Proper nouns are words used to designate a specific individual, or a specific thing, or a set of specific individuals or things.
In writing, proper nouns always begin with a capital letter.
Napoléon (Napoleon)
L'Espagne (Spain)
Les Français (The French)
Les Alpes (The Alps)
Compare the proper nouns (capitalized) with common nouns:
le Président et l'Assemblée Nationale; le président de mon club
(the President and the Congress; the president of my club)
l'Hôpital Saint Luc; un nouvel hôpital
(St. Luke's Hospital; a new hospital)
Proper nouns are:
First and last names of individuals, dynasties, groups of people, organizations:
Joseph Lebrun, les Français, la Croix
Rouge
(Joseph Lebrun, the French, the Red Cross)
Geographical names of countries, cities, rivers, mountains:
l'Italie, Rome, le
Rhin, les Alpes
(Italy, Rome, the Rhine, the Alps)
Historical events and holidays:
la Prise de la Bastille, Noël
(Bastille Day, Christmas)
See Also: