French Contracted Articles Quiz and Flashcards: Master Abbreviations

6 Questions

In French, which contraction is used when 'de' is followed by 'le' and the next word begins with a consonant?

When 'à' is followed by 'le' in French, which contraction is used?

Aux

Which contracted article is used in French when 'à' is followed by 'la' and the next word starts with a consonant or 'h'?

A la

In French, 'des' is a contraction of which two words?

De + les

When 'de' is followed by 'les' and the next word starts with a vowel in French, which contraction is used?

Des

'Au' is a contraction in French primarily consisting of which two words?

'A + le'

Study Notes

Contracted Articles in French: A Guide to Common Abbreviations

When learning French, you'll encounter the concept of contracted articles, which are shortened versions of the standard articles le, la, les, and des. These contractions are an integral part of spoken French and help to make sentences more fluid and natural. Let's explore the most common contracted articles and their uses.

Du (from "de + le")

Du is used when "de" (from) is followed by "le" and the next word begins with a consonant. For example:

J'ai une vathorse du stable. (I have a horse from the stable.)
Il a pris un verre du vin. (He took a glass of wine.)

Aux (from "à + le")

Aux is used when "à" (to) is followed by "le" and the next word begins with a consonant or "h". For instance:

J'habite une maison aux arbres verts. (I live in a house with green trees.)
J'ai préparé une soupe aux poireaux. (I prepared a leek soup.)

A la (from "à + la")

A la is used when "à" (to) is followed by "la" and the next word begins with a consonant or "h". For example:

J'ai pris le métro à la gare centrale. (I took the metro to the central station.)
Les enfants jouent à la plage. (The children are playing at the beach.)

Des (from "de + les")

Des is used when "de" (from) is followed by "les" and the next word begins with a vowel. Here are some examples:

J'aime les fruits des vergers. (I like the fruits from the orchards.)
Il y a des choses que je n'aime pas. (There are things that I don't like.)

À (simple use)

In spoken French, the word "à" (to) is often contracted to form a simple form. For example:

J'ai vu un film à la télé. (I watched a film on TV.)
Il faut beaucoup de patience à l'école. (One needs a lot of patience at school.)

These contracted articles make French speech flow more naturally and are an essential part of the language. As you become more proficient in French, you'll find that contracted articles will become second nature to you. Enjoy exploring the world of French contractions!