Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Grammar/Proper-nouns"
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<div style="font-size:300%"> Proper nouns</div> | <div style="font-size:300%"> Proper nouns</div> | ||
Proper nouns are names like | [CHANGED] | ||
Proper nouns are names like: | |||
* '''Persons''': Jean-Paul, Vincent, Céline, Yann | |||
* '''Cities''': Paris, Marseille, Angers, Aix-en-Provence | |||
* '''Rivers''': La Seine, Le Rhône, La Tamise, Le Rhin | |||
* '''Regions''': La Normandie, L'Alsace | |||
* '''Countries''': La France, Le Congo, les Etats-Unis, Le Royaume-Uni | |||
== | ==Persons== | ||
* | There is usually no article: | ||
* Jean-Paul viendra demain | |||
Marie-Paule will come tomorrow | Marie-Paule will come tomorrow | ||
===Informal Speech=== | |||
In some cases, an article is added informally, in some French regions: | |||
*Dis donc, elle était pas fière, la Marie-Jeanne! | |||
Marie-Jeanne must have felt a bit of a fool! (Litteraly: Hey, she wasn't proud, Marie-Jeanne!) | |||
*T'aurais vu la tête qu'il faisait, le Rémi! | |||
You should have seen Rémi's face! (Litteraly: You would have seen the face he was making, the Rémi!) | |||
* | ===Reference is made to a family=== | ||
This reflects a familiar and affectionate attitude towards the person concerned. When referring to a family, as in "the Durant family", a plural article is used, but the name itself is not plural (unlike in English): | |||
*J'ai invité les Durant à venir samedi soir | |||
I invited the Durants to come on Saturday night | |||
== | ===Person's title=== | ||
When a person's title is used, the definite article is usually added: | |||
* | *Je vous présente le Professeur Alfred | ||
I | May I introduce Professor Alfred (litteraly: I present to you Professor Alfred) | ||
*chez le Docteur Charles | |||
c/o Dr Charles (on an envelope or package) | |||
===Preceding adjectives Modification=== | |||
== | |||
When proper nouns are modified by preceding adjectives, they require a definite article: | When proper nouns are modified by preceding adjectives, they require a definite article: | ||
*le petit Fred | |||
little Fred | |||
*le gros Carlos | |||
fat Carlos | |||
*le gros | |||
fat | |||
==Regions and countries== | ==Regions and countries== | ||
Unlike in English, regions and countries are normally used with a definite article: | Unlike in English, regions and countries are normally used with a definite article: | ||
*J'ai visité la | *J'ai visité la Bretagne | ||
I visited | I visited Britany | ||
*la France d' | *la France d'autrefois | ||
The France of yesteryear | |||
*Nous survolons | *Nous survolons l'Espagne | ||
We | We fly over Spain | ||
{{French-Types-of-nouns}} | {{French-Types-of-nouns}} |
Revision as of 22:14, 28 November 2021
[CHANGED] Proper nouns are names like:
- Persons: Jean-Paul, Vincent, Céline, Yann
- Cities: Paris, Marseille, Angers, Aix-en-Provence
- Rivers: La Seine, Le Rhône, La Tamise, Le Rhin
- Regions: La Normandie, L'Alsace
- Countries: La France, Le Congo, les Etats-Unis, Le Royaume-Uni
Persons
There is usually no article:
- Jean-Paul viendra demain
Marie-Paule will come tomorrow
Informal Speech
In some cases, an article is added informally, in some French regions:
- Dis donc, elle était pas fière, la Marie-Jeanne!
Marie-Jeanne must have felt a bit of a fool! (Litteraly: Hey, she wasn't proud, Marie-Jeanne!)
- T'aurais vu la tête qu'il faisait, le Rémi!
You should have seen Rémi's face! (Litteraly: You would have seen the face he was making, the Rémi!)
Reference is made to a family
This reflects a familiar and affectionate attitude towards the person concerned. When referring to a family, as in "the Durant family", a plural article is used, but the name itself is not plural (unlike in English):
- J'ai invité les Durant à venir samedi soir
I invited the Durants to come on Saturday night
Person's title
When a person's title is used, the definite article is usually added:
- Je vous présente le Professeur Alfred
May I introduce Professor Alfred (litteraly: I present to you Professor Alfred)
- chez le Docteur Charles
c/o Dr Charles (on an envelope or package)
Preceding adjectives Modification
When proper nouns are modified by preceding adjectives, they require a definite article:
- le petit Fred
little Fred
- le gros Carlos
fat Carlos
Regions and countries
Unlike in English, regions and countries are normally used with a definite article:
- J'ai visité la Bretagne
I visited Britany
- la France d'autrefois
The France of yesteryear
- Nous survolons l'Espagne
We fly over Spain
Types of Nouns (all lessons)