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En cas d'effraction, le système donne l'alerte.

En cas d'effraction, le système donne l'alerte.
In case of a break-in, the system gives the alert.
From Lesson 295:In case of (en cas de)·French

Questions & Answers about En cas d'effraction, le système donne l'alerte.

Why is there no article after en cas d'? Shouldn't it be en cas de l'effraction?
The expression en cas de is normally followed directly by a noun with no article when referring to a general event or concept. You will often see this pattern with words like urgence (emergency), vol (theft), or incendie (fire).
Can I use au cas où instead of en cas de in this sentence?
Not with this exact structure. The phrase en cas de must be followed by a noun, like effraction. If you want to use au cas où, it must be followed by a subject and a verb in the conditional mood, for example: au cas où il y aurait une effraction (in case there were a break-in).
Is donner l'alerte the most natural way to say that a system sounds the alarm?
Yes, donner l'alerte is a highly standard phrase in French for raising an alarm or alerting the authorities. You might also hear déclencher l'alarme (to trigger the alarm), but donner l'alerte works perfectly for a security system.
How do I use the word effraction to say that someone broke in?
French does not have a single verb for the action of breaking in. Instead, you use the expression entrer par effraction (literally: to enter by break-in). For example, you would say Quelqu'un est entré par effraction to mean that someone broke in.

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