Question

when i'm putting an amount of a food item (comme une douzaine d'oeufs) will the article always be "de" or "d'"?
this is the same for the phrase "avoir besoin de", correct?

Answer 1

Salut, Amanda!

Working with the partitif, yes on "d'" or "de" or even "des."

As for "avoir besoin de" = in expressions taking "de" the partitive is omitted. (J'ai besoin de billets.)

Here's a review of the Partitive:

The idea of "some" or "any" with a noun is expressed in French by:

1. de + the definite article of the noun (du beurre / de la soie / de l'herbe verte/ des camions)

2. de, without the article, after a negative (pas de fautes / n'a guère d'amis)

3. de, without the article, when an adjective precedes a plural noun (de vieux souliers / de longues rues)

4. de, with or without the article, when an adjective precedes a singular noun (personal choice!) (du bon cidre OR de bon cidre (the first being the most common in the spoken language today)

NOTE: The words for "some" and "any" must be expressed in French, and must be repeated before each noun, even though they are often omitted in English.

There are other rules (adverbs/nouns of quantity, when adjectives are considered part of the noun (des jeunes filles), and the use of "en" when the noun is omitted.)

Sra

Answer 2

Merci Mme!
So would I put "Il me faut une douzaine d'oeufs ou des oeufs"?

In French would it not make sense if I didn't put the word for "some"?