When prepositions à or de are followed by definite articles le or les in French, these prepositions "contract" with them to form one word.
Learn how to contract à / de with the definite articles in French
Summary of the rules of contracted articles with à and de
| Preposition + article | Contraction | Example |
| à + le | au |
Je vais au cinéma. (le cinéma) |
| à + les | aux |
Je vais aux États-Unis. (Les États-Unis / USA) |
| de + le | du |
Je viens du marché. (le marché /market) |
| de + les | des |
Je viens des Pays-Bas. (Les Pays-Bas / The Netherlands) |
| These don't contract |
||
| à + la | Je vais à la poste (the post office) | |
| à + l' | Je vais à l'hôtel. | |
| de + la | Je viens de la piscine. (the swimming pool) | |
| de + l' | Je viens de l'auberge de jeunesse. (the youth hostel) | |
Remember that with locations, you will use the preposition à = to/in + [a place] and de = from + [a place].
See also À = To/in and De = From/of with cities in French (French Prepositions of Location)
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Examples and resources
I am from the Netherlands.
(lit. Christmas on the balcony, Easter by the firebrand)
Aux mille bougies,
Qu'enchantent vers le ciel,
Les cloches de la nuit.Happy, happy Christmas!
To the thousand candles,
That enchant to the heavens,
The night bells.
à
Alain is going to the house
Marie is at school.
