Preparing the Table
Before a formal dinner, you may need to set the table (dresser la table) and polish the silverware (polir l'argenterie).
| We are going to set the table with the porcelain. | Nous allons dresser la table avec la porcelaine. |
| We are going to polish the silverware and delicate place settings. | Nous allons polir l'argenterie et de délicats couverts. |
Purpose vs. Contents: À vs. De
In English, we combine nouns by placing them together (like "wine glass"). French links them with prepositions. The choice between à and de indicates whether you are talking about a container's purpose or its actual contents.
Use à for a container's purpose—what it is designed for, even if empty:
- un verre à vin (a wine glass)
- une cuillère à soupe (a soup spoon)
Use de (or d') for the actual contents inside:
- un verre de vin (a glass of wine)
- une assiette de soupe (a plate of soup)
Compare a glass intended for wine (à) with a glass filled with wine (de), and a pitcher filled with water (d'):
| Put the wine glasses on the delicate tablecloth. | Mets les verres à vin sur la nappe délicate. |
| He does not want an empty wine glass, but a glass of wine. | Il ne veut pas un verre à vin vide, mais un verre de vin. |
| This pitcher of water is made of beautiful porcelain. | Ce pichet d'eau est en belle porcelaine. |
The same rule applies to plates and utensils:
| Here is a place setting with a fork and a soup spoon. | Voici un couvert avec une fourchette et une cuillère à soupe. |
| Here is a plate of hot soup. | Voici une assiette de soupe chaude. |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io