French: what's the rule with 'de' or 'des'? Confused?

Question

For example, with this sentence:

Le racisme est une idéologie qui affirme la hiérarchie des races et, par conséquent, l’existence de races pures...

Why is it 'hiérarchie DES races' (i'm assuming because it's plural), but then it's 'l'existence DE races pures...' - it's the same word!?

If there is a rule, can you tell me, and explain it?

Thanks!!

I'm sure it's correct as it's from a textbook

Answer 1

In this sentence DES means 'of the', it is the contraction of 'de les' (of the), it is a DEFINITE article. In the second sentence, DE (of) is a PARTITIVE article.
"L'existance de races pures" = the existance OF pure races
"L'existance des races pures" = the existance OF THE pure races"

Answer 2

Tricky one. To me, this sentence seems correct.

I'd say : "la hiérarchie des races" stands for (the nonetheless grammatically incorrect) "la hiérarchie de les races", you know beforehand which races are referred to.

On the contrary, "l'existence de races pures" is a plural of "l'existence d'une race pure". If he had written "l'existence des races pures" (= de les), he would have meant that those pure races would have actually existed (they could have been referred to, as if anyone took this for granted).

Answer 3

It's wrong.
If "races" (plural) was preceded by a plural adjective, "des" would be "de". In this case the adjective follows the plural noun, so "des" should be used.
Most adjectives follow the noun, only certain adjectives would precede the noun. We use the acronym BANGS to help you remember which types of adjectives would precede the noun...
Beauty
Age
Newness
Goodness
Size

Answer 4

When the plural indefinite or partitive article is used with an adjective that precedes a noun, des changes to de

J'ai des amis. - J'ai de jeunes amis.

J'ai mangé des tomates. - J'ai mangé de bonnes tomates.

So in relationship with your text, something seems wrong in the second sentence, it could be:

1- l'existence des races pures
2- l'existence de une race pure
3- l'existence de pures races

There is a very clear list in:

http://french.about.com/library/prepositions/bl-devsdes.htm

Answer 5

des like The in plural, and de like of as of races

Answer 6

"des" is just the same as "the"
and u got it right it is used with plural words..
and "de" is the same as "of" like in ur example
l'existence de races meaning
the existence of the...,,

i hope this helps..

Answer 7

Hmm, I don't get it. Who wrote it? (Are you sure it IS correct?)