Liste des courses was not accepted as correct

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Liste des courses was not accepted as correct

"Courses" is plural and 'liste des courses' is the translation of shopping list in the bilingual Larousse. 

Wordreference does list both - 'liste de courses' and 'liste des courses'

https://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/anglais-francais/shopping_list/611408

Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Maarten and Jim !

Indeed, here both options are correct, and the nuance is slight :)
La liste des courses = the list of the shopping (i.e. the items for this specific shop)
La liste de courses = the list of shopping / shopping list (i.e. the general type of list)

I've now added La liste des courses to the correct answers :)

I hope that's helpful!
Bonne journée !

Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Maarten,

I'm intrigued by this point that apparently both "Liste de / des courses" are possible?

Is it the case that "de" is a preposition while "des" a partitive article?

Courses (nfpl) as you point out. There seem to be several translations for courses, however.

Errands / tasks / items.  Perhaps "courses" above is not meaning the same interpretation in both cases?

This is where Cécile might be able to comment further and then we will both be the wiser for that.

Jim

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Jim - “une liste des courses” arises from the contraction of “une liste (de +  les) courses”, which derives from the expression being “faire les courses”. Larousse indicates this to be correct usage but doesn’t comment on the alternative. Some other sites list both forms. 

“Une liste de courses” would occur because of considering the construction to be “une liste de + (des for ‘some’ ) courses”, where contraction of de + des does not occur, and only “de” would be used. For this to be correct, I think “faire des courses” would need to be correct, and that seems to be heavily debated on the net! 

I am not commenting on whether both are grammatically correct. Both are clearly in use, and “une liste des courses” is not currently indicated as correct in the exercise.

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/de-preposition/

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/de-vs-du-de-la-des/

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Thanks Aurélie - our comments crossed paths ! 

Liste des courses was not accepted as correct

"Courses" is plural and 'liste des courses' is the translation of shopping list in the bilingual Larousse. 

Wordreference does list both - 'liste de courses' and 'liste des courses'

https://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/anglais-francais/shopping_list/611408

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Clever stuff happening!