autour de

Carole G.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

autour de

- i was told that it is always autour DE (by a french conversation teacher),  Is this something that is so commonly used incorrectly that it has become acceptable over time? (in one of your examples, and in others from other sites, it is autour DE LA lune, or autour DU monde.)

Asked 5 years ago
Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

I don't understand why it would be described as something used incorrectly.

"Autour" is an adverb

"Autour de" is a preposition

So to write "autour de la lune"  would express "around the moon" and autour du (de le) monde would express "around the world"

 

Hope that this will help?

Carole G.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

thanks.

i'm just confused as to when DE always remains DE and when it sometimes goes to "DE, D', DE LA, DES"

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The forms of "de" you quote are all contractions with whatever comes afterwards. For example:

de le = du, de les = des

autour de

- i was told that it is always autour DE (by a french conversation teacher),  Is this something that is so commonly used incorrectly that it has become acceptable over time? (in one of your examples, and in others from other sites, it is autour DE LA lune, or autour DU monde.)

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