12.2: Contractions and Elisions
- Page ID
- 270486
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn how to make contractions and elisions.
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
In the audio players, you can slow down the audio by clicking on the turtle and speed up by clicking on the rabbit. The turtle and rabbit are located at the bottom right corner of each audio player.
Let's get started!
Contractions
|
contractions with de + definite article |
contractions with à + defiinite article |
|---|---|
|
de + le = du |
à + le = au |
|
de + les = des |
à + les = aux |
Elisions
Articles and Elided Pronouns
Here is a listed of all the articles and pronouns that are elided in written French:
| Articles, pronouns | Elisions | Examples |
|---|---|---|
|
le, la |
l'[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
Elle est à l’hôpital. |
|
je |
j'[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
J’étudie le français. |
|
me |
m'[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
Ils m’ont dit. |
|
te |
t'[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
Je t’aime. |
|
ne |
n'[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
Il n’y a pas de papier. |
|
de |
d'[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
Un verre d'eau. |
|
que |
qu'[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
Qu'est-ce que c'est ? |
|
se |
s’[a,e,i,o,u,y,h] |
Il s'appelle Louis. |
You would never contract Elle + est
Elisions often occur in oral speech, but they are never written down unless the writing is meant to represent actual speech (such as in a novel). For example:
Tu aimes la musique ? => T’aimes la musique ?
Tu as vu le film ? => T'as vu le film ?
Watch this video to review contractions and elisions: article contracté, article élidé
French Around the World
In informal or spoken Québécois French, some lapsed vowels are omitted, combining two consonants. One example is t'sais instead of tu sais.
Resources:
Let's practice!
Activity
Complete the blanks below with the right letter.
- ________'aime.
- Je suis à ________'école.
- Comment ________'appelles-tu ?
- ________'est-ce que c'est ?
- ________'est un éléphant.
- Vous ________'avez vue à Paris ?
- Elle ________'appelle Sarah.
- Ils mangent un canard à ________'orange.
- Vous venez ________'Italie ?
- Nous ne mangeons pas ________'escargot.