writing fractions

Hasan D.A1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

writing fractions

in order to say "I ate one-seventh of the apples " Do I write 

J'ai mangé un septième des pommes   or J'ai mangé le  septième des pommes
which one is true?

Asked 3 years ago
Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Hi Hasan,

"J'ai mangé un septième des pommes"   

I can't fault this sentence in that you are expressing "one seventh" of the total.

but to write "le septième" reads to me as if the seventh apple was eaten.

Hope this helps,

Jim

CélineNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Bonjour Hasan,

Here are a few examples to illustrate the difference

J'ai mangé un septième des pommes = I ate one seventh of the apples  

J'ai vidé un tiers du baril I emptied one third of the barrel  -> special forms - see lesson: how-to-express-fractions-general-numbers

 

J'ai mangé la septième des pommes = I ate the seventh of (all) the apples

J'ai mangé la septième pomme = I ate the seventh apple

Le Prince est le septième dans la ligne de succession = the Prince is seventh in line to the throne

see lesson: how-to-form-ordinal-numbers-1st-2nd-10th

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

writing fractions

in order to say "I ate one-seventh of the apples " Do I write 

J'ai mangé un septième des pommes   or J'ai mangé le  septième des pommes
which one is true?

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Let me take a look at that...