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Je mange du poulet.

Je mange du poulet.
I eat chicken.
FromLesson 17inHardcore French

Breakdown of Je mange du poulet.

je
I
manger
to eat
du
some
le poulet
the chicken

Questions & Answers about Je mange du poulet.

What does du mean in Je mange du poulet?
du is the partitive article (a contraction of de + le) used with masculine singular nouns to indicate an unspecified quantity, roughly meaning “some.”
Why do we use du instead of des or de la?
Could I just say Je mange poulet like in English I eat chicken?
No. French normally requires an article before a noun. Omitting it (Je mange poulet) is incorrect; you need a definite or partitive article (here du poulet).
Which form of the verb manger is mange here?

It’s the first person singular present indicative of manger:

How do I pronounce Je mange du poulet?

IPA: [ʒə mɑ̃ʒ dy pulɛ]. Tips:
• Je: [ʒə] (the [ə] is often dropped, sounding like [ʒ])
• mange: [mɑ̃ʒ] (nasal vowel)
• du: [dy]
• poulet: [pulɛ] (the final -t is silent)

How would I say I don't eat chicken?

In negative sentences, the partitive du becomes de (or d’ before a vowel), and the verb is wrapped in ne…pas:
Je ne mange pas de poulet.

Why is poulet singular when I’m talking about chicken in general?
When referring to a substance or food in an unspecified amount, French treats it as a mass noun, so you use the singular with a partitive article, not a countable plural.
Does Je mange du poulet mean I’m eating chicken right now or I eat it regularly?

The present tense in French can express both. Context or adverbs clarify:
• Ongoing: Je mange du poulet en ce moment.
• Habitual: Je mange souvent du poulet.

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“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.).

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