Indefinite Articles
The indefinite articles are un (masculine singular),
une
(feminine singular), and des (masculine, feminine plural). The indefinite
article agrees in number and (for the singular forms) in gender with the
nouns they modify (see Noun):
-
un homme a man
-
une femme a woman
-
des hommes, des femmes men, women
The indefinite article is used to refer to objects, people, and events
which have not been clearly defined by the speaker or the context. The
nouns which they modify are generally countable nouns (unlike those modified
by the partitive article):
-
Elle a une patience extraordinaire. She has extraordinary
patience.
The indefinite article is frequently used after verbs expressing possession
or consumption:
-
Donnez-moi un café, s'il vous plaît. Give
me a coffee, please.
-
On peut faire d'une pierre deux coups. One can hit
two birds with one stone.
-
Elle a des cerises à vendre. She has cherries
for sale.
Indefinite articles are omitted when telling someone's nationality or profession,
unlike in English.
-
Elle est dentiste. She is a dentist.
Except when there is an adjective included or when c'est is used
instead of a personal pronoun.
-
Elle est une excellente dentiste.
-
C'est une dentiste.
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