Breakdown of Le dentifrice est sur le lavabo.
être
to be
sur
on
le dentifrice
the toothpaste
le lavabo
the sink
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Questions & Answers about Le dentifrice est sur le lavabo.
What exactly does the French word in the sentence — lavabo — refer to?
Le lavabo means the bathroom sink/washbasin. It is different from l’évier, which is the kitchen sink. Both are masculine nouns.
- Bathroom: le lavabo (or sometimes la vasque for the bowl itself, in design contexts)
- Kitchen: l’évier
Why is it le dentifrice and not just “toothpaste” without an article, like in English?
French normally requires an article before nouns. Here, le dentifrice uses the definite article le because we’re talking about a specific, identifiable toothpaste (the tube you have in mind). Other options:
- un dentifrice = a toothpaste (a tube, non-specific)
- du dentifrice = some toothpaste (the substance, mass noun)
How does French distinguish between the tube of toothpaste and the substance?
- If you mean the tube is located somewhere, say: Le dentifrice est sur le lavabo. (By default, this often implies the tube.)
- If you mean there’s toothpaste smeared/spilled, say: Il y a du dentifrice sur le lavabo.
- To be explicit about the tube: Le tube de dentifrice est sur le lavabo.
Why is it sur le lavabo and not dans le lavabo?
- sur = on, on top of (touching a surface): sur le lavabo = on the sink (rim/counter area)
- dans = in, inside (contained): dans le lavabo = in the basin/bowl
- Related contrasts:
- au-dessus du lavabo = above the sink (not touching)
- sous le lavabo = under the sink
- sur le rebord du lavabo = on the rim of the sink (more precise)
Does sur + le contract like au or du?
No. sur does not contract with articles.
- Correct: sur le lavabo, sur la table, sur les étagères
- Only à + le → au and de + le → du contract. For example: au-dessus du lavabo = above the sink.
If the next word starts with a vowel, does the article change after sur?
Yes, the article itself elides before a vowel sound.
- sur l’évier (not sur le évier), because évier starts with a vowel sound
- sur l’armoire, sur l’étagère, etc.
Can I say au lavabo instead of sur le lavabo?
Not for “on the sink.” au means “at/to the,” so:
- au lavabo = at the sink (location or destination), e.g., Va te laver les mains au lavabo.
- To express “on,” you need sur: Le dentifrice est sur le lavabo.
How would I pronounce the sentence naturally?
Approximation for English speakers:
- Le [lə] or often reduced to a quick [l]
- dentifrice [dɑ̃-ti-fris] (nasal vowel in den: don’t pronounce the final “n”; final -ce = “s” sound)
- est [ɛ] (“eh,” no “t” sound here)
- sur [syʁ] (French u is a front rounded vowel, not “oo”)
- le [lə]
- lavabo [la-va-bo] (clear vowels; final “o” pronounced)
No liaison needed between est and sur (the “t” in est stays silent).
Could I replace the noun with a pronoun?
Yes:
- Refer back to the toothpaste (masculine): Il est sur le lavabo.
- Replace the whole location with y: Il y est. (He/It is there.)
- If the sink was already mentioned, you can also use dessus: Il est dessus. (It’s on it.)
Why not use C’est? Can I say C’est sur le lavabo?
- Full sentence with a noun subject: Le dentifrice est sur le lavabo.
- If someone asks “Where is the toothpaste?”, you can answer:
- Il est sur le lavabo. (precise, matches the noun’s gender)
- C’est sur le lavabo. (very common in spoken French; c’ refers to the thing previously mentioned) Both answers are natural in conversation.
How do I make this negative or turn it into a question?
- Negative: Le dentifrice n’est pas sur le lavabo.
- Yes/no questions:
- Est-ce que le dentifrice est sur le lavabo ?
- Le dentifrice est-il sur le lavabo ? (inversion, more formal)
- Spoken intonation: Le dentifrice est sur le lavabo ?
- Wh-question: Où est le dentifrice ?
Why is it le and not la? What are the genders here?
Both nouns are masculine:
- le dentifrice (masculine)
- le lavabo (masculine) Therefore we use le and not la. With possessives, you’d say mon dentifrice (not ma), but ma brosse à dents (toothbrush) because brosse is feminine.
Are there alternative or more precise ways to refer to the sink area?
Yes:
- le rebord du lavabo = the rim/edge of the sink
- le plan de lavabo / le plan vasque = the countertop around the sink (more technical/design vocabulary) Example: Le dentifrice est sur le rebord du lavabo.
What’s a common mistake English speakers make with related bathroom vocabulary?
Mixing up “toothbrush” and its preposition:
- Correct: une brosse à dents (toothbrush)
- Incorrect: brosse de dents Example: Ma brosse à dents est dans le verre, et le dentifrice est sur le lavabo.