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Questions & Answers about Paul sert du vin blanc.
What does sert mean in this sentence?
Sert is the third person singular form of the verb servir, which means to serve in English. It shows that Paul is the one doing the serving.
Why is the partitive article du used before vin blanc instead of a definite article like le or an indefinite article like un?
Du is a contraction of de + le and serves as a partitive article. It indicates that Paul is serving an unspecified amount of white wine rather than a specific portion or the entire supply. This usage is common in French when referring to some quantity of an uncountable substance.
What is the grammatical function of vin blanc in this sentence?
Vin blanc functions as the direct object of the verb sert. It tells us what Paul is serving, with vin being the noun (white wine) and blanc serving as the adjective describing it.
Why does the adjective blanc come after the noun vin in French?
In French, adjectives like blanc, which describe a color, typically follow the noun they modify. This is a common word order in French, so vin blanc simply means white wine with the adjective placed after the noun.
Does the noun vin have a specific gender in French, and how does that affect the article used?
Yes, vin is a masculine noun. Because of its gender, the partitive article du (from de + le) is used. If it were a feminine noun, you would use de la instead.
Would it be correct to say Paul sert le vin blanc? How would the meaning change?
While Paul sert le vin blanc is grammatically correct, it implies that Paul is serving a specific or previously mentioned white wine, possibly the entire batch. In contrast, using du indicates that he is serving some (an unspecified portion of) white wine, which is often the intended meaning in such contexts.