Partitive article

Question

I seem to remember having learned that the partitive article is not used to introduce the subject of a sentence.  Please comment.

Céline Pickard · Accepted Answer

Bonjour Kisa,
Could you give more details (the example/exercise you're referring to) please? It would be very helpful.
Here are all the Kwiziq links about the partitive article:
French Partitive Article
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !

Céline Pickard · Answer

Bonjour Kisa et Susan,
Partitive articles are used with uncountable nouns (i.e l'eau, le vin, le café, la viande, le beurre, l'argent, le vent, la volonté, le désir etc.). In this instance, "des" is not a partitive but the plural indefinite article (un/une -> des).
Voix Active:
Lola a lancé un caillou (Lola threw a stone) -> Lola a lancé des cailloux (Lola threw (some) stones)
Voix Passive:
Un caillou a été lancé par Lola (A stone was thrown by Lola) -> Des cailloux ont été lancés par Lola (Stones were thrown by Lola)
I hope this is helpful.
Bonne journée !

Susan Stillman · Answer

Céline: I had the same question. In the case of Forming La Voix Passive with Compound Tenses. Why does the revised sentence start with Des rather than Les? Les cailloux ou Des cailloux ont été jetés…

Kisa Valenti · Answer

I get that in Susan's comment "Les cailloux ont été jetés." would imply specific pebbles.  If I wanted to express an unspecified amount of pebbles, I would have said "Quelques cailloux...."

Kisa Valenti · Answer

Céline, why no "s" on "lancé"? in your voix passive example?

Céline Pickard · Answer

Bonjour Kisa,You're right! I did forget to agree "lancé" with "cailloux". Thanks to you, it has now been amended correctly.Merci de votre contribution et bonne journée !