Je préfère l’ancienne.

I prefer the old one.

Breakdown of Je préfère l’ancienne.

• je: I
• préférer: to prefer
• l’ancienne: the old one

Questions & Answers about Je préfère l’ancienne.

What does the l’ stand for, and why is it used?

It’s the elided form of the definite article la (or le) before a vowel or silent h. Because ancienne starts with a vowel sound, French contracts la to l’: you can’t say la ancienne. Here the underlying article is feminine (la), so you get l’ancienne. If the implied noun were masculine, you’d see the masculine adjective: l’ancien.

Why is ancienne feminine here?

Because it’s replacing a feminine noun understood from context (for example, voiture, version, maison). In French, when an adjective stands in for a noun, it agrees in gender and number with that omitted noun:

• Feminine singular: l’ancienne (old/previous one)
• Masculine singular: l’ancien
• Feminine plural: les anciennes
• Masculine plural: les anciens

What noun is being left out?

It’s an example of an adjective used as a noun (called “substantivization”). Context supplies the missing noun, often something like version, voiture, maison, idée, etc. So Je préfère l’ancienne is short for something like Je préfère l’ancienne version.

Does ancienne mean “old” or “former”?

Both exist, but placement matters when it’s used with a noun:

• Before a noun: ancien/ancienne = “former, previous” (e.g., mon ancien prof = my former teacher).
• After a noun: ancien/ancienne = “old, antique/ancient” (e.g., une maison ancienne = an old/antique house). Used alone as l’ancienne, it typically means “the old/previous one” in contrast with something new.

Could this refer to a person (like “the ex”)?

Possibly, from context. Un/une ancien(ne) can mean a former member/alumnus. Colloquially, son ancienne can mean “his ex (girlfriend/wife),” but the neutral, common term is son ex. Without context, Je préfère l’ancienne is more likely about a thing (e.g., a previous version).

What’s the difference between ancien/ancienne and vieux/vieille?

• ancien/ancienne: “former/previous” before the noun; “old/antique” after it; often less about age than about status or era.
• vieux/vieille: straightforwardly “old” in age; can sound blunt/pejorative about people. In your sentence, l’ancienne contrasts with la nouvelle (“the new one”). Saying la vieille would emphasize age rather than “previousness.”

Do I need to say what I’m comparing it to?

Not necessarily. Context often supplies it. If you want to be explicit, use the pattern préférer X à Y:

• Je préfère l’ancienne à la nouvelle. Avoid using que with préférer in this structure.

How do you pronounce Je préfère l’ancienne?

• IPA: [ʒə pʁe.fɛʁ l‿ɑ̃.sjɛn]
• Tips:
  • préfère: the first vowel is like “ay” ([e]), the second is open “eh” ([ɛ]).
  • l’ancienne: nasal an ([ɑ̃]) like “ahn” (without fully pronouncing the n), then “syen” for -cien-, ending with -ne pronounced [ɛn]. You link the l’ to the vowel: [l‿ɑ̃-].

Why does the accent change from préférer to je préfère?

It’s a regular stem change to keep the vowel sound open in certain forms. Present tense:

• je préfère
• tu préfères
• il/elle/on préfère
• nous préférons
• vous préférez
• ils/elles préfèrent The é becomes è (open [ɛ]) in all forms except nous and vous.

Can I replace l’ancienne with a pronoun?

Yes:

• Direct object pronoun: Je la préfère.
• Demonstrative: Je préfère celle-ci / celle-là; or with context: Je préfère celle d’avant / celle de 2020. Remember object pronouns go before the verb: Je la préfère à l’autre.

How do I make it plural?

Use the plural article and adjective:

• Feminine: Je préfère les anciennes.
• Masculine: Je préfère les anciens. You can also add an explicit comparison: Je préfère les anciennes aux nouvelles.

What’s the effect of placing ancien(ne) before vs. after a noun?

Meaning shifts:

• Before: “former/previous” — l’ancienne version = the previous version.
• After: “old/antique” — la version ancienne = a version that is old (in age), not necessarily the immediately preceding one.

Can I use the indefinite article here (like “an old one”)?

Not with the adjective alone. Une ancienne by itself would usually be interpreted as “a former [female member/alumna].” To mean “an old one,” include the noun: une ancienne version. With a dropped noun, stick to definite/demonstratives: l’ancienne, la précédente, celle-ci, etc.

Is J’aime mieux l’ancienne also correct?

Yes. Aimer mieux is a very common, slightly more informal way to say “prefer.” Je préfère l’ancienne and J’aime mieux l’ancienne are both natural.

Are there any liaison/elision points to watch?

• Elision is mandatory: la → l’ before ancienne.
• You link the l’ to the following vowel sound: [l‿ɑ̃…].
• There’s no liaison after préfère; just speak smoothly into l’ancienne.