12a.

Les Articles Contractés. (Contracted Articles) 

In French we do not use a preposition followed by a definite article, they are

replaced by Contracted Articles. 
 
1. The preposition 'de' followed by the definite article gives four forms as
under: 
 
         De + le = du (used before masc. sing nouns) 
 
         De + la = de la (used before fem sing nouns) 
 
         De + l' = de l' (used before masc. and fem sing nouns beginning with
                      vowel and silent 'h') 
         De + les = des (used before plural of masc. and fem nouns) 
 
       Egs : Je viens du cinéma. (I am coming from the cinema) 
 
                 Nous venons de la plage. (We are coming from the beach) 
 
                 Il vient de l'école. (He is coming from the school) 
 
                 Vous venez des toilettes. (You are coming from the toilet. The word
                                                                 toilet is always in plural form in French.) 
 
                Le chapeau du garçon. (The hat of the boy) 
 
2.  The preposition ' à ' followed by the definite article gives following four
forms. 
 
         À + le = au (used before masc. sing nouns.) 
 
         À + la = à la (used before fem sing nouns.) 
 
         À + l' = à l' (used before masc. and fem sing nouns beginning with vowels
and                                silent 'h') 
         À + les = aux (used before plurals of masc. and fem nouns) 
 
       Egs :  Elle parle au garçon. (She speaks to the boy.) 
 
                 Elle va à la piscine. (She goes to the swimming pool) 
 
                 Il parle à l'ètudiant. (He speaks to the student) 
 
                 Elles parlent aux filles. (They speak to the girls) 
 
   NOTE: Contracted articles are NOT used before proper nouns. 
 
               Egs : Je parle à John. 
 
                      C'est le chapeau de Max.