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French • Level 1 • GRAMMAR

contractions

💡 Grammar Rule

French Grammar: Contractions and Special Cases of Definite Articles

In French, definite articles (le, la, l', les) often change their form when they follow the prepositions de (of/from) or à (at/to). This lesson covers how to form these contractions and identifies special spelling rules for words beginning with vowels or the letter 'h'.

1. Contractions with the Preposition "De"

When the preposition de is followed by le or les, they must contract into a single word. Note that de la and de l' do not contract.

  • de + le = du (Example: Je parle du livre. / I am talking about the book.)
  • de + les = des (Example: Les clés des voitures. / The keys of the cars.)
  • de + la = de la (No contraction) (Example: La porte de la maison. / The door of the house.)
  • de + l' = de l' (No contraction) (Example: L'eau de l'océan. / The water of the ocean.)

2. Contractions with the Preposition "À"

Similar to "de," the preposition à contracts with le and les.

  • à + le = au (Example: Je vais au marché. / I am going to the market.)
  • à + les = aux (Example: Il parle aux enfants. / He is speaking to the children.)
  • à + la = à la (No contraction) (Example: Elle va à la banque. / She is going to the bank.)
  • à + l' = à l' (No contraction) (Example: Je réponds à l'invitation. / I am responding to the invitation.)

3. Elision with Vowels and Mute H

When a singular noun begins with a vowel or a mute H (h muet), the articles le or la become l' to make pronunciation smoother. This is called elision.

  • L'ami (The friend - masculine)
  • L'école (The school - feminine)
  • L'homme (The man - mute H)
  • L'hôtel (The hotel - mute H)

4. Special Cases: The Aspirated H (H aspiré)

Some French words begin with an aspirated H. Even though the "H" is not pronounced, it acts like a consonant. This means you cannot use elision (l') or form contractions like "du" or "au" in the same way if the article remains separate (though contractions still apply to the full article form).

Crucially, with an aspirated H, we use le or la fully, and pronunciation does not "link" (no liaison).

  • La hauteur (The height - Not l'hauteur)
  • Le héros (The hero - Not l'héros)
  • Le hockey (The hockey)

Example of contraction with aspirated H: Le sommet de la hauteur (The top of the height). Note that because we use "la", no contraction occurs. However, with a masculine word like "le hockey", you would say: Je joue au hockey (I play hockey), because à + le = au.

Would you like me to create some practice exercises to test your knowledge of these contractions?

Are you coming from the gym?
Tu viens du gymnase ?
Yes, I am very tired.
Oui, je suis très fatigué.
Is she talking about the exams?
Elle parle des examens ?
No, she is talking about the holidays.
Non, elle parle des vacances.
I am going to the supermarket now.
Je vais au supermarché maintenant.
Can you buy some milk, please?
Peux-tu acheter du lait, s'il vous plaît ?
Is he going to the United States?
Il va aux États-Unis ?
Yes, he is leaving tomorrow morning.
Oui, il part demain matin.
Where is the hotel entrance?
Où est l'entrée de l'hôtel ?
It is right next to the reception.
C'est juste à côté de la réception.
The boy is afraid of the water.
L'enfant a peur de l'eau.
It is normal, he is still very small.
C'est normal, il est encore très petit.
Do you live near the hospital?
Tu habites près de l'hôpital ?
No, I live far from the center.
Non, j'habite loin du centre.
I like the color of the flowers.
J'aime la couleur des fleurs.
Thank you, they are from my garden.
Merci, elles viennent de mon jardin.
Are you writing to the clients?
Tu écris aux clients ?
Yes, I am sending an important email.
Oui, j'envoie un courriel important.
How is the taste of sugar?
Quel est le goût du sucre ?
It is very sweet, of course.
C'est très sucré, bien sûr.
They are going to school on foot.
Ils vont à l'école à pied.
It is good for the health.
C'est bon pour la santé.
What time do we arrive at the airport?
À quelle heure arrivons-nous à l'aéroport ?
We arrive at eight o'clock.
Nous arrivons à huit heures.
I need the neighbors' number.
J'ai besoin du numéro des voisins.
I have it in my phone.
Je l'ai dans mon téléphone.
Is the cat at the top of the tree?
Le chat est en haut de l'arbre ?
Yes, he cannot get down.
Oui, il ne peut pas descendre.
I think about the children's future.
Je pense au futur des enfants.
It is important to think about it.
C'est important d'y réfléchir.
Do you want to go to the beach?
Tu veux aller à la plage ?
No, I prefer going to the cinema.
Non, je préfère aller au cinéma.
Is it the teacher's car?
C'est la voiture du professeur ?
No, it is the principal's car.
Non, c'est la voiture de la directrice.
We are talking about current problems.
Nous parlons des problèmes actuels.
The situation is very difficult.
La situation est très difficile.
Do you work in the artist's workshop?
Tu travailles à l'atelier de l'artiste ?
Yes, I am his assistant.
Oui, je suis son assistant.
The dog is playing with the children's ball.
Le chien joue avec la balle des enfants.
He is very playful today.
Il est très joueur aujourd'hui.
Is this the way to the church?
C'est le chemin de l'église ?
No, it is the way to the park.
Non, c'est le chemin du parc.
She gives food to the birds.
Elle donne à manger aux oiseaux.
That is kind of her.
C'est gentil de sa part.
Are you coming back from the office?
Tu reviens du bureau ?
Yes, the day is finished.
Oui, la journée est finie.

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