Artigos em Francês: 'O/A' vs 'Um pouco de' (Partitivo vs Definido)
le, la, les), e os partitivos, que significam 'um pouco de' ou 'uma porção' (du, de la, des).
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use definite articles for general truths or specific items, and partitive articles for unspecified quantities of food or drink.
- Use {le|m}/{la|f} for specific items or general concepts: 'J'aime le café' (I like coffee).
- Use {du|m}/{de la|f} for 'some' or an unknown amount: 'Je bois du café' (I'm drinking some coffee).
- In negative sentences, both become 'de': 'Je ne bois pas de café' (I don't drink coffee).
Overview
le café e outras vezes du café? É a diferença entre amar o café como um conceito e realmente ter uma xícara na mão...Partitive Article Formation
| Gender | Singular | Singular (Vowel) | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Masculine
|
du
|
de l'
|
des
|
|
Feminine
|
de la
|
de l'
|
des
|
Definite Article Formation
| Gender | Singular | Singular (Vowel) | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Masculine
|
le
|
l'
|
les
|
|
Feminine
|
la
|
l'
|
les
|
Meanings
The distinction between definite articles (referring to the whole of something or specific items) and partitive articles (referring to a portion or unspecified amount).
Definite (General)
Used with verbs of preference (aimer, adorer, détester) to talk about general concepts.
“J'aime le pain.”
“Elle déteste la viande.”
Partitive (Quantity)
Used to describe an unspecified amount of something that can be measured or counted.
“Je mange du pain.”
“Il boit de la bière.”
Definite (Specific)
Used to point to a specific object or person.
“Le pain est sur la table.”
“La bière est froide.”
Reference Table
| Gênero/Tipo | Definido (O/Geral) | Partitivo (Um Pouco) | Negativo (Nenhum) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Masculino
|
le
|
du
|
de
|
|
Feminino
|
la
|
de la
|
de
|
|
Vogal/H
|
l'
|
de l'
|
d'
|
|
Plural
|
les
|
des
|
de
|
|
Com 'Aimer'
|
le/la/les
|
N/A
|
le/la/les
|
|
Quantidade (ex: beaucoup)
|
N/A
|
de
|
de
|
Espectro de formalidade
Je souhaiterais de l'eau, s'il vous plaît. (Ordering in a restaurant)
Je veux de l'eau. (Ordering in a restaurant)
Je veux de l'eau. (Ordering in a restaurant)
J'veux d'l'eau. (Ordering in a restaurant)
Mapa de Decisão dos Artigos em Francês
Definido (Geral/Específico)
- Le café Café em geral / O café específico
- J'aime le thé Eu gosto de chá (como categoria)
Partitivo (Quantidade/Porção)
- Du café Um pouco de café (numa xícara)
- Je bois du thé Estou bebendo um pouco de chá
Específico vs. Porção
Fluxograma: Qual Artigo Usar?
O verbo é Aimer, Adorer ou Détester?
A frase é Negativa (ne...pas)?
Categorias Comuns de Partitivos
Líquidos
- • de l'eau
- • du vin
- • du lait
Alimentos a Granel
- • du pain
- • du riz
- • de la viande
Abstratos
- • du courage
- • de la chance
- • du temps
Exemplos por nível
J'aime le chocolat.
I like chocolate.
Je mange du chocolat.
I am eating some chocolate.
Il boit de l'eau.
He is drinking some water.
Elle aime la salade.
She likes salad.
Je ne mange pas de viande.
I don't eat any meat.
Tu veux du pain ?
Do you want some bread?
Le café est chaud.
The coffee is hot.
J'adore les fruits.
I love fruits.
Il y a de la farine dans le placard.
There is some flour in the cupboard.
Nous n'avons pas de sucre.
We don't have any sugar.
Elle préfère le thé au café.
She prefers tea to coffee.
Je prends des légumes.
I'll take some vegetables.
La plupart des gens aiment le soleil.
Most people like the sun.
Il a acheté du vin de qualité.
He bought some quality wine.
Je ne veux pas de cette pomme.
I don't want this apple.
Le vin est une boisson française.
Wine is a French drink.
Il manque de la patience pour ce projet.
There is a lack of patience for this project.
Elle fait preuve de courage.
She shows some courage.
Le courage est une vertu.
Courage is a virtue.
Il a bu du vin rouge hier soir.
He drank some red wine last night.
De l'audace, encore de l'audace, toujours de l'audace.
Audacity, more audacity, always audacity.
Il ne reste plus de temps.
There is no time left.
La vie est faite de petits plaisirs.
Life is made of small pleasures.
Je bois du thé, pas du café.
I drink tea, not coffee.
Fácil de confundir
Learners mix up 'un' (one/a) with 'du' (some).
Learners use 'le' for everything.
Learners keep 'du/de la' in negative sentences.
Erros comuns
J'aime du café
J'aime le café
Je mange le pain
Je mange du pain
Je ne mange pas du pain
Je ne mange pas de pain
J'aime des pommes
J'aime les pommes
Je bois de la café
Je bois du café
Il y a des de l'eau
Il y a de l'eau
Je veux le gâteau
Je veux du gâteau
Il a besoin de du temps
Il a besoin de temps
Je n'aime pas de café
Je n'aime pas le café
Elle mange de la viande rouge
Elle mange de la viande rouge
C'est de la vin
C'est du vin
Il n'a pas des amis
Il n'a pas d'amis
Je bois le vin
Je bois du vin
Il manque de l'argent
Il manque de l'argent
Padrões de frases
J'aime ___.
Je mange ___.
Je ne mange pas ___.
Il y a ___ sur la table.
Real World Usage
Je prends du vin.
Je cherche de la farine.
Je mange de la pizza ! #miam
J'ai de l'expérience.
T'as du pain ?
Je voudrais de l'eau.
O Vácuo Negativo
Je ne bois pas de lait.
Aimer vs. Manger
(eu gosto de vinho) vs.Je bois du vin" (eu bebo um pouco de vinho).
Pedindo como um Profissional
Smart Tips
Always use the definite article (le/la/les).
Change your partitive to 'de'.
Use the partitive (du/de la) for what you want to eat.
Use the definite article.
Pronúncia
Liaison
When 'de l'' is followed by a vowel, it sounds like one word.
Elision
The 'e' in 'le' or 'la' disappears before a vowel.
Rising for questions
Tu veux du pain ? ↗
Polite inquiry
Memorize
Mnemônico
Partitive is for the 'part' you eat; Definite is for the 'whole' you love.
Associação visual
Imagine a whole cake (le gâteau) that you love, but you only take a slice (du gâteau) to eat.
Rhyme
For things you love, use le or la, for things you eat, use du or de la.
Story
Pierre loves the whole world of cheese (J'aime le fromage). He goes to the shop and buys some cheese (J'achète du fromage). He eats it all, so now he has no cheese (Je n'ai pas de fromage).
Word Web
Desafio
Go to a French menu online and list 5 items you like (le) and 5 items you would order (du).
Notas culturais
French people are very specific about food. Using the wrong article can sound like you are eating a whole shop's supply.
In Quebec, the usage is similar, but you might hear more informal elisions.
French is the official language; the article rules are strictly followed in formal education.
The partitive article evolved from the preposition 'de' (of) combined with the definite article.
Iniciadores de conversa
Qu'est-ce que tu aimes manger ?
Est-ce que tu bois du café le matin ?
Quel est ton plat préféré ?
Pourquoi le vin est-il important en France ?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
J'aime beaucoup ______ fromage.
Escolha a frase negativa correta:
Find and fix the mistake:
Tu veux de la café ?
Score: /3
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesJ'aime ___ café.
Je mange ___ pain.
Find and fix the mistake:
Je ne mange pas du pain.
Je bois du vin.
Preference verbs take partitive articles.
A: Tu veux du café ? B: Non, je ne veux pas ___ café.
mange / du / je / chocolat
Sort: le, du, la, de la
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesIl y a ______ soleil aujourd'hui !
I don't want any water.
Which is correct?
pas / ne / mange / je / viande / de
Match these:
J'ai beaucoup du travail.
Je vais acheter ______ œufs.
At a restaurant:
She has patience.
Il n'y a plus ______ sucre.
Score: /10
Perguntas frequentes (8)
It is a standard French rule. When you negate a quantity, you use 'de' instead of 'du/de la/des'.
Yes, if you are talking about the food in general, like 'J'aime le fromage'.
Use 'de l'' for partitive and 'l'' for definite.
Yes, it is the plural partitive, meaning 'some'.
Because 'du' is 'de + le'. In negative, we just use 'de'.
Common ones are aimer, adorer, détester, préférer.
Use 'un' for countable items, like 'un croissant'.
Yes, the rules are the same in Quebec French.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Article + Noun
Spanish doesn't have a 'du/de la' equivalent.
Null article or 'etwas'
French requires the article; German often omits it.
Particle usage
Japanese has no article system.
Definite article 'al-'
Arabic lacks a partitive article.
Measure words
Chinese has no articles.
Some/Any
English often omits 'some', but French requires the partitive.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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