Pourrais-je avoir un peu de lait? Why is it not 'du lait' as in "pourrais-je avoir du lait?"

Stewart H.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Pourrais-je avoir un peu de lait? Why is it not 'du lait' as in "pourrais-je avoir du lait?"

Asked 6 years ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Because there is an amount specified for the milk ("un peu") you don't use the article, just "de". If you say "je voudrais du lait' you're just asking for some milk, no amount specified, hence the article which makes "de" to "du". There is a specific lesson dedicated to the partitive article. -- Chris (not a native speaker).
Stewart H.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Thank you, I now understand.
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Stewart !

Indeed, with expression of quantity like "beaucoup de, un peu de...", you will only use "du" if you mean "a lot of the, a bit of the", as such:
Je bois un peu de lait.
I drink a bit of milk.

Je bois un peu du lait que j'ai trouvé dans le frigo.
I drink a bit of the milk that I found in the fridge.

Here's our lesson about partitive articles:
https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/du-de-la-de-l-are-used-to-express-some-or-any-partitive-articles


I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !

Pourrais-je avoir un peu de lait? Why is it not 'du lait' as in "pourrais-je avoir du lait?"

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