The English word "some" translates to several forms in French: des (plural), du (masculine singular), de la (feminine singular), and de l' (before vowels). These are called partitive articles and indefinite articles, expressing an unspecified quantity or portion of something.
Definition: In French, "some" indicates an indefinite quantity and takes different forms based on the gender and number of the noun it modifies. Unlike English which uses one word, French requires agreement with the noun.
Question: What does "some" mean in French? Answer: "Some" in French is expressed as "des" for plural nouns, "du" for masculine singular nouns, "de la" for feminine singular nouns, and "de l'" before nouns starting with vowels or silent h. These partitive articles indicate an unspecified quantity.
In this lesson, you'll encounter "some" in various contexts - from everyday conversations about food and shopping to more complex literary passages. The examples progress from simple subject-verb-object structures to more nuanced uses, helping you master when to use each form.
Course: French for English Speakers Level: Beginner to Intermediate Lesson Number: 67 Topic: Partitive and Indefinite Articles (Some) Skills: Reading comprehension, grammar analysis, cultural understanding
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French has four main forms for "some": des, du, de la, de l' -
The form changes based on gender, number, and the starting letter of the noun -
In negative sentences, these often change to "de" -
Understanding partitive articles is essential for discussing quantities in French
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67.1 I Je want veux some du bread pain
67.2 She Elle buys achète some des flowers fleurs every chaque week semaine
67.3 Do Est-ce you que have tu as as some de la milk lait?
67.4 The Les children enfants eat mangent some des cookies biscuits after après school l'école
67.5 He Il needs a besoin some d' water eau urgently urgemment
67.6 We Nous saw avons vu some des interesting intéressants paintings tableaux at au the museum musée
67.7 Would Voudriez you vous like like some du coffee café or ou tea thé?
67.8 My Ma mother mère makes fait some de la soup soupe every tous Sunday les dimanches
67.9 There Il y are a some des problems problèmes with avec this ce plan plan
67.10 Can Peux I je borrow emprunter some de l' money argent please s'il te plaît?
67.11 They Ils brought ont apporté some du wine vin to à the la party fête
67.12 She Elle always toujours adds ajoute some du sugar sucre to à her son coffee café
67.13 We Nous need avons besoin to de buy acheter some des vegetables légumes for pour dinner le dîner
67.14 He Il gave a donné me me some des good bons advice conseils yesterday hier
67.15 Do Avez you vous want want some de la help aide with avec your votre homework devoir?
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67.1 Je veux du pain. I want some bread.
67.2 Elle achète des fleurs chaque semaine. She buys some flowers every week.
67.3 Est-ce que tu as de la lait? Do you have some milk?
67.4 Les enfants mangent des biscuits après l'école. The children eat some cookies after school.
67.5 Il a besoin d'eau urgemment. He needs some water urgently.
67.6 Nous avons vu des tableaux intéressants au musée. We saw some interesting paintings at the museum.
67.7 Voudriez-vous du café ou du thé? Would you like some coffee or tea?
67.8 Ma mère fait de la soupe tous les dimanches. My mother makes some soup every Sunday.
67.9 Il y a des problèmes avec ce plan. There are some problems with this plan.
67.10 Peux-je emprunter de l'argent s'il te plaît? Can I borrow some money please?
67.11 Ils ont apporté du vin à la fête. They brought some wine to the party.
67.12 Elle ajoute toujours du sucre à son café. She always adds some sugar to her coffee.
67.13 Nous avons besoin d'acheter des légumes pour le dîner. We need to buy some vegetables for dinner.
67.14 Il m'a donné des bons conseils hier. He gave me some good advice yesterday.
67.15 Avez-vous besoin d'aide avec votre devoir? Do you want some help with your homework?
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67.1 Je veux du pain.
67.2 Elle achète des fleurs chaque semaine.
67.3 Est-ce que tu as de la lait?
67.4 Les enfants mangent des biscuits après l'école.
67.5 Il a besoin d'eau urgemment.
67.6 Nous avons vu des tableaux intéressants au musée.
67.7 Voudriez-vous du café ou du thé?
67.8 Ma mère fait de la soupe tous les dimanches.
67.9 Il y a des problèmes avec ce plan.
67.10 Peux-je emprunter de l'argent s'il te plaît?
67.11 Ils ont apporté du vin à la fête.
67.12 Elle ajoute toujours du sucre à son café.
67.13 Nous avons besoin d'acheter des légumes pour le dîner.
67.14 Il m'a donné des bons conseils hier.
67.15 Avez-vous besoin d'aide avec votre devoir?
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The French equivalents of "some" follow specific grammatical patterns that English speakers must master:
Basic Forms: -
DU = de + le (masculine singular): du pain (some bread) -
DE LA (feminine singular): de la soupe (some soup) -
DE L' (before vowels/silent h): de l'eau (some water) -
DES = de + les (plural): des fleurs (some flowers)
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Using the wrong gender: English speakers often forget that French nouns have gender -
WRONG: du soupe (soup is feminine) -
RIGHT: de la soupe -
Forgetting elision before vowels: Not changing to de l' before vowels -
WRONG: de la eau -
RIGHT: de l'eau -
Using partitive in negative sentences: After negative expressions, use "de" alone -
WRONG: Je ne veux pas du pain -
RIGHT: Je ne veux pas de pain (I don't want any bread) -
Confusing partitive with definite articles: Using le/la/les when you mean "some" -
WRONG: Je veux le pain (I want THE bread) -
RIGHT: Je veux du pain (I want SOME bread)
Unlike English which uses one word "some" for all situations, French requires you to: -
Identify the gender of the noun (masculine/feminine) -
Check if it's singular or plural -
Note if it starts with a vowel or silent h -
Consider if the sentence is negative
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Identify the noun: What are you talking about? -
Determine gender: Is it masculine or feminine? -
Check number: Is it singular or plural? -
Look at first letter: Does it start with a vowel? -
Choose the form: -
Masculine singular: du -
Feminine singular: de la -
Before vowel/h: de l' -
Plural: des
Partitive Article Declension: Masculine singular: du (de + le) Feminine singular: de la Before vowels: de l' Plural (all genders): des (de + les)
Special Cases: After expressions of quantity: de only (beaucoup de pain) In negative sentences: de only (pas de pain) With adjectives before plural nouns: de only (de bons amis)
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Understanding how French speakers use partitive articles reveals important cultural differences. In French culture, the concept of "some" reflects a more precise relationship with food and quantities than in English-speaking cultures.
Food Culture: French speakers are very specific about quantities when discussing food. Where English might say "I'll have bread," French requires "Je prendrai du pain" (I'll have some bread), acknowledging that you're taking a portion, not all the bread.
Politeness: Using partitive articles correctly is crucial for polite conversation. Asking "Voulez-vous du café?" (Would you like some coffee?) is more natural and polite than asking about coffee in general.
Shopping: At French markets and shops, you'll hear partitive articles constantly. "Je voudrais des tomates" (I'd like some tomatoes) implies you want a reasonable quantity, not all their tomatoes!
Regional Variations: In Quebec French, you might hear slight variations in usage, but the basic rules remain the same. Southern French speakers might pronounce these articles with more open vowels.
Historical Note: The partitive article system developed from Latin, where similar distinctions existed. This grammatical precision reflects the French love of clarity and exactitude in language.
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From "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
"J'ai ainsi vécu seul, sans personne avec qui parler véritablement, jusqu'à une panne dans le désert du Sahara, il y a six ans. Quelque chose s'était cassé dans mon moteur. Et comme je n'avais avec moi ni mécanicien, ni passagers, je me préparai à essayer de réussir, tout seul, une réparation difficile."
I J' have ai thus ainsi lived vécu alone seul, without sans anyone personne with avec whom qui to talk parler truly véritablement, until jusqu'à a une breakdown panne in dans the le desert désert of du Sahara Sahara, six six years ans ago il y a. Something Quelque chose had s'était broken cassé in dans my mon engine moteur.
"J'ai ainsi vécu seul, sans personne avec qui parler véritablement, jusqu'à une panne dans le désert du Sahara, il y a six ans. Quelque chose s'était cassé dans mon moteur."
"I had thus lived alone, without anyone with whom to speak truly, until a breakdown in the Sahara desert, six years ago. Something had broken in my engine."
J'ai ainsi vécu seul, sans personne avec qui parler véritablement, jusqu'à une panne dans le désert du Sahara, il y a six ans. Quelque chose s'était cassé dans mon moteur.
This passage demonstrates the use of "quelque chose" (something), which follows similar indefinite patterns to "some." Note how "du Sahara" shows the contracted form of "de + le." The phrase "sans personne" (without anyone) shows how indefinite concepts work in French. Saint-Exupéry's simple yet profound style makes this an excellent text for learners to see natural French partitive and indefinite usage in context.
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67.16 The La customer cliente enters entre in dans the la bakery boulangerie and et greets salue the le baker boulanger
67.17 Good morning Bonjour, I je would like voudrais some du fresh frais bread pain please s'il vous plaît
67.18 Of course Bien sûr, we nous have avons some des baguettes baguettes just tout juste out of sorties the oven du four
67.19 Do Avez you vous also aussi have have some des croissants croissants this ce morning matin?
67.20 Yes Oui, and et I je can peux offer proposer you vous some des chocolate au chocolat pastries pains too aussi
67.21 Perfect Parfait, I'll je take prends some du bread pain and et three trois croissants croissants
67.22 Would Voulez you vous like like some de la jam confiture with avec that ça?
67.23 No Non thank you merci, but mais I je need ai besoin some de butter beurre if si you vous have avez any en
67.24 Here Voici is is some du salted salé butter beurre from de Normandy Normandie
67.25 My Mes children enfants would aimeraient love love some des chocolate au chocolat cookies biscuits as well aussi
67.26 I J' have ai some des homemade faits maison ones ones right juste here ici
67.27 Could Pourriez you vous add ajouter some du milk lait to à my ma order commande?
67.28 Certainly Certainement, I j' have ai some du fresh frais organic bio milk lait today aujourd'hui
67.29 That's C'est everything tout, here's voici some de l' money argent for pour the le total total
67.30 Thank you Merci, have passez some une good bonne day journée and et see you à tomorrow demain!
67.16 La cliente entre dans la boulangerie et salue le boulanger. The customer enters the bakery and greets the baker.
67.17 Bonjour, je voudrais du pain frais s'il vous plaît. Good morning, I would like some fresh bread please.
67.18 Bien sûr, nous avons des baguettes tout juste sorties du four. Of course, we have some baguettes just out of the oven.
67.19 Avez-vous aussi des croissants ce matin? Do you also have some croissants this morning?
67.20 Oui, et je peux vous proposer des pains au chocolat aussi. Yes, and I can offer you some chocolate pastries too.
67.21 Parfait, je prends du pain et trois croissants. Perfect, I'll take some bread and three croissants.
67.22 Voulez-vous de la confiture avec ça? Would you like some jam with that?
67.23 Non merci, mais j'ai besoin de beurre si vous en avez. No thank you, but I need some butter if you have any.
67.24 Voici du beurre salé de Normandie. Here is some salted butter from Normandy.
67.25 Mes enfants aimeraient des biscuits au chocolat aussi. My children would love some chocolate cookies as well.
67.26 J'ai des biscuits faits maison juste ici. I have some homemade ones right here.
67.27 Pourriez-vous ajouter du lait à ma commande? Could you add some milk to my order?
67.28 Certainement, j'ai du lait frais bio aujourd'hui. Certainly, I have some fresh organic milk today.
67.29 C'est tout, voici de l'argent pour le total. That's everything, here's some money for the total.
67.30 Merci, passez une bonne journée et à demain! Thank you, have a good day and see you tomorrow!
67.16 La cliente entre dans la boulangerie et salue le boulanger.
67.17 Bonjour, je voudrais du pain frais s'il vous plaît.
67.18 Bien sûr, nous avons des baguettes tout juste sorties du four.
67.19 Avez-vous aussi des croissants ce matin?
67.20 Oui, et je peux vous proposer des pains au chocolat aussi.
67.21 Parfait, je prends du pain et trois croissants.
67.22 Voulez-vous de la confiture avec ça?
67.23 Non merci, mais j'ai besoin de beurre si vous en avez.
67.24 Voici du beurre salé de Normandie.
67.25 Mes enfants aimeraient des biscuits au chocolat aussi.
67.26 J'ai des biscuits faits maison juste ici.
67.27 Pourriez-vous ajouter du lait à ma commande?
67.28 Certainement, j'ai du lait frais bio aujourd'hui.
67.29 C'est tout, voici de l'argent pour le total.
67.30 Merci, passez une bonne journée et à demain!
When shopping in French, the use of partitive articles is essential for natural communication. This dialogue demonstrates several key patterns:
Common Shopping Phrases with Partitives: -
Je voudrais du/de la/des... (I would like some...) -
Avez-vous du/de la/des...? (Do you have some...?) -
Je prends du/de la/des... (I'll take some...) -
Voici du/de la/des... (Here is some...)
Notice the Patterns: -
After "voudrais" (would like), use the appropriate partitive -
In questions with "avoir," maintain the partitive form -
When offering items, French speakers use partitives naturally
Special Shopping Expressions: -
"si vous en avez" (if you have any) - note how "en" replaces the partitive -
"des biscuits faits maison" - adjective after noun requires "des" -
"de l'argent" - money takes de l' because it starts with a vowel
Cultural Shopping Notes: In French bakeries, using correct partitives shows respect and cultural awareness. Saying "Je veux pain" sounds abrupt and foreign; "Je voudrais du pain" is polite and natural.
Quantity Transitions: Note how the dialogue moves between partitive (some) and specific numbers (trois croissants). This is typical in French shopping conversations.
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