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The fundamental principles of French grammar

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The articles

The simplest are articles, which are placed in front of the noun (or adjective) and determine the noun by taking the mark of gender (feminine or masculine) and number (singular or plural). This type of determiner includes several sub-categories:

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Definite articles: used when the meaning of the noun is not determined but the object is known. Definite articles are: le (masculine singular), la (feminine singular), les (plural, regardless of gender) and l' (singular).

Examples: Le chien est rentré. | The dog is back.

La voiture est rouge. | The car is red.

Les enfants jouent dans le beau jardin. | Children play in the beautiful garden.

L'élève répond à la maitresse. | The student answers the teacher.

Notes: "l'" is used in front of a singular masculine or feminine noun if the noun begins with a vowel or a silent "h".

Indefinite articles: are used when the object is neither known nor specified. Like the definite article, they determine the noun by taking the gender and number markers. The indefinite article determiners are: un (masculine singular), une (feminine singular) and des (plural, regardless of gender).

Examples: Un chat se ballade. | A cat goes for a walk.

Une maison est construite. | A house is built.

Des ouvriers travaillent. | Workers at work.

Contracted articles: are the contraction of the prepositions "à" and "de" with the definite articles "le" and "les". These determiners are: au (à + le), aux (à + les), du (de + le), des (de + les).

Examples: Il s'habitue au (à + le) bruit. | He's getting used to the noise.

Ils parlent aux (à + les) enfants. | They talk to children.

Ils ont peur du (de + le) noir. | They're afraid of the dark.

Elles parlent des (de + les) infos. | They talk about the news.

Partitive articles: are used when the quantity or part of the object is indefinite. These determiners are: du, de la, de l', (des).

Examples: J'ai acheté du lait. | I bought some milk.

Il voudrait de la crème. | He'd like some cream.

Elle prend de l'eau. | She's taking on water.

Les enfants achètent des bonbons. | The children buy sweets.

Possessive determiners

Possessive determiners are determiners that indicate the possessor and ownership of the object.

Singular persons: (à moi, à toi, à lui, à elle, à soi) : mon, ton, son ; ma, ta, sa ; mes, tes, ses.

Plural persons: (à nous, à vous, à eux, à elles) : notre, votre, leur ; nos, vos, leurs.

Examples: Mon voisin a déposé sa moto. | My neighbor dropped off his motorcycle.

Votre maison est plus grande que notre villa. | Your house is bigger than our villa.

Tes clés sont dans leur bureau. | Your keys are in their office.

Demonstrative determiners

Demonstrative determiners are used to designate someone or something in time or space.

Demonstrative determiners are : ce, cet, cette, ces.

Examples: Cet homme a vécu en ces lieux. | This man once lived here.

Ce vélo est seulement passé cette fois-ci. | This bike only passed this time.

Exclamatory determiners

Exclamatory determiners are used to express exclamation, a strong feeling.

These determinants are : quel, quelle, quels, quelles.

Example: Quel bel arbre! | What a beautiful tree!

Interrogative determiners

Interrogative determiners are used to ask questions.

They are the same as exclamatory determiners (quel, quelle, quels, quelles).

Example: Quelle est la couleur de sa voiture ? | What color is his car?

Indefinite determiners

Indefinite determiners are used before a noun that is indeterminate as to identity, quality or quantity (adds an idea of generality).

These determinants include : aucun(e)(s), chaque, plusieurs, quelque(s), certain(e)(s), beaucoup de, énormément de, peu de, nombre de…

Examples : Beaucoup de gens sont passés à quelques pas d'ici. | Many people have passed within a few steps of here.

Plusieurs voitures ont eu énormément d'accidents. | Several cars were involved in accidents.

Peu de personnes saluent chaque passant. | Few people greet each passer-by.

Numeral determiners

Numeral determiners are used to indicate the number or rank of a being or object.

These are determinants such as : trois, troisième, cent, mille, trente, premier, zéro…

Examples : Il a deux frères. | He has two brothers.

Troisième fois que je me trompe.| Third time I'm wrong.

Rules specific to determiners
  • 1. Their is always placed before a singular noun (example : Leur voiture est rouge).
  • 2. Conversely, leurs always precedes a plural noun (e.g. : Leurs enfants sont à l’école).
  • 3. Our and your are always used with a singular noun, regardless of gender (example : Notre père et votre tante sont dans le jardin).
  • 4. This is used with masculine-singular nouns beginning with a vowel or a silent "h" to make the connection (example : Cet arbre est gigantesque).
  • 5. Each always goes with a singular noun (example : Chaque jour est le même).
  • 6. Quelque is always followed by a singular, otherwise it becomes quelques (example : Quelque part dans le coin, se trouvent quelques enfants qui jouent).
  • 7. Similarly, none always precedes a singular and none a plural (example : Aucun jouet dans la valise, sinon aucunes vacances cette année).
  • 8. The determiner all agrees in gender and number with the noun that accompanies it (example : Tous les jours, toutes les fermes ferment toute la journée).
  • 9. When a quantity is between 1 and 2, the noun will be singular (example: 1,8 gramme de safran suffit).
  • 10. The determiners/locutions are few/too many/fairly many and many are followed by a singular or plural noun, depending on the meaning (example: Il y a peu de travaux sur la route ; de ce fait il a beaucoup de travail).