The partitive article, in the singular form, is the equivalent of "some" in a statement, or "any" in a negative or interrogative sentence. It refers to a noun that cannot be divided into countable units.
du pain (some bread), de l'air (some air), de la force (some strength)
Generally, the partitive is de + definite article.
Like the article, the partitive article varies according to the gender and number of the noun that follows. Its various forms are:
du: used before masculine singular nouns:
du beurre (some butter)
Nous avons du
travail à faire.
(We have some work to do.)
de la: used before feminine singular nouns beginning with a consonant:
de la
confiture (some jam)
Voulez-vous de la salade? (Would you like some
salad?)
de l': used before any singular noun beginning with a vowel or a "mute" h:
de
l'aspirine (some aspirin)
Donnez-nous de l'argent. (Give us some money.)
des: used before all plural nouns:
des livres (some books), des maisons (some houses), des hôtels (some hotels), des écoles (some schools)
Note: The partitive may not be omitted in French even though it may be omitted in English, and it is repeated before each noun:
Nous voulons de la
viande et de la salade.
(We want meat and salad.)
Partitive du, de la, de l', and des become de in a negative sentence.
Nous avons du pain, mais nous
n'avons pas de vin.
(We have bread, but we do not have any wine.)
After ni...ni, the partitive is omitted:
Je ne
veux rien, ni viande, ni poisson: juste des
légumes.
(I want nothing, neither meat nor fish, only vegetables.)
See Also: