Articles - indefinite and partitive

1 The indefinite article un, une, des

1.1 Referring to something non-specific

Un, une are generally used in the same way as their English equivalents a, an: they refer to an item in a category that has not been specified:

Il faut choisir un jour où Marie est disponible

We must choose a day when Marie is available

Va lui chercher une chaise de l'autre salle

Go and get him / her a chair from the other room

1.2 Referring to something general

Un, une are used when referring to a noun in a general sense to mean the whole of its class or type:

Une jeune personne est souvent prête à accepter des conditions de travail plus flexibles

A young person is often prepared to accept more flexible working hours

1.3 With abstract nouns

French also uses un, une when an abstract noun (one referring to something non-physical like a concept or action) is qualified by an adjective , and where English would often use no article :

Elle a fait preuve d'un courage extraordinaire

She showed extraordinary courage

C'est une ville d'une beauté étonnante

It's a town of astonishing beauty

1.4 Des

Des is the plural form of the indefinite article. Compare, for example:

Le 12 est un jour où Marie est disponible

The 12th is a day when Marie is available

Le 12 et le 15 sont des jours où Marie est disponible

The 12th and the 15th are days when Marie is available

2 The partitive article du, de la

The partitive article du, de la (both forms are contracted to de l' in front of a vowel ) is used before nouns that cannot be counted or that indicate an undetermined quantity. It is usually translated by no article in English, but in the interrogative or negative it is often translated by any:

Pour faire le gâteau, il faut du beurre, du sucre et de la farine

To make the cake you need butter, sugar and flour

Il faut du courage pour être alpiniste

It takes courage to be a mountaineer

Est-ce qu'il y a de la farine?

Is there any flour?