L’atelier de poterie contient le four de potier.

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Breakdown of L’atelier de poterie contient le four de potier.

• l’atelier de poterie: the pottery workshop
• le four de potier: the pottery kiln

Questions & Answers about L’atelier de poterie contient le four de potier.

Why is it L’atelier and not Le atelier?

Because atelier starts with a vowel sound. In French, le and la usually shorten before a vowel or mute h:

• le atelier → l’atelier
• la école → l’école

This is called elision.
Also, atelier is a masculine noun, so the full form would be le atelier, but French does not keep it that way before a vowel.

What does atelier mean exactly?

Atelier means workshop or studio, especially a place where someone makes things by hand or does artistic work.

So:

• un atelier = a workshop / studio
• un atelier de poterie = a pottery workshop / pottery studio

English has also borrowed atelier, but in French it is a normal everyday word.

Why is it de poterie?