Language/French/Grammar/Plural-indefinite-article-"des"-VS-preposition-"de"-and-definite-article-"les"

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French Grammar - Comparing the use of plural indefinite article des with preposition de + definite article les

Compare the use of the plural indefinite article and the plural definite article in similar contexts:

  • Elle mangeait des coquillages

She was eating shellfish

  • Elle mangeait les coquillages qu'elle avait achetés au marché

She was eating the shellfish she had bought in the market

When the highlighted expressions follow the preposition de, des is deleted, but de + les becomes des:

  • Elle déjeunait de coquillages

She dined on shellfish

  • Elle déjeunait des coquillages qu'elle avait achetés au marché

She dined on the shellfish which she had bought in the market Thus des can be either a plural indefinite article corresponding to English 'some' or no article, or a plural definite article fused with the preposition de.


Note the following contrasts with quantifiers:

  • Beaucoup de personnes (indefinite) trouvent cela difficile

Many people find that difficult

  • Beaucoup des personnes (definite) à qui nous avons parlé trouvent cela difficile

Many of the people to ivhom we spoke find that difficult

  • Un kilo de cerises, s'il vous plaît

A kilo of cherries, please

  • Un kilo des cerises espagnoles, s'il vous plait

A kilo of the Spanish cherries, please

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