Breakdown of Tu dresses la table sans nappe.
tu
you (informal singular)
la table
the table
sans
without
dresser
to set (a table)
Questions & Answers about Tu dresses la table sans nappe.
Why use dresser la table instead of mettre la table?
Both expressions mean "to set the table." Mettre la table is the everyday, standard phrase you will use most of the time. Dresser la table is slightly more formal and implies laying it out carefully or elegantly, such as in a nice restaurant or for a holiday dinner.
Why is it sans nappe and not sans une nappe?
In French, the preposition sans (without) is usually followed directly by a bare noun with no article. This happens because sans treats the noun as a general concept rather than a specific object. This is the exact same grammatical logic as the current lesson's use of de and à, where the article is also dropped to create a compound noun phrase (like saying tasse de thé instead of tasse du thé).
If I want to specify that this is a "dining table," do I use à or de?
You use à to show the table's purpose, making it a table à manger. Just like a tasse à thé (a cup for tea), a table à manger is a table designed specifically for eating. You would only use de if the table were somehow made out of food!
I have seen the word nappe translated as "sheet". Does it mean tablecloth or sheet?