ELONIO
Log inSign up

J'écris sur papier blanc.

J'écris sur papier blanc.
I write on white paper.
FromLesson 15inHardcore French

Breakdown of J'écris sur papier blanc.

je
I
sur
on
blanc
white
écrire
to write
le papier
the paper

Questions & Answers about J'écris sur papier blanc.

Why is it written as J'écris instead of Je écris?
In French, when Je is followed by a vowel-starting word (or a word beginning with a silent h), the vowel is dropped and replaced by an apostrophe for smoother pronunciation. Thus, Je écris becomes J'écris.
Why is there no article before papier blanc in this sentence?
When referring to materials or substances in a general sense, French often omits the article. In this case, papier blanc describes the medium on which one writes—similar to saying “on paper” in English rather than “on the paper” or “on a paper.”
Why does the adjective blanc come after the noun papier?
In French, adjectives that denote inherent qualities like color usually follow the noun. So, papier blanc is the standard order for expressing “white paper.”
What does the preposition sur mean in this context?
The preposition sur translates as “on.” Here it indicates the surface or medium (the paper) upon which the writing is done.
What is the tense and form of the verb écris in this sentence?
The verb écris is the first-person singular form of écrire in the present tense, which means “I write” or “I am writing.”
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How does grammatical gender work in French?”
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning French

Master French — from J'écris sur papier blanc to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning French→