You know how to use partitive articles (du, de la, de l', des) in affirmative sentences by now (see Using du, de la, de l', des to express some or any (partitive articles)).
Now look at these negative sentences:
Je mange des pommes. - Je ne mange pas de pommes.
I eat apples. - I don't eat any apples.
Je bois du lait. - Je ne bois pas de lait.
I drink milk. - I don't drink any milk.
J'ai des animaux. - Je n'ai pas d'animaux.
I've got (some) animals. -Me, I don't have any animals.
Nous avons bu de la bière. - Nous n'avons pas bu de bière.
We drank beer. - We didn't drink any beer.
Vous mangez de la viande ? - Non, nous ne mangeons jamais de viande.
Do you eat meat? - No, we never eat meat.
Tu fais encore de la natation ? - Non, je ne fais plus de natation.
Do you still go swimming? - No, I don't go swimming anymore.
Partitive articles du, de la, de l' and des all become de or d' (in front of a vowel or mute h) in negative sentences using ne...pas, ne...jamais, ne...plus etc (See also N'avoir plus de = To have none left (negation))
ATTENTION:
This rule does NOT apply to sentences using the verb être and other Verbes d'état, with which the partitive article doesn't change.
C'est du sel de Guérande ? -Non, ce n'est pas du sel de Guérande.
Is that Guerande salt? -No, it's not Guerande salt.
C'est de l'huile d'olive ? -Non, ce n'est pas de l'huile d'olive.
Is this olive oil? -No, this is not olive oil.
Le plomb devient de l'or. - Non, le plomb ne devient pas de l'or !
Lead becomes gold. - No, lead doesn't become gold!
Also see Un, une become de or d' in negative sentences (indefinite articles)
Note that definite articles (le, la, l', les) don't change in negative sentences:
J'aime le chocolat. -> Je n'aime pas le chocolat.
Tu as de la colle ? - Non je n'ai plus de colle.
Have you got glue? - No, I haven't any glue left.
Je bois du lait. - Je ne bois pas de lait.
I drink milk. - I don't drink any milk.
C'est de l'huile d'olive ? -Non, ce n'est pas de l'huile d'olive.
Is this olive oil? -No, this is not olive oil.
Je mange des pommes. - Je ne mange pas de pommes.
I eat apples. - I don't eat any apples.
Le plomb devient de l'or. - Non, le plomb ne devient pas de l'or !
Lead becomes gold. - No, lead doesn't become gold!
C'est du sel de Guérande ? -Non, ce n'est pas du sel de Guérande.
Is that Guerande salt? -No, it's not Guerande salt.
Vous mangez de la viande ? - Non, nous ne mangeons jamais de viande.
Do you eat meat? - No, we never eat meat.
J'ai des animaux. - Je n'ai pas d'animaux.
I've got (some) animals. -Me, I don't have any animals.
Tu fais encore de la natation ? - Non, je ne fais plus de natation.
Do you still go swimming? - No, I don't go swimming anymore.
Nous avons bu de la bière. - Nous n'avons pas bu de bière.
We drank beer. - We didn't drink any beer.
One of my 'test recommended' questions was: Il prend toujours l’avion. - Non, il ________ l'avion
The answer given was: 'ne prend jamais' and my answer 'ne prend jamais de' was marked incorrect.
Why is there no 'de' in this case when the 'vous mangez de la viande' example on this page shows there is?
Hi Duncan,
In the case of prendre l'avion, (which would translate as - to travel by plane - in English), it could also be, prendre le train (to travel by train), or prendre le bus ( to travel by bus) you will use a definite article.
In the case of manger de la viande, you use the partitive article as you eat a quantity of meat.
Here are a couple of links to relevant Kwiziq lessons to explain further -
Hope this helps!
One of my 'test recommended' questions was: Il prend toujours l’avion. - Non, il ________ l'avion
The answer given was: 'ne prend jamais' and my answer 'ne prend jamais de' was marked incorrect.
Why is there no 'de' in this case when the 'vous mangez de la viande' example on this page shows there is?
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Hi Judith,
Les verbes d’état /verbes attributifs are verbs which denote a state of being, or a change in state of being, the verb ‘être’ being the one most used in language.
The list also include -
avoir l’air, paraître, sembler, rester, demeurer......
Unlike the transitive and intransitive verbs, which have direct/ indirect objects or not, the verbs of state have an attribute which can be an adjective, adverb or a nominal group which changes the state they describe.
Take a look at the updated Kwiziq lesson on ‘demeurer’ as an example..
Hope this helps!
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We are told that partitive articles become de or d' in negative tenses. Yet in Aurélie's Chrismas quiz 'il ne veut que de la bûche' is given as a correct answer.
Please explain.
Hi John,
Although 'ne..que' resembles a negative construction, it does not connote actual negation but rather restriction and does not follow the rules for the substitution of the partitive article in negative constructions. So, 'il ne veut que de la bûche' is perfectly correct.
Hope this helps.
Tom
Hi Tom et Chris
Merci pour ces réponses. Maintenant je comprends.
John
We are told that partitive articles become de or d' in negative tenses. Yet in Aurélie's Chrismas quiz 'il ne veut que de la bûche' is given as a correct answer.
Please explain.
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Hi marianne,
Could you give me the full context to see if I can answer your question?
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Hi Paul,
Well spotted!
In fact you can say both "C'est ma faute" or "C'est de ma faute".
The first one is considered more correct but you will hear both in French .
It is an idiomatic 'de' so hard to justify...
C'est ma faute, c'est ma faute, c'est ma très grande faute = Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa
Hope this helps!
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I have the following sentence
Il biot ------ Coca-cola tous les jours.
Here i need to fill it using partitif article, because Coca-cola is a propername i have to use Il boit de Coca-cola tous les jours?
Is this correct. Please correct me if i am wrong.
HI Sivavathana,
The answer would be 'Il boit du Coca-cola tous les jours'.
It would be the same for any beverage, e.g.
Il boit du lait, du vin, du champagne, de la bière, du Pineau des Charentes tous les jours...
Hope this helps!
Indeed Chris, "On boit de la bière , de la limonade et de la Vodka..."
Have been racking my brain to think of any other beverages which are feminine but these are the only ones I could muster...
Please feel free to add to the list ...
Sivavathana's comment is valid though as most are masculine which is something that a native speaker wouldn't necessarily appreciate as useful to a learner.
Sorry, you're right about champagne. I guess it just feels feminine to me.
Absinthe also is feminine.
I have the following sentence
Il biot ------ Coca-cola tous les jours.
Here i need to fill it using partitif article, because Coca-cola is a propername i have to use Il boit de Coca-cola tous les jours?
Is this correct. Please correct me if i am wrong.
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Bonjour Maddie !
In this case - negative sentences - the des becomes de.
J'ai des pommes. -> Je n'ai pas de pommes.
And de will become d' in front of a vowel or mute "h", for pronunciation reasons.
J'ai des animaux. -> Je n'ai pas d'animaux.
I hope that's helpful!
Bonne journée !
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Hi Helen,
As the expression is - 'avoir l'habitude de faire quelque chose', the le is maintained after the pas or it would not make any sense...
but I can understand your confusion...
Hi Helen,
"Ils n'ont pas l'habitude de parler français" -- They are not in the habit of speaking French.
You don't use "de" in this case because that would signifiy that what comes after is part of a bigger thing (e.g. "un morceau du gâteau" -- a piece of the cake). Since there isn't something like a "bigger piece of habit" you don't use the preposition "de".
Hope that helps, -- Chris (not a native speaker).
Yes, definitely. According to this pattern:
"Tu as du lait?" - "Non, je n'ai plus de lait." -- "Do you have some milk?" - No, I have no more milk."
-- Chris.
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Hi Paul,
C'est is the contraction of ce est. Est is third person singular form of être.
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