Learn French: Il veut un mur de trois mètres de hauteur.

Il veut un mur de trois mètres de hauteur.

He wants a wall three meters high.

Breakdown of Il veut un mur de trois mètres de hauteur.

a / an (masculine)

of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)

trois

three

Questions & Answers about Il veut un mur de trois mètres de hauteur.

Why are there two instances of de in un mur de trois mètres de hauteur?

In French, when describing an object's physical dimensions, you need the first de to link the object to its measurement (un mur de trois mètres). The second de links the measurement to the specific dimension being measured (de hauteur). This translates literally to a wall of three meters of height.

Could I use the adjective haut instead of the noun hauteur here?

Yes! When expressing dimensions with this double de structure, you can often use either the noun or the masculine adjective for the final word. Saying un mur de trois mètres de haut is perfectly correct and very common.

If I use haut for a feminine object instead of a wall, does it change to haute?

No. When you use the adjective form in the measurement + de + adjective structure, it acts like a fixed noun. It will always remain masculine singular (de haut, de long, de large), even if the object being measured is feminine, such as une maison de trois mètres de haut.

Can I word this without the first de, like we do in English?