Knowing how to say “of” in French can be a complicated endeavor. While the simple answer is the word de, there are a lot of expressions and French grammar rules to account for. For example, if de is followed by le (the), then it needs to become du. If de is used in a phrase expressing quantity, then there is no le required. Learn all the nuances with this easy guide!
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The basics of saying ‘of’ and ‘of the’ using de in French
The most common translation for “of” in French is de. When de is followed by a definite article, there are French contractions to be made. De le becomes du and de les becomes des. De la and de l’ stay the same.
- C’est à gauche du café. = It’s to the left of the café.
- La ville est au sud de la région. = The city is in the south of the region.
- À cause de l’idée ! = Because of the idea!
- Il est au centre des magasins. = It’s in the middle of the shops.
If the word de follows a quantity, the above rule does not apply: Simply use de.
- Il y a beaucoup de touristes. = There are a lot of tourists.
- Je n’ai pas de pain. = I don’t have any bread.
- Nous avons tant de cousins. = We have lots of cousins.
Note that when following the negative pas, a better translation is “any.”
While French articles can be hard to master, especially with the addition of the word de, it will come more easily with practice!
Use de to express possession
The French also use de to express possession. There is no using “‘s” to say to whom something belongs.
- C’est la voiture de Nicole. = It’s Nicole’s car. (It’s the car of Nicole.)
- C’est le frère de Jean. = It’s Jean’s brother. (It’s the brother of Jean.)
While this sentence structure can feel clunky in English, it is correct in French.
Common phrases that use de in French
We have countless expressions in English that use the word “of,” and the same is true in French. Here is a list of common French expressions that use “of” in English and de in French:
| French | English |
| avoir peur de | to be afraid of |
| beauté de | beauty of |
| continuer de | to continue to |
| enfant de | child of |
| joie de vivre | joy of life |
The expressions “of course” or “but of course” in French do not contain de:
| French | English |
| bien sûr | of course |
| mais bien sûr | but of course |
There are, of course, many more, but this is a good start!
Learn French with Rosetta Stone
How you approach learning French depends entirely on your objectives. Small words like “of” in French can take time to master. Rosetta Stone uses a Dynamic Immersion method that introduces words alongside both visual and audio cues that help you learn vocab in the context of true-to-life conversations. Lessons are grouped into units that highlight common French conversational phrases you will need for everyday interactions and are coupled with a practical review that helps you solidify your French language skills.
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