The Preposition "de" and Contractions
The French preposition de means "from" or "of." When de is followed by the masculine singular article le or the plural article les, they contract into a single word.
| Preposition + Article | Contraction |
|---|---|
| de + le | du |
| de + les | des |
| de + la | de la (no contraction) |
| de + l' | de l' (no contraction) |
Spatial Relationships
You will often use de (and its contractions) in phrases describing locations, such as:
- loin de (far from)
- à côté de (next to)
- en face de (opposite / across from)
- près de (near)
When the landmark following these phrases is masculine or plural, remember to use du or des.
| The neighborhood is far from the city center. | Le quartier est loin du centre-ville. |
| He lives next to the bridge. | Il habite à côté du pont. |
| She works opposite the monuments. | Elle travaille en face des monuments. |
Leaving and Returning
Use de to indicate origin with verbs like partir (to leave) and rentrer (to return / go home).
| Is he leaving from the office now? | Est-ce qu'il part du bureau maintenant ? |
| The student is returning from the United States. | L'étudiant rentre des États-Unis. |
If the location is feminine or starts with a vowel, use de la or de l' without contracting.
| She is leaving from the station. | Elle part de la gare. |
| He is leaving from the hospital. | Il part de l'hôpital. |
"Of" (Noun of Noun)
Because de also means "of," it links nouns to show relationships, like "the corner of the square." The same contraction rules apply.
| The bakery is near the corner of the square. | La boulangerie est près du coin de la place. |
| The dog is near the children's corner. | Le chien est près du coin des enfants. |
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