Questions & Answers about Je mets du riz dans la soupe.
A partitive article expresses an indefinite, non-countable amount of something (like English “some”). In French you choose:
• du before masculine singular nouns (du riz)
• de la before feminine singular nouns (de la soupe)
• de l’ before vowels or mute h (de l’eau)
• des before plural nouns (des légumes)
In everyday French mettre simply means “to put/place” and is commonly used in cooking contexts: mettre du riz = “put rice.”
• ajouter (“to add”) is more specific and slightly more formal.
• verser (“to pour”) implies a pouring action (liquid or small granules).
Dans means “in” or “inside,” indicating that the rice goes into the soup.
• sur would mean “on top of,” changing the meaning.
• à is not used to express “into” in this context.
Approximately: /ʒə mɛ dy ʁi dɑ̃ la sup/
• Je: /ʒə/
• mets: /mɛ/ (the final s is silent, no liaison with du)
• du: /dy/
• riz: /ʁi/ (possible liaison with dans, /ʁi dɑ̃/)
• dans la soupe: /dɑ̃ la sup/ (final e of soupe is silent)