With locations, you will use the preposition à = to/in + [a place] and de = from + [a place].
See also Using 'à' (to/in) and 'de' (from/of) with cities (prepositions)
Look at this summary of the rules:
| Preposition + article | Contraction | Example |
| à + le | au |
Je vais au cinéma. (le cinéma) |
| à + les | aux |
Je vais aux États-Unis. (Les États-Unis / USA) |
| de + le | du |
Je viens du marché. (le marché /market) |
| de + les | des |
Je viens des Pays-Bas. (Les Pays-Bas / The Netherlands) |
| These don't contract |
||
| à + la | (no contraction) | Je vais à la poste (the post office) |
| à + l' | (no contraction) | Je vais à l'hôtel. |
| de + la | (no contraction) | Je viens de la piscine. (the swimming pool) |
| de + l' | (no contraction) | Je viens de l'auberge de jeunesse. (the youth hostel) |
Je vais au cinéma.
I'm going to the cinema.
Je vais aux États-Unis.
I'm going to the United States.
Je viens du marché.
I'm coming from the market.
Je viens des Pays-Bas.
I come from the Netherlands.
I am from the Netherlands.
Je vais à la poste.
I'm going to the post office.
Je vais à l'hôtel.
I'm going to the hotel.
Je viens de la piscine.
I come from the swimming pool.
Je viens de l'auberge de jeunesse.
I'm coming from the hostel.
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Je vais à la poste.
I'm going to the post office.
Je viens de la piscine.
I come from the swimming pool.
Joyeux, joyeux Noël,
Aux mille bougies,
Qu'enchantent vers le ciel,
Les cloches de la nuit.
Happy, happy Christmas!
To the thousand candles,
That enchant to the heavens,
The night bells.
Je viens des Pays-Bas.
I come from the Netherlands.
I am from the Netherlands.
Elle va au restaurant.
She goes to the restaurant.
Je viens du marché.
I'm coming from the market.
Ils viennent du cinéma.
They're coming from the cinema.
Je vais aux États-Unis.
I'm going to the United States.
Je vais à l'hôtel.
I'm going to the hotel.
Je viens de l'auberge de jeunesse.
I'm coming from the hostel.
Nous allons à la boulangerie.
We are going to the bakery.
Je vais au cinéma.
I'm going to the cinema.
à
Marie est à l'école.
Marie is in school.
Marie is at school.
Je vais au bureau
I'm going to the office
Alain va à la maison.
Alain is going home.
Alain is going to the house
de
Ils rentrent du restaurant.
They're coming home from the restaurant.
Q&A
akanksh
Kwiziq community member
20 March 2019
1 reply
how to differenciate between partitif and contracte articles????
Chris
Kwiziq community member
22/03/19
A partitive article is just one instance when you would use a definite article, precceded by de. It contracts like it normally would in other instances:
Donnez-moi les lunettes, svp. -- Give me the glasses, please. (simple definite article)J'ai besoin des lunettes. -- I need glasses. (partitive article: des = de + les)Vous pensez des lunettes? -- Are you thinking of glasses? (normal contraction)
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
24/01/19
Hi Dermot ,
Have you had a look at the FAQ’s which has a section on accents?
Vanya
Kwiziq community member
2/03/19
so, basically, you just press and hold let's say, for example, e. You press e and hold it, four options will appear you can choose any one option according to the sentence.
Even I had a few problems in the start :) but you'll get the hang of it. Eventually...
Dermot
Kwiziq community member
2/03/19
Many thanks. I’ve now got it!
Dermot
Dermot
Kwiziq community member
2/03/19
Many thanks. I’ve now got it!
Dermot
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
10/01/19
Hi C,
‘Marie prend un café au Café ‘ would be ‘Marie is having a coffee in a Café.’
The use of ‘acheter’ can only mean she is a shop and buying some coffee.
Ch
Kwiziq community member
31/03/19
Think of what makes more sense in the context you, the exam, or the person you are talking with uses it.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
11/11/18
Hi J ,
Olivier arrive à la piscine = Olivier arrives at the swimming pool
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
11/11/18
Hi J,
Olivier arrive de la piscine = Olivier arrives from the swimming pool
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
26/10/18
Hi Ann,
It is because the expression is - 'la chasse à quelque chose'
so you can have:
Une chasse à l'homme = a man hunt
La chasse à l'ours = bear hunt
La chasse au trésor = treasure hunt
La chasse aux oeufs = Easter egg hunt
etc...
Hope this helps!
Ann
Kwiziq community member
26/10/18
Gruff
Kwiziq language super star
8/10/18
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
8/10/18
Harith
Kwiziq community member
27/10/18
Joanne
Kwiziq community member
13 April 2019
1 reply
I wrote "faire des magasins."
Is that wrong? Perhaps you can't have two infinitives together? I thought faire des was the way to express going shopping.
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
14 April 2019
14/04/19
Hi Joanne,
The expression is -
" faire les magasins"