Why 'salle de bains', shouldn't it be 'salle à bains'

Surendra B.A1Kwiziq community member

Why 'salle de bains', shouldn't it be 'salle à bains'

According to this lesson, for translation of bathroom/washroom, a room for baths. So it should be 'salle à bains', but why do we use 'salle de bains'

This question relates to:French lesson "Compound nouns formed with prepositions à/de/en in French"

Asked 7 years ago

Like0Answer2

AurélieNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Bonjour Surendra ! "Salle de bains" is a fixed expression in French. I would say that we're literally saying "the room of baths" as in "containing the baths", hence the use of "de" here: it's the room that *owns* the baths in the house :) I hope that helps! Bonne journée !

Like27 years ago

Surendra B.A1Kwiziq community member

It is clear now, thank you.

Like07 years ago

Surendra B. asked:

Why 'salle de bains', shouldn't it be 'salle à bains'

According to this lesson, for translation of bathroom/washroom, a room for baths. So it should be 'salle à bains', but why do we use 'salle de bains'

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