Nouns and Articles (Chapter 1)

Question 1

Name 3 nouns starting with h which do not use the article l’?

Answer 1

Le héro
Le haricot
Le hors-d’œuvre

Question 2

What are the 10 noun endings that are usually feminine?

Answer 2

-sion
-tion
-ale
-ole
-té
-aison
-once
-ence
-ude
-ure

Question 3

What are the 5 noun endings that are usually masculine?

Answer 3

-asme
-isme
-eau
-ment
-acle

L’enthousiasme pour le tourisme et l’eau est le commencement d”un miracle

Question 4

What are the first 7 nouns with different meanings in their f and m forms?

Answer 4

L’aide (f) - help
L’aide (m) - helper
La critique - critisicism
Le critique - critic
La guide - reins
Le guide - guide
La livre - pound
Le livre - book
La manche - sleeve
Le manche - handle
La mode - fashion
Le mode - method, mode
L’office (f) - pantry
L’office (m) - office, duty

Question 5

What are the second 7 nouns with different meanings in their f and m forms?

Answer 5

La pendule - clock
Le pendule - pendulum
La poêle - frying pan
Le poêle - stove
La poste - post office
Le poste - job
La somme - sum
Le somme - nap
La tour - tower
Le tour - turn, walk around
La vase - mud
Le vase - vase
La voile - sail
Le voile - veil

Question 6

What are some nouns referring to people that can either be masc or fem and are the same in both forms?

Answer 6

le/la nomade
le/la malade
le/la enfant
l’artiste
l’élève

Question 7

What are 5 nouns referring to people that only have one form (f or m)?

Answer 7

La personne (person)
La victime (victim)
Le guide (guide)
Le témoin (witness)
Le professeur (teacher)

Question 8

How do most nouns form the plural and what are the 6 groups of exceptions?

Answer 8

Adding an s and change to les
-Nouns ending in:
1. ail
2. al
3. au/eau/eu/œu
4. ou
5. s/x/z
6. irregular

Question 9

Nouns ending in which 3 letters do not change in the plural form?

Answer 9

Those ending in s, x or z
Le bras, les bras (arms)
Le nez, les nez
La fois, les fois (times)

Question 10

Nouns ending in which 4 groups of letters add x in the plural form?
Name 2 exceptions

Answer 10

Those ending au, eu, eau, or œu
Les châteaux
La peau, Les peaux (skins)
Le feu, Les feux (fires)
Le vœu, Les vœux (wishes)

Exceptions:
Le landau, Les landaus (carriages)
Le pnue, les pneus (tyres)
(Note the p is pronounced in French!)

Question 11

How do nouns ending in ou form the plural and what are the 7 exceptions?

Answer 11

They add an s (e.g. le trou - the hole -> les trous - the holes) except for the following which add an x:
les bijoux (jewels)
les choux (cabbages)
les hibou (owls)
les genoux (knees)
les cailloux (stones)
les joujoux (toys)
les poux (fleas, lice)

Question 12

How do nouns ending in al form the plural?

Answer 12

They change to al to aux

L’animal - les animaux
le cheval - les chevaux
l’hôpital - les hôpitaux

Question 13

How do nouns ending in ail form the plural?

Answer 13

Most but not all add an s

e.g. le détail -> les détails

Question 14

What are the following irregular plurals?

Le gentilhomme
Le ciel
L’oeil
Le monsieur
Madame
Madamoiselle

Answer 14

Les gentilshommes - the gentlemen
Les cieux - the skies
Les yeux - the eyes
Messieurs - gentlemen
Mesdames - ladies
Mesdamoiselles - young ladies

Question 15

How are plurals of compound nouns formed?
Le chou-fleur
Le beau-frère
La belle-sœur
La grand-mère
Le coffre-fort
L’arc-en-ciel
Le pique-nique
L’abat-jour
Le gratte-ciel
Le réveille-matin
Le tire-bouchon
Le couvre-lit
L’après-midi
Le tête-à-tête

Answer 15

They are all irregular - there seem to be 6 different groups but looks easier just to memorise them individually.

les choux-fleurs
les beaux-frères (BIL)
les belles sœurs (SIL)
les grands-mères
Les coffres-forts (safes)
Les arcs-en-ciel (rainbows)
Les pique-niques
Les tire-bouchons (corkscrews)
Les couvre-lits (bedspreads)
Les abat-jour (lampshades)
Les gratte-ciel (skyscrapers)
Les réveille-matin (alarm clocks)
Les après-midi (afternoons)
Les tête-à-tête (private talks)

Question 16

When is the definite article used with general or abstract nouns?

Answer 16

Always (unlike in English)
He like bananas - il aime les bananes
Love is divine - L’amour est divin
Cigarettes are not good for your health - Les cigarettes ne sont pas bonnes pour la santé

Question 17

How is the definite article used with titles in French?

Answer 17

1. In direct address it is not used however if talking about someone it must be used.
   Bonjour Docteur Wharton.
   Le docteur Wharton est arrivée.
   Comment allez-vous Général Pierron?
   Le général Pierron est un grand homme.
2. It is never used with Monsieur, Mme or Mlle.
   Madame Blanc arrive.

Question 18

How is the definite article used with academic subjects and languages in French?

Answer 18

1. The definitive article is always used with academic subjects
   I am studying history and maths
   J’étudie l’histoire and les mathématiques.
2. The definitive article is always used with languages, with 3 exceptions:
   -after parler
   -arter en
   after de

Le français est une belle langue
J’étudie le français
but
Je parle français
J’ai un livre de français
Ce livre est écrit en français
(note the language is not capitalised)

Question 19

How is the definite article used with dates in French?

Answer 19

The definitive article is always used with dates.
He will be here on the 10th of August
Il sera ici le 10 août
Classes resume on Sept 6
Le 6 septembre, less classes recommencent
(note the month is not capitalised)

Question 20

How is the definite article used with days in French?

Answer 20

1. The definitive article is used with days to indicate a habitual occurrence:
   I don’t work on Sundays
   Le dimanche, je ne travaille pas
   I have my French class on Mondays
   J’ai ma classe de français le lundi
   (note the day is not capitalised, and is always singular and always masculine in French)
2. The definitive article is NOT used with days to indicate a one off occurrence:
   I went to the movies on Monday
   Je suis allé au cinéma lundi
   I will come to see you on Saturday
   Je viendra vous voir samedi
   Sunday is the last day of the week
   Dimanche est le dernier jour de la semaine.

Question 21

How is the definite article used with seasons in French?

Answer 21

1.The definitive article is used when discussing the seasons in a general sense:
Summer is a nice season
L’été est une saison agréable
Winter is a cold season
L’hiver est une saison froide

2. But not when talking about doing something in a season:
   I go to the beach in Summer and I ski in WInter:
   Je vais à la plage en été st je fais du ski en hiver
3. It is also not used, when it is an adjective
   e.g. winter dresses
   Les robes-d’hiver

(note the season is not capitalised)

Question 22

How is the definite article used with names of countries, mountains, rivers etc in French?

Answer 22

The definitive article is used with these:
France is a large country
La France est une grande pays
Corsica is an island
La Corse est une île

but not if there is a preposition
I am going to France
Je vais en France
The history of France
L’histoire de France

Question 23

How is the definite article used with expressions of quantity (weights and measures) in French?

Answer 23

1.The definitive article is used with expressions of quantity when used in conjunction with a price to indicate per:
Tomatoes are 2 francs a kilo
Les tomates coûtent deux francs le kilo

2. But not otherwise
   The bananas weight 2 kg
   Les bananes pèsent deux kilos

Question 24

How is the definite article used with parts of the body or clothing in French?

Answer 24

The definitive article is always used with parts of the body or clothing:
He washes his hands
Il se lave les mains
He has his hands in his pockets
Il a les main dans les poches

The book says this is to avoid ambiguity. I assume they mean he has his hands in his pockets means he has his hands in someone else’s pockets.

Question 25

How does the definite article contract with à?

Answer 25

à + le = au à + la = à la à + l'h = à l'h à + les = aux Je vais au musée Je parle aux garçons Je vais à la pharmacie

Question 26

How does the definite article contract with de?

Answer 26

de + le = du de + la = de la de + l'h = de l'h de + les = des Je parle du garçon Je parle des garçons Je parle de la fille

Question 27

What are the 3 indefinite articles?

Answer 27

un, une, des - there is always a liason between des and a word beginning with a vowel a painting - une peinture some paintings - des peintures

Question 28

What are 7 situations where the definite article is omitted?

Answer 28

1. After the verb être Elle est medicin/australienne but it is used if the noun is modified Il est un auteur célèbre Victor Hugo est un auteur qui tous les français connaissent 2. After quel Quelle belle vue! 3. Before nouns in opposition Paris, capitale de France, est une grande ville 4. before a noun hat complements another noun a silk dress une robe de soie 5. After sans (without) without doubt sans doute 6. After avec when it is used for an abstract noun He works with care Il travaille avec soin He works with his friends Il travaille aves des amis 7. After ni He has neither money nor bread Il n'a ni argent ni pain

Question 29

What is a partitive noun? How is the partitive formed in French? How is it used in French vs English?

Answer 29

The partitive noun is a noun that is used to describe a part or quantity of something. Partitive nouns are used with another noun to tell you how much of that noun there is. e.g some soup/any oranges The partitive is formed in French by combining de and the definite article -> de/de la/de l'h and des. In English the definite article is omitted after some/any E.g I am having some soup. This is not the case in French and it must always be included (if it were the same as English, it would always be de but as you need to add the correct article, the de changes as above) J'ai de la soup Elle veut du sucre Nous avons des livres

Question 30

When is the partitive used in French (vs the definite or indefinite article)?

Question 31

What are the 3 exceptions to the usual use of the partitive (vs the definite or indefinite article)?

Answer 31

1. When the sentence is a negative 2. When an adjective precedes a noun in the plural 3. After expressions of quantity and expressions with de.

Question 32

Discuss the use of the partitive with a negative.

Answer 32

When the sentence is a negative, the partitive article is replaced by de I have some bread/books/friends J'ai du pain/des livres/des amis I don't have any bread/books/friends Je n'ai pas de pain/de livres/d'amis Note this also happens when it is a negative that is not a partitive I have a dress J'ai une robe I do not have a dress Je n'ai pas de robe (I think this would be different to Je n'ai pas de robes which I am guessing would mean I don't have any dresses) 2 exceptions (not common): -when the idea is affirmative (rather than negative) and you are asking a question Don't you have any family here? N'avez-vouz pas de la famille ici? -if you want to emphasise the noun I don't have any respect for him, rather scorn Je n'ai pas du respect pour lui, mais du mépris

Question 33

Discuss the use of the partitive when an adjective precedes a noun in the plural.

Answer 33

When an adjective PRECEDES a noun in the plural, the partitive becomes de (or more specifically it does not change to des as it usually would): I have a good book/I have some good books J'ai un bon livre/J'ai de bons livres (rather than - I have some books - J'ai des livres, which is the normal plural use of the partitive) But, note if the adjective comes AFTER the noun, you use the partitive as normal: I have an interesting book/I have some interesting books J'ai un livre intéressant/J'ai des livre intéressants

Question 34

Discuss the use of the partitive after expressions of quantity. Name 7 expressions of quantity. What are 2 exceptions to this rule? What are 2 expressions of quantity that do not use an article at all?

Answer 34

In expressions of quantity, the partitive is always de. Expressions of quantity include: assez - enough beaucoup - a lot peu - a little trop - too much tant - so many autant - as much moins - less Elle veut de l'eau - She wants some water Elle veut un peu d'eau - She wants a little water Il a des livres - he has some books Il a beaucoup de livres - he has many books Je bois du vin - I am drinking some wine Je bois un verre de vin - I am drinking a glass of water There are 2 exceptions to this rule: La plupart - most Bien - many Most of the time, I work Le plupart du temps, je travaille Many times he makes mistakes Biens des fois, il fait des fautes 2 expressions of quantity that do not use an article at all are: plusieurs (several) and quelques (a few) I have many/enough books - J'ai beaucoup de/assez de livres I have several/a few books - J'ai plusieurs/quelques livres

Question 35

Discuss the use of the partitive after expressions with de. Give 2 examples.

Answer 35

The partitive is not used after expressions using de (i.e. it stays as de or d' and is NOT changes to du/de la/des/ del'h): Avoir besoin de - to need Se passer de - to get along without I have some money J'ai de l'argent I need some money J'ai besoin d'argent