The indefinite article is used to indicate nouns that are not specified in any special way.
Est-ce qu'il y a une station de taxis près dici? |
Is there a taxi stand around here? |
(The speaker is not looking for a particular taxi stand, but is looking for just any taxi stand around.) |
Pierre achète une baguette. |
Pierre buys a baguette. |
(Pierre doesnt buy a particular one.) |
Sylvie cherche des cadeaux pour ses nièces. |
Sylvie is looking for presents for her nieces. |
(She has no particular presents in mind.) |
Articles indicate the gender of the noun they modify as follows:
MASCULINE
SINGULAR |
un cadeau |
a gift |
PLURAL |
des cadeaux |
gifts |
SINGULAR |
un hôtel |
a hotel |
PLURAL |
des hôtels |
hotels |
FEMININE
SINGULAR |
une pomme |
an apple |
PLURAL |
des pommes |
apples |
SINGULAR |
une avenue |
an avenue |
PLURAL |
des avenues |
avenues |
|