Language/French/Grammar/Proper-Nouns

Proper Nouns in French

Proper nouns are names like Marie-Paule, Paris, Toulouse, Le Havre, La Seine, La France, Le Canada.

With persons there is usually no article:

• Marie-Paule viendra demain

Marie-Paule will come tomorrow

In some cases an article is inserted in informal speech:

• Dis donc, elle était pas fière, la Marie-Paule!

So Marie-Paule must have felt a bit of a fool!

• T'aurais vu la tête qu'il faisait, le Jérôme!

You should have seen Jerome's face!

This conveys a familiar, affectionate attitude towards the individual concerned.

When reference is made to a family, as in 'the Jones family', a plural article is used, but the name itself is not pluralized:

• J'ai invité les Martin à venir manger dimanche

I have invited the Martins for Sunday lunch

When a person's title is used, it is normally accompanied by the definite article:

• Je vous présente le Professeur Bodin

May I introduce Professor Bodin

• chez le Docteur Gleizes

c/o Dr Gleizes (on an envelope or package)

When proper nouns are modified by preceding adjectives, they require a definite article:

• le petit Jules

little Jules

• le gros Henri

fat Henri

Unlike in English, regions and countries are normally used with a definite article:

• J'ai visité la Normandie

I visited Normandy

• la France d'aujourd'hui

today's France

• Nous survolons la Belgique

We're flying over Belgium

Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Possessive determiners, Omission of the article, Adjectives modifying the noun & encore VS toujours.

Other Lessons

• Location of adverbs modifying verb phrases
• Omission of the article with nouns in apposition
• Constructions which do not allow indirect object pronouns
• Absolute use of the superlative
• Position of direct and indirect object pronouns
• Subject verb agreement when subject quantifiers are present
• on as an equivalent for nous
• Pronouns referring to groups of mixed gender
• Nouns
• Irregular plurals for nouns ending in –ail
• Typical use of demonstrative determiners
• Adjectives which normally occur before the noun
• Changes in the stem form of some —er conjugation verbs
• How to Guess the Gender of French Nouns
• Common Mistakes