CEFR A1
What you will learn
- Form au and aux from à + le/les.
- Form du and des from de + le/les while keeping à la, à l’, de la and de l’.
Before you start
- Have studied “Gender and the article: le, la, l', un, une”.
The idea
“à” and “de” cannot sit next to “le” and “les”: they merge, and it is not a stylistic choice.
There are four mergers and no more: “à + le” gives “au”, “à + les” gives “aux”, “de + le” gives “du” and “de + les” gives “des”. They are written that way always, in every register, in every sentence.
With the feminine and with the elided form nothing happens: “à la maison”, “à l'école”, “de la fille”, “de l'homme” stay whole. So there are only two articles to watch, “le” and “les”.
What makes this hard is not the rule, it is noticing that you are using “à” or “de” at all. “Aller” takes “à” — “je vais au cinéma” — “parler” takes “de” — “je parle du film” — and “la voiture de le voisin” is impossible for the same reason: there is a “de” hidden inside the possessive.
And watch “du” and “des”, which are also the partitive forms. You tell them apart by meaning, not by shape: in “je parle du film” there is a “de” demanded by the verb; in “je mange du pain” there is no “de” at all, it is the undefined quantity. Some sentences even allow both readings, and context decides.
Contractions with à and de
| article | à + article | de + article |
|---|---|---|
| le | au | du |
| la | à la | de la |
| l' | à l' | de l' |
| les | aux | des |
How it sounds
- Je vais au cinéma ce soir.“Aller à” + “le cinéma” merge into “au”.
- Elle écrit aux enfants.Plural: “à + les” gives “aux”. “À les” does not exist.
- C'est la voiture du voisin.The French possessive has a “de” inside it, which is why it contracts.
- Nous parlons de la fille et de l'homme.With the feminine and before a vowel there is no merger: they stay apart.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “au” for this case: “Il parle au professeurs de sa fille.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “à la” for this case: “Il parle à la professeurs de sa fille.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: aux — It is plural: “à + les” merge into “aux”; gender does not change this contraction.
It is plural: “à + les” merge into “aux”; gender does not change this contraction.
Answer: aux — It is plural: “à + les” merge into “aux”; gender does not change this contraction.
It is plural: “à + les” merge into “aux”; gender does not change this contraction.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “au” for this case: “Je vais au école à pied.”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “aux” for this case: “Je vais aux école à pied.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: à l' — École starts with a vowel: it elides and does not merge.
“École” starts with a vowel: it elides and does not merge.
Answer: à l' — École starts with a vowel: it elides and does not merge.
“École” starts with a vowel: it elides and does not merge.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- When “Le” is part of a proper name it does not merge: it belongs to the name, not to the grammar.J'aime la musique de Le Corbusier.
- This sentence has two readings: “de + les enfants” (I am talking about those children) or the undefined plural (I am talking about children). Same spelling, and only context separates them.Je parle des enfants.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Je parle de le film.
Right Je parle du film.
English keeps “to the” and “of the” as separate words, so “de le film” may look plausible. French instead contracts “de + le” to “du” and “à + le” to “au”.
Challenge: apply both rules
Solve both cases and justify each choice: 1) Una propuesta responde «au» a este caso: «Il parle au professeurs de sa fille.». Elige la única forma válida. 2) Una propuesta responde «au» a este caso: «Je vais au école à pied.». Elige la única forma válida.
Answer available without interaction
- Form au and aux from à + le/les.
- Form du and des from de + le/les while keeping à la, à l’, de la and de l’.
Answer: aux · à l'
It is plural: “à + les” merge into “aux”; gender does not change this contraction. “École” starts with a vowel: it elides and does not merge.
Curriculum alignment and sources
- CEFR A1 · elementary repertoire for concrete needs and very simple interaction. · Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Companion Volume
- French-specific descriptions used to cross-check A1 language forms; the page selection remains editorial. · Reference Level Descriptions · French
- MCER como referencia; sin asignación estatal A1 por curso. · Real Decreto 217/2022, currículo básico de ESO
- 7.º ano alcanza A1.2 en este itinerario; A1.1 es subdivisión editorial. · Aprendizagens Essenciais · Francês · 7.º ano
- A1 al final de classe terza; A1.1/A1.2 son subdivisiones editoriales. · Decreto 9 dicembre 2025, n. 221 · nuove Indicazioni nazionali
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: à and de with the article: au, aux, du, desGender and the article: le, la, l', un, uneThe present tense and the explicit subjectTwo-part negation: ne… pas wraps around the verbAccents and the cedilla: they do not tell you where the stress fallsDu, de la, des: the article your language leaves outThe passé composé: two pieces and an auxiliary you have to choose