Language/French/Grammar/Abstract-versus-concrete-nouns
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Reminder: Categories of Nouns in French[edit | edit source]
This video explains the difference between certain categories of nouns that are relevant to your French learning: common and proper nouns, concrete and abstract nouns, countable and uncountable nouns, and collective nouns.
Chapters
- 0:00 Categories of nouns
- 0:19 Common/Proper
- 0:55 Concrete/Abstract
- 1:28 Countable/Non-countable
- 2:12 Collective nouns
- 3:02 Note about categories of nouns
- 3:19 Recapitulative table
Definitions: Concrete Nouns & Abstract nouns[edit | edit source]
According to Danguecan & Buchanan, 2016, the notion of "concrete name" refers to objects, materials, sources of relatively direct sensations, while the notion of "abstract names" refers to objects, materials and sources of relatively indirect sensations, with social or introspective information.
Concrete Nouns[edit | edit source]
- Concrete nouns refer to entities with physical attributes that can be seen, heard, touched, etc.
Abstract Nouns[edit | edit source]
- Conversely, abstract nouns refer to entities that cannot be seen, heard or touched.
Examples[edit | edit source]
Here are some examples:
Typical concrete nouns | Typical abstract nouns | ||
---|---|---|---|
French | Translation | French | Translation |
une bière | a beer | la beauté | beauty |
un cadeau | a present | la bonté | goodness |
un bonbon | a sweet | le bonheur | happiness |
un disque | a record | les mœurs | customs, morals |
une carte | a card | la patience | patience |
une église | a church | le savoir | knowledge |
un livre | a book | le silence | silence |
un mannequin | a (fashion) model | la soif | thirst |
Definite article + Abstract nouns[edit | edit source]
Abstract nouns in French are generally accompanied by a definite article, while in English abstract nouns have no article:
- La patience est une qualité rare de nos jours
Patience is a rare quality these days
- L'Homme est sans arrêt à la recherche le bonheur
Man is constantly looking for happiness
Indefinite article + Abstract nouns[edit | edit source]
However, when abstract nouns refer to a particular example of "patience", "happiness", "knowledge", and so on (for example, when modified by an adjective), they are preceded by an indefinite article:
- Il a fait preuve cette fois d'une grande patience
This time he showed great patience
- Un bonheur en vaut un autre
One kind of happiness is the same as any other (One happiness is worth another)
- Il s'est produit un tel silence qu'on entendait même pas une mouche voler
There was such a silence that we could not even hear a fly fly
Types of Nouns (all lessons)[edit source]
Other Chapters[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Manner adverbs
- Difference between Nombre, Chiffre and Numéro
- Location of adverbs modifying sentences
- Meaning of tout à l'heure
- Past participles used as adjectives with the verb être
- Location of adverbs modifying adjectives, prepositions, noun phrases and other adverbs
- How to use “et” in cardinal numbers
- Differences in the use of numbers in French and English once twice
- Use of jamais
- Plurals of nouns ending in –ou
- Masculine and feminine forms of adjectives — A change in written and spoken French
- Past Participle
- Weather verbs
- Measurements and comparisons in French — Numeral nouns and approximations
- Dates