The French preposition de is a common translation of “of,” but its exact meaning depends on the phrase. It can show possession, origin, material, or a quantity. For origin with a country or city, see I am from in French. Before a definite article, it may contract to du or des; with feminine nouns, use de la, and before a vowel sound, de l’.
“Of” is often de. Before an article, the form may be du, de la, de l’, or des.
How to Say “Of” in French
De is the base form. It links nouns in le livre de Marie, meaning “Marie’s book” or “the book of Marie.” In French, the possessor usually follows the thing possessed. The same word also appears in many expressions where English uses a different preposition, so translate the phrase rather than replacing each English “of” mechanically. Compare about in French, which also uses de in some constructions.
Meaning: The door of the house
Common Uses of De
Possession and Relationships
Use de to connect people or things: la voiture de Paul means “Paul’s car,” and la sœur de Léa means “Léa’s sister.” If a name begins with a vowel, pronunciation flows naturally across the words, as in le sac d’Émilie.
De with Definite Articles
Before masculine singular le, contract de + le to du. Before plural les, use des. There is no contraction with feminine la or elided l’: de la ville (“of the city”), de l’hôtel (“of the hotel”). The noun’s gender and number determine the form.
Origin and Source
De can name where someone comes from or where an item originates: Je viens de Paris (“I come from Paris”) and un fromage de Normandie (“a cheese from Normandy”). Place names take different forms depending on the name and whether it has an article, so learn common examples as complete phrases.
Quantities and Expressions
After many quantity words, use de: beaucoup de temps (“a lot of time”), un verre d’eau (“a glass of water”), and un kilo de pommes (“a kilo of apples”). When the quantity is followed by a plural noun, de remains singular and does not become des.
De, Du, De la, De l’, and Des
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| de / d’ | before a name or in many expressions | le livre de Marie |
| du | de + masculine singular le | la porte du jardin |
| de la | before feminine singular la | le centre de la ville |
| de l’ | before a vowel or mute h | la clé de l’hôtel |
| des | de + plural les | les jouets des enfants |
Pronunciation
De has a short, soft vowel that does not exactly match English “duh.” In d’, the vowel disappears before a following vowel sound: d’Émilie. In connected speech, de is often reduced, but say each form clearly while learning the differences.
Example Sentences
| French | English |
|---|---|
| C’est le sac de mon frère. | It is my brother’s bag. |
| Elle vient de Lyon. | She comes from Lyon. |
| Je voudrais un verre d’eau. | I would like a glass of water. |
| La fenêtre du salon est ouverte. | The living-room window is open. |
Frequently Asked Questions About “Of” in French
Tap a question below to see the answer.
Does “of” always translate as de?
De is common, but French expressions do not always match English word-for-word. Learn the complete phrase in context.
When does de become du?
It contracts to du before masculine singular le, and to des before plural les.
Summary: “Of” in French
Use de as the base translation of “of,” then check the noun and article. Remember du, de la, de l’, and des, and learn common phrases as a whole.
