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Need french help!

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  • 01-07-2004 9:50pm
    #1
    Faith
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I'm going to do a language course in France on Sunday for a month and I've forgotten everything! I remember my teacher saying something in 3rd or 2nd year about using "du" when asking for certain stuff and "Un/une" other times. When do you use "du"? Like, is it "Je voudrais un café au lait" Or "Je voudrais du café au lait"? Is there any hard and fast rules about it?

    I know about addressing people formally (What a pain in the ass!) but is there anything else I need to know so I don't make a major social faux pas? ANY help at all will be appreciated!


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    #2
    rom1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭rom1


    "du"/"de la" are used for things you can't count ("du sucre", "de l'energie...")

    "un"/"une" are used for things you can count.

    You can say both "Je voudrais un café au lait" and "Je voudrais du café au lait" to ask for a white coffee but the first one is more common ;)


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    #3
    Drexl Spivey
    Registered Users Posts: 528 ✭✭✭Drexl Spivey


    Absolutely correct.



    Du vin = Some wine (you can NOT say Three wine or Four wine)

    Un croissant = A/One croissant (you can say Three croissants or four croissants)



    Du pain, du vin, du boursin

    Ex. Je voudrais du pain, svp.


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    #4
    lili
    Closed Accounts Posts: 990 ✭✭✭lili


    you can also use "du" or "de" for the word "from".

    du lundi au vendredi : from monday to friday.
    je suis du sud de la france : i'm from the southern of france.

    also what it has been said, when you can't quantify, you have to use "du".

    je veux du soleil : i want sun.
    il faut du temps : time is needed.

    not sure about my english though:D


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