{"id":558,"date":"2024-02-23T13:21:58","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T18:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/3-8-structure-adjectifs-possessifs-et-preposition-de-2\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T15:35:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T20:35:52","slug":"grammaire-preposition-de","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/grammaire-preposition-de\/","title":{"raw":"Grammaire 2: Expressing relationships ('de' preposition)","rendered":"Grammaire 2: Expressing relationships (‘de’ preposition)"},"content":{"raw":"
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\r\n\r\nOn \u00e9tudie !<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n

There are several ways to talk about ownership and possession in French. We have already seen in section 7 that we can do so with possessive adjectives (les adjectifs possessifs<\/strong>).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

(a) Another way to express possession or association i<\/span>s to use the preposition <\/span>de<\/strong> :<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

le fr\u00e8re de<\/strong> Michel\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (the brother of<\/span> Michel).<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

We use this structure less frequently in English so it may sound awkward or archaic to you (see examples below). In French, however, it is used all the time and sounds perfectly normal:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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L'ami de <\/strong>John\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (<\/em><\/span>the friend of<\/span> John)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

La maison de<\/strong> Janet\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (t<\/em><\/span>he house of<\/span> Janet)\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

Le roi de la <\/strong>montagne\u00a0(<\/em><\/span>the king of the<\/span> mountain)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

In this context, de<\/strong> roughly translates to the English -'s<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

L'ami de <\/strong>John\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (<\/em><\/span>John's friend)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

La maison de<\/strong> Janet\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (<\/em><\/span>Janet's house)\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

IMPORTANT:<\/h6>\r\n

When the preposition de<\/strong> is followed by the definite articles le<\/strong> and les<\/strong>\u00a0(and a noun), they contract to du<\/strong> and des<\/strong>, respectively:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

    \r\n \t
  • de + le \u2794 du <\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
    \r\n

    les livres du<\/strong> professeur\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 [les livres de le<\/del> professeur]<\/p>\r\n

    \u00a0 \u00a0(= The books of the<\/strong> professor = The professor's books)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n \r\n

      \r\n \t
    • de + les \u2794 des<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n
      \r\n

      les livres des<\/strong> \u00e9tudiants\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 [les livres de les<\/del> \u00e9tudiants]<\/p>\r\n

      \u00a0 \u00a0(= The books of the<\/strong> students = The students' books.)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n \r\n

      There is no contraction when de<\/strong> is followed by la<\/strong> or l'<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

      \r\n

      Les livres de <\/strong>l'<\/strong>ami de Frank<\/p>\r\n

      \u00a0 \u00a0( = The books of the<\/strong> friend of Frank =Frank's friend's books)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

      Les livres de la<\/strong> biblioth\u00e8que<\/p>\r\n

      \u00a0 \u00a0( = The books of the<\/strong> library = The library's books)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

      \r\n
      \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nStructure : Contractions with <\/span>de<\/strong> + <\/span>le\/les (article d\u00e9fini)\u00a0<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
      \u00a0<\/caption>\r\n
      Singulier<\/th>\r\nPluriel<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
      de + le = du<\/strong><\/td>\r\nde + les = des<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n
      <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n