. I didn’t eat any ice cream.

Il n’a jamais de problèmes. He never has any problems.

Il n’y avait plus d’eau. There was no water left.

EXERCICE G

Exprimez ce qu’on vend et ce qu’on ne vend pas dans ces magasins.

EXEMPLE: à la parfumerie (glaces / parfum)

On ne vend pas de glaces, mais on vend du parfum.

1. à la charcuterie (saucisson / romans)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. à la librairie (coca / livres)


PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.2. à la librairie (coca / livres)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. à la boulangerie (bœuf / pain)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. à la station-service (essence / œufs)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. au grand magasin (vêtements / essence)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. à la fruiterie (bijoux / pommes)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. à la boucherie (viande / croissants)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. à la pharmacie (fleurs / aspirine)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. à la crémerie (lait / jouets)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. cafétéria (purée de pommes de terre / bijoux)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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EXERCICE H

Exprimez ce que ces personnes font dans les situations suivantes. Utilisez l’article indéfini ou le partitif approprié.

EXEMPLE: Claire prend son petit déjeuner, (manger: bol de céréales, toasts, bifteck)

Elle mange un bol de céréales. Elle mange des toasts. Elle ne mange pas de bifteck.

1. Maria veut faire bonne impression à une interview pour un poste. (mettre: robe, jean, laque (hairspray)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Nous allons à une soirée, (donner: cassette, bonbons, matériel scolaire)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Gérard fait du camping, (emporter: sac de couchage, tente, piano)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Vous allez dîner chez des amis, (apporter: fleurs, stylos, vin)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Tu as très soif. (boire: verve d’orangeade, parfum, eau)

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.5. Tu as très soif. (boire: verve d’orangeade, parfum, eau)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Elles veulent être aventureuses. (faire: parachutisme, planche à vile, golf)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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[2] OMISSION OF THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE

a. The indefinite article is omitted after être and devenir when they are followed by unmodified nouns of nationality, occupation, or profession.

Nous sommes espagnols. We are Spanish.

Sa mère est dentiste. Her mother is a dentist.

NOTE: The article is kept if the noun is modified or if the noun follows c’est.

Luc est un bon mécanicien. Luc is a good mechanic.

C’est un programmeur. He is a computer programmer.

b. The indefinite article is omitted after the exclamatory adjectives quel, quelle, quels, quelles.

Quels chocolats délicieux! What delicious chocolates!

c. The indefinite article is omitted before the numbers cent and mille.

Ce livre a cent pages. This book has one hundred pages.

J’ai couru mille mètres. I ran a thousand meters.

EXERCICE I

Dites quel est le métier des personnes suivantes.


PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.Dites quel est le métier des personnes suivantes.

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EXERCICE J

Le professeur explique le vocabulaire à la classe. Donnez le mot français.

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EXERCICE K

Vous voulez obtenir un passeport. Répondez aux questions que l’employé vous pose en employant les mots indiqués.

1. Quelle est votre nationalité? (américain)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Quelle est votre profession? (étudiant)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Combien d’argent gagnez-vous par semaine? (cent dollars)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Quelle est la profession de votre père? (avocat très connu)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Quelle est la profession de votre mère? (actrice célèbre)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[3] PARTITIVE AND THE DEFINITE ARTICLE

While the partitive is used to express some or part of something, the definite article is used with nouns in a general sense.

Le thé se fait dans une théière. Tea is made in a teapot. (in general)

Donnez-moi du thé, s’il vous plaît. Give me some tea, please.

EXERCICE L

Une amie de Montréal vous rend visite et vous allez au supermarché ensemble. Exprimez ce que votre amie déclare aimer et suggérez-lui d’en acheter.

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.votre amie déclare aimer et suggérez-lui d’en acheter.



EXERCICE M

Exprimez quelle sorte de nourriture vous préférez. Utilisez l’article défini ou le partitif.

1. Au restaurant, je choisis généralement ____________________________________________.

2. Je ne choisirais jamais ___________________________________________________________.

3. Le légume que je déteste est ______________________________________________________.

4. Le fruit que je préfère est _______________________________________________________.

5. Le dimanche, je prends _____________________________________________________________ au petit déjeuner.

6. Un déjeuner typique comprend __________________________________________________.

7. Au dîner, ma mère sert __________________________________________________.

8. __________________________________________________est mon dessert préféré.

9. Quand je veux grossir, je prends _____________________________________________.

10. Je déteste manger ____________________________________.

[4] ADVERBS AND NOUNS OF QUANTITY

Nouns and adverbs that express quantity or measure are followed by de without the article before another noun. Some common nouns of quantity are:

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.article before another noun. Some common nouns of quantity are:

une boîte a box, a can un morceau a piece

une bouteille a bottle une paire a pair

une douzaine a dozen un paquet a package

un gramme a gram un sac a bag

un litre a liter une tasse a cup

une livre a pound une tranche a slice

un kilogramme a kilogram un verre a glass

Some common adverbs of quantity are:

assez de enough peu de little, few

autant de as much, as many plus de more

beaucoup de much, many tant de so much, so many

combien de how much, how many trop de too much, too many

moins de less, fewer

Il me faut une douzaine d’œufs. I need a dozen eggs.

Elle boit un verre d’eau. She drinks a glass of water.

J’achèterai une bouteille de soda. I’ll buy a bottle of soda.

Il a beaucoup de devoirs. He has a lot of homework.

NOTE:

1. Some expressions use de alone.

avoir besoin de to need avoir envie de to desire

plein de full of libre de free to

J’ai besoin d’argent. I need money.

Ce bas est plein de trous. This stocking is full of holes.

2. La plupart (most), bien (a good many, a good deal), and related expressions of quantity, such as la plus grande partie, la majorité (most), are followed by de + article.

J’aime la plupart de ses chansons. I like most of his songs.

Bien des gens arrivent. Many people are arriving.

3. Plusieurs (several) and quelques (some) are adjectives and modify the noun directly.

J’ai plusieurs amis. I have several friends.

Restez quelques minutes. Stay a few minutes.

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.Restez quelques minutes. Stay a few minutes.

EXERCICE N

Exprimez ce dont vous avez besoin pour préparer votre dîner.

Il me faut _____________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EXERCICE O

Aidez-vous des expressions données pour exprimer ce que chaque personne fait dans les situations suivantes.


PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.situations suivantes.

assez boîte

beaucoup bouteille

moins paquet

peu sac

tant tasse

trop tranche

EXEMPLE: Elle a / argent, mais elle s’achète / bonbons

Elle a peu d’argent, mais elle s’achète un sac de bonbons.

1. Mme Lawrence fait / fautes qu’elle utilise / gommes

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2. Joe mange / légumes, alors il achète / vitamines

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. J’ai / argent, alors j’achète / biscuits de plus

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Vous avez / travail, donc vous buvez / café

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5. Ils ont mangé / gâteau, mais ils ont quand même pris / tarte

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MASTERY EXERCISES

EXERCICE P

Décrivez le dîner d’hier soir chez les Harris.

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.Décrivez le dîner d’hier soir chez les Harris.

1. La plupart ______________ invités ont apporté des cadeaux.

2. J’ai goûté une douzaine ______________ plats différents.

3. M. Harris n’a pas préparé ______________ poulet, mais il a servi ______________ jambon.

4. Plusieurs ______________ plats ont été servis froids.

5. On a servi quelques ______________ tranches de tartes.

6. J’ai mangé beaucoup ______________spécialités excellentes.

EXERCICE Q

Vous travaillez dans un grand supermarché près de Paris. Combinez les éléments avec l’article qui convient pour exprimer ce que disent les employés.

EXEMPLE: nous avons beaucoup / clients

Nous avons beaucoup de clients.

1. Mme Rivera achète toujours / poulet

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. bien / clients choisissent / fromages variés

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Alexandra Jonel a laissé tomber une douzaine / œufs

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. il y a tant / travail à faire

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. le pâtissier prépare / pain / croissants et / bons gâteaux


PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.5. le pâtissier prépare / pain / croissants et / bons gâteaux

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. la spécialité du boucher est / bœuf

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. nous ne vendons que / légumes frais

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8. M. Richard range / eau minérale sur les rayons

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Michel préfère / fruits

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. la plupart / clients font les courses le samedi

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EXERCICE R

La classe de français va faire un pique-nique. Racontez en français les préparatifs de cet événement.

1. Most of the students in my class are going to go on the picnic.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. A good deal of the students will prepare specialties.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Many students will bring fresh fruits and vegetables.

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PRINTED BY: Megan Williams <[email protected]>. Printing is for personal, private use only. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without publisher's prior permission. Violators will be prosecuted.3. Many students will bring fresh fruits and vegetables.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Some students are going to bring drinks.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Anne’s father knows how to prepare good lemonade.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Christopher doesn’t eat meat because he’s a vegetarian.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. He eats a lot of vegetables, a little cheese and salad.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Claire is going to bring some big, delicious pies.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. If you want to bring something, we all love chocolate cake.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. I am sure that there will be enough food at this picnic.

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Chapter 16 Indefinite and Partitive Articles - PBworks · Chapter 16 Indefinite and Partitive Articles The indefinite article refers to beings and things not specifically identified