Les articles partitifs (Partitive Articles & Food)
Use du/de la/de l'/des to express an unspecified quantity, and learn core food vocabulary.
Partitive articles are used when you want 'some' of something uncountable: like water, bread, or music. In English, we often say 'I drink water' (omitting 'some'), but French REQUIRES the partitive: 'Je bois de l'eau'. This is a very common and essential structure.
PARTITIVE ARTICLES: express 'some of' an uncountable quantity
DU (some) (= de + le, masculine): Je mange du pain (I eat some bread). Je bois du café (I drink some coffee). Il prend du temps (he takes some time)
DE LA (some) (feminine): Je mange de la viande (I eat some meat). Elle boit de la limonade (she drinks some lemonade (false friend: French limonade is a fizzy lemon-lime soda, not still lemonade)). Il faut de la patience (you need patience)
DE L' (some) (before vowel/H, m. or f.): Je bois de l'eau (I drink some water). Il mange de l'ail (he eats garlic). Tu as de l'ambition (you have ambition) ?
DES (some) (plural partitive): Je mange des pâtes (I eat some pasta). Il achète des légumes (he buys vegetables). Elle a des qualités (she has qualities). Note: you've now met DES in three different roles that all look identical — indefinite plural (J'ai des amis|I have friends), the de+les contraction (Il parle des étudiants|he talks about the students), and this partitive use. Only context tells you which.
WHEN TO USE: uncountable substances (water, bread, meat, patience, courage), unspecified quantities ('some'), and abstract qualities
AFTER NEGATION: ALL partitives become DE/D': Je ne mange pas de viande (I do not eat meat). Il ne boit pas d'alcool (he doesn't drink alcohol). Elle n'a pas de patience (she has no patience). We never say je ne mange pas du pain.
Common mistake: 'Je mange les pâtes' (dropping the partitive, as English drops 'some'): use the plural partitive instead: «Je mange des pâtes»
Common mistake: 'Je ne mange pas du pain' after negation: must change to DE: «Je ne mange pas de pain»
- Je mange du fromage et de la salade. — I eat (some) cheese and (some) salad.
- Il boit de l'eau et du café le matin. — He drinks (some) water and (some) coffee in the morning.
- Elle ne mange pas DE viande. Elle est végétarienne. — She doesn't eat meat. She is vegetarian.
- Je ne bois pas D'alcool. → pas de + vowel = pas d' — I don't drink alcohol. (de + vowel = d')
WHICH ARTICLE TO USE WITH FOOD: the most important food-related grammar
DEFINITE ARTICLE (le/la/les): for general preferences, categories, and generalizations about food: J'aime le chocolat. (I like chocolate in general.). Elle déteste les épinards. (She hates spinach.). Tu aimes le fromage ? (Do you like cheese?)
PARTITIVE ARTICLE (du/de la/de l'): for eating/drinking/buying a specific (unspecified) quantity: Je mange du chocolat. (I'm eating some chocolate.). Elle prend de la soupe. (She's having soup.). Tu veux du fromage ? (Do you want some cheese?)
INDEFINITE ARTICLE (un/une/des): for countable items: Je commande une pizza (I order a pizza). Il prend un dessert (he's having a dessert). Nous voulons des croissants (we want some croissants).
THE PATTERN: preference verb (aimer, détester, adorer, préférer) + DEFINITE. Eating/consuming verb (manger, boire, prendre, vouloir) + PARTITIVE or INDEFINITE depending on countability
FAMOUS CONFUSION: 'J'aime du café' is WRONG for 'I like coffee'. Say J'aime le café (I like coffee) (definite for general). BUT: Je voudrais du café (I'd like some coffee) = I'd like some coffee (partitive for a quantity)
Common mistake: 'Je mange le pain' when you mean 'I eat some bread': use partitive: 'Je mange du pain'. 'Je mange le pain' would mean 'I'm eating the (specific) bread'
- J'adore LE chocolat. / Je mange DU chocolat maintenant. — I love chocolate (in general). / I'm eating some chocolate right now.
- Tu aimes LES pâtes ? / On mange DES pâtes ce soir ? — Do you like pasta (in general)? / Are we having pasta tonight?
- Je prends UNE pomme et DU fromage. — I'll take one apple and some cheese.