Aller (to go) + prepositions (French Essentials Lesson 11)

TL;DR

Learn how to use 'aller' with French prepositions effectively.

Transcript

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Key Insights

• The lesson focuses on using 'aller' with prepositions to express 'to the' in French, a common phrase in everyday conversation.
• There are five main ways to say 'to the' in French: à la, à l', au, aux, and chez, each used in different contexts.
• À la is used when the following noun is feminine, such as 'la boulangerie' or 'la piscine'.
• À l' is used when the following word begins with a vowel or a silent 'h', like 'l'église' or 'l'hôpital'.
• Au is used for masculine nouns, such as 'le théâtre' or 'le restaurant', and is a contraction of 'à le'.
• Aux is used for plural nouns, like 'les États-Unis', indicating 'to the' in plural form.
• Chez is uniquely used when referring to a person's place, like 'chez le docteur' or 'chez ma tante'.
• Understanding the gender and number of nouns is crucial for selecting the correct preposition in French.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the five ways to express 'to the' in French using 'aller'?

The five ways to express 'to the' in French using 'aller' are: 'à la' for feminine nouns, 'à l'' for nouns starting with a vowel or silent 'h', 'au' for masculine nouns, 'aux' for plural nouns, and 'chez' for referring to a person's place. Each preposition is used based on the gender and number of the noun that follows.

Q: When do you use 'à la' with 'aller'?

'À la' is used with 'aller' when the noun that follows is feminine. For example, 'Je vais à la boulangerie' means 'I am going to the bakery'. It is important to know the gender of the noun to use the correct preposition in French.

Q: How is 'à l'' used in French prepositions?

'À l'' is used when the noun following 'aller' begins with a vowel or a silent 'h'. For instance, 'Nous allons à l'église' translates to 'We are going to the church'. This contraction helps maintain the flow of speech in French by avoiding awkward vowel collisions.

Q: What is the rule for using 'au' with 'aller'?

'Au' is used with 'aller' when the noun that follows is masculine. It is a contraction of 'à le'. For example, 'Je vais au théâtre' means 'I am going to the theater'. This contraction is necessary because 'à le' is never used in French.

Q: In what context is 'aux' used with 'aller'?

'Aux' is used with 'aller' when the noun that follows is plural. For example, 'Je vais aux États-Unis' means 'I am going to the United States'. This preposition indicates that the destination is plural, requiring the use of 'aux' instead of 'à la', 'à l'', or 'au'.

Q: How does 'chez' function with 'aller'?

'Chez' is used with 'aller' when referring to a person's place or a professional's office. For example, 'Je vais chez le docteur' means 'I am going to the doctor's'. It is unique because it relates to people rather than places, emphasizing the personal connection.

Q: Why is it important to know the gender of nouns in French?

Knowing the gender of nouns in French is crucial because it determines which preposition to use with 'aller'. French nouns are either masculine or feminine, and this affects the grammar structure, such as the choice between 'à la', 'au', and 'à l''. Using the correct preposition ensures grammatical accuracy and clarity in communication.

Q: Can you provide examples of using 'aller' with different prepositions?

Certainly! Examples include 'Je vais à la piscine' (I am going to the pool) for feminine nouns, 'Nous allons à l'hôpital' (We are going to the hospital) for nouns starting with a vowel, 'Il va au cinéma' (He is going to the cinema) for masculine nouns, 'Elles vont aux toilettes' (They are going to the toilets) for plurals, and 'Je vais chez ma tante' (I am going to my aunt's) for a person's place.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• This lesson teaches the use of 'aller' (to go) with French prepositions to say 'to the'. It covers different prepositions based on gender and number of nouns.

• The prepositions include 'à la' for feminine nouns, 'à l'' for words starting with vowels, 'au' for masculine nouns, 'aux' for plurals, and 'chez' for places associated with people.

• Examples are provided for each preposition, emphasizing the importance of noun gender and number in French grammar. The lesson encourages practice to master these prepositions.