In the grammar lesson, it explains that you can use either "en" or "de" in "un sac .... cuir". So to avoid confusion, would it not be better to show that both "en" and "de" are also both acceptable answers in "Je possède un blouson _____ cuir". Or are they?
Look at these examples:
In English, we often simply squish nouns together to form new words for things: wine glass, snowball, ironing board, etc. (we call these compound nouns because they are formed from two nouns compounded together).
In French though, compound words like this are almost always separated by à or de or en and the meaning changes depending on which is used.
à
à usually indicates what something is designed for, e.g. un verre à vin.
Note that to say a glass of wine, we use de where English uses of: e.g. un verre de vin.
de / en
de or en usually implies what something is made of, e.g. un sac de cuir / un sac en cuir.
à la / à l' / au / aux
Additionally, à la / à l’ / au / aux are used particularly with food to mean with, made with or flavoured with, e.g. une glace à la vanille.
Also have a look at Compound nouns formed with noun + à + verb-infinitive
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Boules de neige et Jour de l'An Et Bonne Année grand-mère !
Snowballs and New Year's Day
and Happy New Year Grandma!
une brosse à dents
a tooth brush
une boule de neige
a snowball (a ball of snow)
un sandwich au jambon
a ham sandwich
une boule à neige
a snowglobe (an ornamental toy that you shake)
une cuillère à soupe
a soup spoon
un oreiller en plume / un oreiller de plume
a feather pillow
un verre à vin
a wine glass
(a glass for wine)
la glace à la vanille
a vanilla ice-cream
un sac de cuir / un sac en cuir
a leather bag
un bracelet en or
a gold bracelet
une tarte aux pommes
an apple tart
Q&A Forum 13 questions, 22 answers
Hi William,
I would say that ‘en cuir’ would be the correct answer for a garment made of leather.
Une jupe, un pantalon, une veste en cuir
Hope this helps!
William asked:View original
Je possède un blouson _______ cuir
In the grammar lesson, it explains that you can use either "en" or "de" in "un sac .... cuir". So to avoid confusion, would it not be better to show that both "en" and "de" are also both acceptable answers in "Je possède un blouson _____ cuir". Or are they?
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ShereeKwiziq community member
The example shows en/de used for sac ___ cuir but when I chose de on the quiz, I got it wrong. Pourquoi?
Asked 11 months ago
PattiKwiziq community member
Exactly my question, when I wrote "robe ____ satin" both could be de et en, it told me I was wrong. And I am confused. Should it only be "en"??
Sheree asked:View original
The example shows en/de used for sac ___ cuir but when I chose de on the quiz, I got it wrong. Pourquoi?
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MichaelKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
E.G. "une tarte AUX pommes"...My question, why AUX with two feminine nouns, tarte et pommes?
Asked 1 year ago
MichaelKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Nevermind, I believe the answer is, plural prepositions in this case are genderless.....it wasn't immediately obvious to me, then it came to my mind after I posed my question.
Michael asked:View original
E.G. "une tarte AUX pommes"...My question, why AUX with two feminine nouns, tarte et pommes?
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LathaKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Une glace à la vanille or la glace à la vanille is correct.ps clarify
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Latha,
It depends on the context -
You would say,
Vous voulez une glace à la vanille ? = Do you want a vanilla ice cream?
J'aime la glace à la vanille = I like vanilla ice cream
Hope this helps!
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PaulKwiziq community member
une boîte aux lettres / une boîte à lettres
une boîte aux lettres / une boîte à lettres -> Letter box, Postbox.
It may be worth addding this to the notes as an exception to these rules. I believe it is used in singular and in the plural ?
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Paul,
that question intrigued me, so I went online and did a quick research. Here is what I found:
Généralement l'article défini sert à préciser le nom, et quand un nom a la fonction syntaxique de compléter un autre nom, et qu'il désigne la « destination d'un récipient », l'article est d'ordinaire omis (la boîte à bijoux) ; et maintenu, au figuré (le pot aux roses). On parle d'hésitations dans l'usage avec un cas comme la boîte à/aux lettres.
At another place:
Personellement, ayant vécu en France et en Belgique, je dirais que 'boîte aux lettres' est bien plus commun que 'boîte à lettres'.
En effet, les sites suivants ont l'air de favoriser cet usage aussi:
(Gouvernement français) https://www.data.gouv.fr/fr/reuses/trouve-une-boite/
(Poste canadienne) https://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/productsservices/send/letterboxes.jsf?LOCALE=fr
(Poste belge) http://www.bpost.be/site/fr/residential/letters-cards/receive/guidelines_mailbox.html
(Page Wikipédia) https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo%C3%AEte_aux_lettres
-- Chris.
PaulKwiziq community member
THanks Chris, I favour French from France rather than Belgium / Canada ,
I think I will keep with 'boîte aux lettres'. It seems both terms appear valid in everyday language , and I've learnt a new abbreviation from your wiki link - BAL !
Paul.
Paul asked:View original
une boîte aux lettres / une boîte à lettres
une boîte aux lettres / une boîte à lettres -> Letter box, Postbox.
It may be worth addding this to the notes as an exception to these rules. I believe it is used in singular and in the plural ?
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MarnieKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Tarte aux pommes
Is this considered another « fixed » expression used to describe food. Just curious because as « pommes » is feminine and plural one would normally say « tarte à les pommes » . Are there other similar exceptions?
Asked 1 year ago
Marnie asked:View original
Tarte aux pommes
Is this considered another « fixed » expression used to describe food. Just curious because as « pommes » is feminine and plural one would normally say « tarte à les pommes » . Are there other similar exceptions?
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Kwiziq community member
Why is chocolate ice cream written as la glace au chocolat and not la glace à la chocolat?
Asked 1 year ago
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Hi Rita,
it is le chocolat, hence au chocolat.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Rita asked:View original
Why is chocolate ice cream written as la glace au chocolat and not la glace à la chocolat?
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ShrutiKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
We can also say
une tasse à café.
A cup for coffee?
Asked 1 year ago
Hi Shruti,
Yes you can say:
Une tasse à café - A coffee cup ( a cup for coffee)
Une tasse de café - A cup of coffee ( a cup full of coffee)
Hope this helps!
Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
A coffe cup -- une tasse à café.
A cup of coffee -- une tasse de café.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
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Chris Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
I suspect that there is a missing "/" separating the two possible answers:
"un oreiller en plume / un oreiller de plume".
-- Chris.
AurélieKwiziq team member
Yes indeed !
Thanks to you both, the example has now been amended :)
Merci et à bientôt !
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ReneKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
A doubt.
It seems that une boule de neige doesn't follow the pattern of un sac en/de cuir. Is that right?
Asked 2 years ago
Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonsoir Rene,
une boule de neige --> a snowball (a ball of snow)
There does not seem to be a valid reason one could not state «une boule en neige», the biggest hurdle with that locution; however, would be in using it verbally. Une boule de neige sounds more aesthetically pleasing when pronounced.
Bonne chance.
Rene asked:View original
A doubt.
It seems that une boule de neige doesn't follow the pattern of un sac en/de cuir. Is that right?
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SurendraKwiziq community member
Why 'salle de bains', shouldn't it be 'salle à bains'
According to this lesson, for translation of bathroom/washroom, a room for baths. So it should be 'salle à bains', but why do we use 'salle de bains'
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Surendra !
"Salle de bains" is a fixed expression in French.
I would say that we're literally saying "the room of baths" as in "containing the baths", hence the use of "de" here: it's the room that *owns* the baths in the house :)
I hope that helps!
Bonne journée !
Surendra asked:View original
Why 'salle de bains', shouldn't it be 'salle à bains'
According to this lesson, for translation of bathroom/washroom, a room for baths. So it should be 'salle à bains', but why do we use 'salle de bains'
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Thekla Kwiziq community member
We can say " un verre à eau " when we want a glass *for* water not *of* water?
Asked 2 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Thekla !
Yes, exactly! "Un verre à eau" is a glass "made for" water, whereas "un verre d'eau" is a glass containing water.
Bonne journée !
Thekla asked:View original
We can say " un verre à eau " when we want a glass *for* water not *of* water?
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JoakimKwiziq Q&A regular contributor
De vs en
Are these competely interchangeable for specifying what something is made of or are there pronounciation rules that indicate which one is better for a particular word?
Asked 3 years ago
AurélieKwiziq team member
Bonjour Joakim !
I would say that "en" implies that this is the main (and often only) element the thing is made of, whereas "de" would imply that it's one of the elements composing the thing, but there must be more.
Colloquially, "en" is used more often than "de".
I hope that's helpful!
Bonnes Fêtes et à bientôt !
Joakim asked:View original
De vs en
Are these competely interchangeable for specifying what something is made of or are there pronounciation rules that indicate which one is better for a particular word?
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