Answers
Nov 14, 2014 - 06:17 PM
Anyone?
Nov 15, 2014 - 11:40 AM
So I just used Google Translate for the computer table and it comes back with la table d'ordinateur, which seems to make more sense to me. Any thoughts?
Nov 17, 2014 - 10:06 AM
Hi Dan,
In the example you gave, Human Resources is plural, so that's why you used "des". As for the computer table, since ordinateur starts with a vowel, you lose the e in de, so it becomes d'ordinateur.
In the example you gave, Human Resources is plural, so that's why you used "des". As for the computer table, since ordinateur starts with a vowel, you lose the e in de, so it becomes d'ordinateur.
Nov 17, 2014 - 11:53 AM
My question is a little different. Sometimes it appears that only de is used (diner de travail) and sometimes de + article (bibliotheque de l'universit;e). So my question is: is there a rule about when you just use de, versus de + article?
Nov 17, 2014 - 01:48 PM
@DanHi - I was always told if you can use the word 'the', then you should use de + article. That never really worked as well as I would have liked. I did find this information which may help: http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/.... The following is from that link, but it has more information and examples you can read. "For adjectives, prepositional phrases, adverbs of quantity, and containers, the question of de vs du, de la, des depends on whether the noun that follows is unspecific or specific.
When the noun is unspecific, de stands alone after adjectives and prepositional phrases as well as after most adverbs of quantity and containers (see exceptions).
However, if the noun after de refers to specific people or things (the word "the" may be needed in English), de must be used with the definite article."
When the noun is unspecific, de stands alone after adjectives and prepositional phrases as well as after most adverbs of quantity and containers (see exceptions).
However, if the noun after de refers to specific people or things (the word "the" may be needed in English), de must be used with the definite article."
Nov 17, 2014 - 04:07 PM
Thanks, that's very helpful.