"The prince drinks red wine."
Translation:Le prince boit du vin rouge.
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1898
Could "Le dauphin boit du vin rouge" be used in this instance, or is that too specific for Duolingo's purposes? Thanks!
A prince is "un prince", he does not need to be the heir to the crown.
Is it du because it is a comment on something happening now? Would it be le vin if in general he drinks red wine?
It is du because it is a general statement regarding a mass noun. It would need to read "The prince drinks the red wine". to mean Le prince boit le vin rouge. Either that, or the verb drinks would need to be replaced with a verb of appreciation such as likes - "The prince likes red wine" translates to Le prince aime le vin rouge.
Have another look at the T & Ns here: https://www.duolingo.com/skill/fr/Food
The need for a partitive article is not justified by a "general statement regarding a mass noun", which would be "Red wine is better in a stemmed glass" - applying to the whole category of "red wine in general", and translating to "Le vin rouge est meilleur dans un verre à pied", with a definite article.
"Le prince boit le vin rouge" is specific = the prince drinks the red wine (not the white one).
Partitive articles are used when the action expressed by the verb is performed on an unknown quantity/part/amount of a mass thing.
- 1853
I also think that this could also be "le vin" as in that is the type of wine that the prince drinks not that he is drinking some red wine.
Le prince boit le vin rouge = The prince drinks/is drinking the red wine (specific).
Le prince aime le vin rouge = The prince likes red wine (generalization).