Pads Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 As I have started to have weird dreams about my french classes, I cant remenber if I was really told this or weather I dreamt it BUTIf some one says to you .Vous avez du vin et des cigarettes dans votre valise ?and I answer Non , je n'ai pas du vin, ni des cigarettes Am I meant to change the du des ? if so why ?Also: eau de toilette is the whole thing fem or masc , is there a clue in the de in the middle , but if I want to say some toilet water [:)] is it: de eau de toilette or de la eau de toilette ? [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 because vin is singular and cigarettes plural.... The article agrees with the noun. If feminine singular it would be de la .. as in de la viande..EDIT : Or, better to say: Non, je n'en ai pas... ( I have none of them/it )Sorry, I see what you meant now! Cat's right, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Poor you Pads, but no, you didn't dream it.If talking about quantaties or negatives, you don't use du or des, but de or d' + the noun.Examples...Je prends du vin (I'm drinking some wine)... but...Je prends un verre de vin (I'm drinking a glass of wine)... and...Je ne prends pas de vin (I'm not drinking any wine) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 No I mean does it change because its negative I seem to remenber some where back in my first classes being told it changes if your saying no............... but I could of just dreamt that bit................[:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Sorry, Pads, my fault - I completely misread your post.[8-)] However, Cat explains, above! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 Thanks cat yes thats what I thought I remenbered , des cigarettes become de cig........ to ? in the negativeAny Ideas about the toilet water ??[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 You've hit a good one here Pads. I hope someone will explain, as it's complicated and there are things I've never been sure of myself. Yes, it'sJe n'ai pas de cigarettesnot je n'ai pas des cigarettes. Now can some Frenchie please explain to me, should it beJ'ai de belles photos à vous montrer, orJ'ai des belles photos à vous montreror can it be both ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 des, Christine (in this case used as the plural of the indefinite article):L'article indefini "est utilise quand le nom est caracterise par un adjectif: as in "on cueilli des pommes delicieuses" or "par un complement de nom - as in "j'ai recu des nouvelles de mon amie" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Pads : Eau de toilette:Positive : de l'eau de toiletteNegative: d'eau de toilette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I'm no Frenchie, but I think that strictly it should beJ'ai de belles photos à vous montrer (because the adjective "belle" proceeds the noun).If the adjective followed the noun you could use des, as in J'ai des photos intéressantes à vous montrerSo it would be either J'ai des photos à vous montrer or J'ai de belles photos à vous montrer Clair??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Not sur Coops. In your examples yes, I agree it's des. But in my example I seem to hear de. I'll try to think of another example later !Here's oneça m'a rappelée de beaux souvenirsit's not des beaux souvenirs.See what I mean ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Yup, we need Clair, because my grammar book (quoted above) seems to suggest that it is not where the adjective is, but simply that the noun is qualified by one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Cat's explanation makes sense. A confirmer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 What about mes cigarettes if its pas mes cigarettes will that change back to ma cigarettes?[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 [quote user="Pads"]What about mes cigarettes if its pas mes cigarettes will that change back to ma cigarettes?[8-)][/quote]No, it only applies to the indefinite article, NOT possessives. "Elles ne sont pas mes cigarettes" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 If i write: des chemisiers (womans blouses which is masc[blink]) is it: des chemisiers élégant(masc) or élégante(F) does it make any difference because its plural ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I'll try again! Des chemisiers elegants (the adjective agrees with the noun - in this case masculine plural).Amended - see post below (don't want to get Pads as confused as me!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Non, des chemisiers blancs. [:D]des chemises blanches.La Maison Blanche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 [quote user="Christine Animal"]Non, des chemisiers blancs. [:D]des chemises blanches.La Maison Blanche. [/quote]Ooops! Of course, it's couleurs composes that don't change. Getting my underwear in a twist here! [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Now where are you taking us, what's couleurs composées ? Never 'erd of it. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 [:D]What they sound like - ie colours composed of two words, or one word qualified by another adjective, as in:des cravates rose bonbon; des serviettes bleu pale; des gants bleu marine etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Ah ! I'm with you now. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I'm sure that Pads must now be convinced that this truly is a weird dream, Christine.[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Animal Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Oui et de toutes les couleurs ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 I think that is why I have strange dreams about my lessons , because of the ways the threads go from one thing to another and thats what my dreams do. and then theres a little Micheal thomas Thrown in to them to, as I'll dream things like Im being told that all words starting wil L always have 2 TT's and mean the same thing [blink] trouble is when I wake up I cant remenber whats real and whats not . while doing my lessons I have flash backs to my dreams , its all getting very confusing . I think maybe I do to much and then I go to bed with my I pod on until I fall asleep with micheal thomas in my ear !![8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.