French dictionary

de/də/

preposition / noun · A1 · Frequency 8

preposition

of (expressing possession or association)
Used to express possession, belonging, or association.
from (expressing origin or a starting point)
Used to indicate origin, a source, or the starting point of a time span or range.
of, some (partitive amount)
Used to express a part of something or an indefinite amount.
by (an amount; in a difference or measure)
Common in comparative expressions and statements of difference or measure.
after certain verbs, introducing a complement
Used in patterns such as parler de or dépendre de.
before an infinitive complement after a noun, adjective, or impersonal expression
Used in patterns such as la décision de partir or il est important de.
optionally after certain predicative verbs, before an infinitive
Used after a few predicative verbs, with a more literary or narrative feel.
before attributive adjectives, pronouns, and fixed expressions
Used in pronoun phrases, attributive adjective constructions, and fixed expressions.

Je parle de le livre.
Je parle du livre.
The preposition de contracts with the definite article le to form du.

Le terme « de » est souvent utilisé comme abréviation de « dame » dans certains contextes.
The term "de" is often used as an abbreviation of "dame" in certain contexts.
Elle a été appelée « de » par ses amis, une forme courte de « dame ».
She was called "de" by her friends, a short form of "dame".

de
dame
Mistaking “de” as the full female honorific, whereas it is an abbreviation of “dame”.