"Tea with milk"

Translation: Thé au lait

[lmg743]

The only thing that bothers me about this example is that it is not clear from the context if the milk is in the tea or not. If so, it would indeed be "thé au lait". However, if the milk were served alongside the tea, wouldn't the answer be "thé avec du lait"?

[super_moi]

Yes, it would be. "Du thé avec du lait" is accepted.

[elinnvk]

If you would order thé au lait in a French café, your milk would probably be in the tea.

[Sitesurf]

No, it won't, you will get a milk pot on the side.

[elinnvk]

Oh my bad. Does the same thing count for coffee?

[Sitesurf]

No, un café au lait is served with milk already mixed in coffee.

[ryzsy]

au? why au? Au is avec?

[Sitesurf]

That is a specific French construction that does not match with the English one.

When the English uses "with" to introduce a complement, the French use "à" + definite article:

• un thé au lait (au = contraction of à-le)
• un yaourt à la fraise
• un gâteau aux raisins (masculine)
• un gâteau aux framboises (feminine)

[northernguy]

Why no article here?

[Sitesurf]

There is an article indeed: "au" is the contraction of "à-le"

In French, when we describe that an ingredient is added, we say à + definite article, when the English use "with"

[northernguy]

I meant with thé. Duo wouldn't accept le thé.

[Sitesurf]

Maybe part of a list of available drinks on a menu...

[CONSTRUCT]

I think it's not accepting it because we're saying 'tea', not 'the tea'.

[4BaK]

why does it have to be "du the" and can't be "le the"?

[Sitesurf]

"le thé" would probably be "the tea".

[sojournerbliss]

What's difference between 'aux' an 'au'?

[Sitesurf]

• "au" (= contraction of à + le) is masculine singular: "café au lait"
• "à la" is feminine singular: "gâteau à la fraise"
• "aux" (= contraction of à + les) is plural: "biscuit aux pépites (fem) de chocolat" (biscuit with chocolate chips); or "biscuits aux oignons" (masc)

[Sky_Larme]

why du the au du lait is not excepted?

[Sitesurf]

"du" is not necessary here. "thé au lait" is the idiomatic phrase.

[Sky_Larme]

not necessary or wrong? why the answer wasn't excepted?

[Sitesurf]

If this is written on a menu or list of some kind, "du" is not necessary, but Duo accepts both versions, with and without "du".

• (du) thé au lait / (du) thé avec du lait

[Sky_Larme]

my answer was : du the au du lait. and it wasn't eccepted. that is where the question came from

[Sitesurf]

Sorry, I had not noticed your using both "au" and "du", which cannot work.

[Sky_Larme]

I finaly got it. Thank you!

[LloydDeanhio]

So we use aux because milk is plural?

[Sitesurf]

No, you don't use "aux" but "au": du thé au lait = tea with milk.