How to express 'some' in French — the partitive article for uncountable nouns, how it differs from the indefinite article, and when the definite article is used instead.
Partitive articles express an unspecified portion of something that cannot be counted as individual units. Formation: de + definite article → du (m.sg.), de la (f.sg.), de l' (before vowel/silent h), des (pl.). Key uses: food and drink consumed in unspecified amounts (Je bois du café), activities expressed with faire (faire du sport), abstract nouns (avoir du courage). Contrast with indefinite article (un/une/des): indefinite counts a whole item (Je mange une pomme = one apple); partitive takes a portion (Je mange de la pomme = some apple — unusual; normally use indefinite for countable fruits). Contrast with definite article: after verbs of general preference (aimer, adorer, détester, préférer) use definite: J'aime le café (I like coffee in general) vs Je bois du café (I am drinking some coffee right now).
Which article fills the blank?
| Rule | Example | Note |
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The list is long. Let’s check the fridge to see what we already have—and what we don’t.
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