Is that wrong? Perhaps you can't have two infinitives together? I thought faire des was the way to express going shopping.
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)
However, when followed by the definite articles le or les, these prepositions "contract" with them to form one word.
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
Nous allons à la boulangerie.
We are going to the bakery.
Je vais au cinéma.
I'm going to the cinema.
Je vais à la poste.
I'm going to the post office.
Je viens de la piscine.
I come from the swimming pool.
Je viens de l'auberge de jeunesse.
I'm coming from the hostel.
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.
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 Forum 22 questions, 41 answers
Joanne asked:View original
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.
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AkankshKwiziq community member
how to differenciate between partitif and contracte articles????
Asked 6 months ago
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
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)
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CécileKwiziq team member
Hi Dermot ,
Have you had a look at the FAQ’s which has a section on accents?
VanyaKwiziq community member
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...
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Kwiziq community member
How do we know when "de" refers to "from" or partitive article "some"?
For example: "Marie achète du café"
Le café is a location and a drink.
Couldn't this sentence means both "Marie buys a coffee" and "Marie buys from the cafe"?
How do we know when "de" refers to "from" and when it refers to "some"?
Thank you!
Asked 9 months ago
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.
ChKwiziq community member
Think of what makes more sense in the context you, the exam, or the person you are talking with uses it.
C asked:View original
How do we know when "de" refers to "from" or partitive article "some"?
For example: "Marie achète du café"
Le café is a location and a drink.
Couldn't this sentence means both "Marie buys a coffee" and "Marie buys from the cafe"?
How do we know when "de" refers to "from" and when it refers to "some"?
Thank you!
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Hi J ,
Olivier arrive à la piscine = Olivier arrives at the swimming pool
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Hi J,
Olivier arrive de la piscine = Olivier arrives from the swimming pool
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AnnKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Why is it "nous partirons à la chasse aux friandises rather than "des friandaise"?
Asked 11 months ago
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 asked:View original
Why is it "nous partirons à la chasse aux friandises rather than "des friandaise"?
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AnnKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Can one say passer par le supermarché as well as au supermarché?
Asked 11 months ago
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GruffKwiziq team member
Hi Ergun - no, but if there is a lesson which you think would benefit from one, we can try...
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MaryKwiziq community member
Je viens du pays-bas or je viens des pays-bas. Pays- bas singular or plural?
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Mary ,
It is -
je viens des Pays-Bas. (de+les= des).
Hope this helps!
MaryKwiziq community member
Quelle est l’explanation? J’ai une amie francaise et elle dit— je viens du pays-bas. M
Mary asked:View original
Je viens du pays-bas or je viens des pays-bas. Pays- bas singular or plural?
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MichaelKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Plural Orages
Bonjour RON.
I referenced this lesson because I was looking for an answer for the text in the Week 78 B1 writing challenge 'Weather Forcast" 'after a rough night which will likely be punctuated by thunderstorms' =
après une nuit agitée qui devrait être ponctuée d’orages,'.
I thought it might be from the ponctuée but I think its followed by par not de, I don't see any adjectives or negative sentences.
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Michael, after conferring with a native speaker, both options are indeed correct:
1) Une nuit ponctuée par des orages
2) Une nuit ponctueée d'orages.
Greetings, -- Chris (not a native speaker).
1) Une nuit ponctuée par des orages
2) Une nuit ponctueée d'orages.
Greetings, -- Chris (not a native speaker).
MichaelKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Sorry , the above goes with the q&a 'article contractions' on the 15 October.
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonsoir Michael,
So I ran the English phrase through Collins-Robert online translator as well as google translate. Here are the results, in order:
1) après une nuit agitée qui va probablement être ponctuée d’orages
2) après une nuit difficile qui sera probablement ponctuée par des orages
I do not typically use online translation except to get a sense in phrase that I am totally unfamiliar with. One can see from these two phrases the variations in the sense of the phrase as well as the point in question: d'orages, par des orages.
I agree with your observation, there is no negation so to me the d'orages doesn't fit. I like the second though, but I am still uncertain if this would be a correct reflection of the translation.
Of course, it is possible that both translations are acceptable.
Bonne chance et merci.
Michael asked:View original
Plural Orages
Bonjour RON.
I referenced this lesson because I was looking for an answer for the text in the Week 78 B1 writing challenge 'Weather Forcast" 'after a rough night which will likely be punctuated by thunderstorms' =
après une nuit agitée qui devrait être ponctuée d’orages,'.
I thought it might be from the ponctuée but I think its followed by par not de, I don't see any adjectives or negative sentences.
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MichaelKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Article contractions
Does de l'orages not contract even if orages is plural. So not "des orages" but "de l'orages." Although on second thoughts its probably "le orages" not "les orages."
Asked 1 year ago
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonsoir Michael,
I am curious about the question; I looked at the lesson and do not find a reference example about «orage» or «orages».
Orage is msculin, singular for thunderstorm and orages is the pluriel. De l'orage would be correct but de les orages --> becomes des orages in contraction.
J'espère que cela vous aiderait.
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Michae,
un orage
l'orage (as the contraction of le + orage)
de l'orage (as the contraction of de le + orage)
des orages
à l'orage
aux orages
These are all the contractions with articles I can think of.
-- Chris (not a native speaker)
Michael asked:View original
Article contractions
Does de l'orages not contract even if orages is plural. So not "des orages" but "de l'orages." Although on second thoughts its probably "le orages" not "les orages."
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TerriKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
à l'épicerie vs chez l'épicerie
On the week 70 writing challenge, A1 level, the question is 'Je vais ____ épicerie." I wrote chez l'épicerie, but it was marked wrong. If one says "Je vais chez le dentist" or "Je vais chez la boulangerie", why would 'chez l'épicerie' be wrong? I don't see a difference. Thanks for the help! Terri
Asked 2 years ago
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Terri,
The lesson is about «À + le = au, à + les = aux, de + le = du, de + les = des (contractions of articles) -» and does not cover the use of «chez». While your response seems the correct usage of chez to me, I believe that is the reason that it was not marked correct.
Bonne chance,
TerriKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Ron, thanks so much for your response. That makes sense about it being this particular lesson. Your answer is an encouragement. Think I'll give it another try today! Terri
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
You use chez when you go "to a person" and à for impersonal locations. For example:
Je vais chez le dentiste/le coiffeur/le docteur/etc. But you would say
Je vais à la boucherie/au cinéma/à la piscine/etc. because they are all impersonal places.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
SKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Bonjour Chris,
I am not sure I understand, still struggling with French for beginners!
We do say, "Je travaille chez moi". So, "I work at my home."
So, is it home, or house, it is again a location! So, why not "chez epicerie?"
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Je travaille chez MOI -- I work at my place. It's you that is the person.
Je vais chez Alice. -- I go to Alice's place.
You CANNOT say: "je rentre chez la maison. " because "maison" is not a person. But you CAN say: "je rentre chez moi. "
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Terri asked:View original
à l'épicerie vs chez l'épicerie
On the week 70 writing challenge, A1 level, the question is 'Je vais ____ épicerie." I wrote chez l'épicerie, but it was marked wrong. If one says "Je vais chez le dentist" or "Je vais chez la boulangerie", why would 'chez l'épicerie' be wrong? I don't see a difference. Thanks for the help! Terri
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ValentinaKwiziq community member
Can I say "Je vais du cinéma" instead of "Je viens du cinéma" ?
Or: "Je viens au restaurant" instead of "Je vais au restaurant" ?
Asked 2 years ago
Bonjour Valentina !
The answer is yes: just like in English, you will use aller and venir depending on where you situate yourself in the context.
I come to the restaurant. (Je viens au restaurant) would mean that the person you're talking to is already at the restaurant and you see yourself as coming towards them for example.
In the case of I go from the cinema, in French you will to add a destination, as always with the verb aller.
For example:
Je vais du cinéma à chez toi. (I'm going from the cinema to your place.)
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
The answer is yes: just like in English, you will use aller and venir depending on where you situate yourself in the context.
I come to the restaurant. (Je viens au restaurant) would mean that the person you're talking to is already at the restaurant and you see yourself as coming towards them for example.
In the case of I go from the cinema, in French you will to add a destination, as always with the verb aller.
For example:
Je vais du cinéma à chez toi. (I'm going from the cinema to your place.)
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Je vais au cinema is I am going to the cinema but Je viens du cinema is I am coming from the cinema. These two articles have different senses and therefore are not interchangeable without changing the complete meaning of the phrase.
ValentinaKwiziq community member
Merci, but my question was about verbs, not articles with prepositions. In English, we may say I'm coming to (not from) the cinema and I'm going to the cinema. Is it possible in French?
Valentina asked:View original
Can I say "Je vais du cinéma" instead of "Je viens du cinéma" ?
Or: "Je viens au restaurant" instead of "Je vais au restaurant" ?
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AnishKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Can we use Marie est en l'école" in place of "Marie est à l´ecole"
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Anish !
You will never use en in French to express "at", and here are the two possible cases with school:
Je suis à l'école. I am at school.
Je suis dans l'école. I am in the school.
See our lesson on en versus dans with locations:
En vs dans with locations (prepositions)">En vs dans with locations (prepositions)">En vs dans with locations (prepositions)">En vs dans with locations (prepositions)
Bonne journée !
You will never use en in French to express "at", and here are the two possible cases with school:
Je suis à l'école. I am at school.
Je suis dans l'école. I am in the school.
See our lesson on en versus dans with locations:
En vs dans with locations (prepositions)">En vs dans with locations (prepositions)">En vs dans with locations (prepositions)">En vs dans with locations (prepositions)
Bonne journée !
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ViliKwiziq community member
Q.
Should I understand that "à" and "de" can be applied to all the verbs depending if you are going to or coming from somewhere or is it so that each verb goes only with one of these prepositions?
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Vili !
It applies mainly to the verbs "venir" (to come), "aller" (to go) and "être" (to be), just like in English, and yes you will use either "à" to express "to/in", and "de" to express "from".
I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !
Vili asked:View original
Q.
Should I understand that "à" and "de" can be applied to all the verbs depending if you are going to or coming from somewhere or is it so that each verb goes only with one of these prepositions?
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Mehmet Kwiziq community member
J'aime bien votre réponses quand on pose une question. Trés instruisant! Merci beaucoup.
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Merci beaucoup Mehmet ! Nous faisons de notre mieux :)
Bonnes Fêtes et à bientôt !
Mehmet asked:View original
J'aime bien votre réponses quand on pose une question. Trés instruisant! Merci beaucoup.
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DebbieKwiziq community member
I have never heard "va au" as in "Elle va au restaurant" pronounced "v-au before.
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Debbie !
I've listened to the sentence you're referring to, and it is pronounced [va au]", albeit pretty fast (French native way!), so I understand the confusion here.
You are correct that we wouldn't say [v-au] in French :)
I've therefore decided to update our audio file.
Please let me know if it's better, or I will look into it again :)
Merci et à bientôt !
Debbie asked:View original
I have never heard "va au" as in "Elle va au restaurant" pronounced "v-au before.
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JudyKwiziq community member
When describing how food is made or similar do you always use 'au a la' etc instead of 'de'
LauraKwiziq team member
No, you use "à la / au" when the food is one component of many: for example, une tarte à la tomate.
You use "de" when the food is the main ingredient, like jus de tomate.
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LauraKwiziq team member
Bonjour Monica,
Good question. "Devant de la table" is a very literal translation of "in front of the table," and French just doesn't work that way. Devant means "in front of" - the idea of "of" is part of it, so it must be followed immediately by la table. This is also the case for its antonym: derrière la table.
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LauraKwiziq team member
Bonjour Diana,
It depends on what you're trying to say. When you mean "to come from" or "to have just done something," yes.
I'm coming from a restaurant - Je viens d'un restaurant.
I just ate - Je viens de manger.
AurélieKwiziq team member
But in other contexts, you could simply use "venir" on its own:
I'm coming to see you - Je viens te voir.
He's coming to my house - Il vient chez moi.
etc...
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