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Indefinite Articles: un, une, des

FoundationHigherAQA

Master Indefinite Articles: un, une, des for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Un, une and des agree with the gender and number of the noun they introduce.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

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Higher

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Topic overview

The indefinite article means a, an or some, and it has three forms: un for masculine singular, une for feminine singular, and des for all plurals.

Des is the form with no real English equivalent. J'ai des amis means I have some friends, but English would often just say I have friends. French cannot drop it — the article is required even where English omits it entirely.

The major exception is jobs. After être, the article is omitted before a profession: elle est médecin means she is a doctor, with no une. Adding the article here is wrong. But if an adjective is added, the article returns: c'est une bonne médecin.

Revision notes

The three forms

Un: masculine singular. Une: feminine singular. Des: all plurals.

Un livre, une table, des livres, des tables. Unlike the definite article, un and une do not shorten before a vowel.

Des has no English equivalent

J'ai des amis means I have some friends, or simply I have friends.

English frequently drops the word some, but French cannot drop des. Leaving it out is a straightforward error.

The jobs exception

After être, no article is used before a profession: elle est médecin, il est professeur.

This is the one place the article disappears. But adding an adjective brings it back: c'est un bon professeur.

Key points

  • Un is masculine singular.
  • Une is feminine singular.
  • Des is used for all plurals.
  • Des often has no English equivalent.
  • No article is used with jobs after être.
  • An adjective brings the article back.

Worked examples

Example 1

Translate: I have some friends. [2 marks]

Working

J'ai des amisuse des for the plural indefinite article
Des is required in French even though English may omit someexplain why des is needed

Example 2

Translate: she is a doctor. [2 marks]

Working

Elle est médecinuse être with no article before the profession
No article is used before a job after êtreexplain the omission

Example 3

Explain why c'est un bon professeur keeps the article. [2 marks]

Working

The rule omitting the article applies only when the profession stands alone after êtrestate the limit of the rule
but here an adjective is added, so the article returnsexplain why it reappears

Common mistakes

  • Omitting des in the plural.

    French requires it even where English drops some.

  • Adding un or une before a job.

    Elle est une médecin is wrong; it should be elle est médecin.

  • Shortening un or une before a vowel.

    Only le and la shorten; un ami stays as it is.

  • Forgetting the article returns with an adjective.

    C'est un bon professeur keeps un.

Exam tips

  • Always include des in the plural.
  • Drop the article for jobs after être.
  • Bring it back when an adjective is added.
  • Remember un and une never shorten.

Key terms

Indefinite article
Un, une or des, meaning a, an or some.
Des
The plural indefinite article, often untranslated in English.
Profession
A job, taking no article after être.
Être
The verb to be, after which the job article is dropped.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.