"You are learning words."

Translation: Tu apprends des mots.

[emmlilee]

Why can't we say "Tu apprends les mots"? I was under the impression that if no article was used in English, we should generally apply the definite article in French. Help please?

[ferynn]

Well... I've seen that many times in the "Questions" sections. Try use this :

If it's "some words" = des mots

If it's "the words" = les mots

In this case, you are learning a undified number of words, so it's the indefinite article that is employed.

[emmlilee]

I see, thank you for your help!

[Sitesurf]

The singular form would be "you are learning a word" = "tu apprends un mot"

In English, "a/an" has no plural but in French "un/un" have a plural: "des".

[emmlilee]

great, thanks a lot!