PARTS OF THE BODY
DEFINITE ARTICLES VS. POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
French mostly uses definite articles (le, la, les) before parts of the body
(including appearances) and mental faculties (like memory), whereas English mostly uses
possessive adjectives (his, her, their).
Only infrequently does French use possessive adjectives (mon, ton, son, etc.) before body parts or mental faculties and only in one case does it use indefinite articles (un, des, de) before body parts.
SUMMARY OF RULES FOR REFERRING TO PARTS OF THE BODY:
When modifying a body part or mental faculty use:
1. mon, son, ton in the subject of verbs other than être ("Ses cheveux tombent en cascades")
2. le, la, les in the direct object of verbs (especially "avoir") or as the object of a preposition (a. "Elle a haussé la main"; b. "Elle a les yeux noirs"; c. "Elle s'est coupé le doigt"; d. "Elle tire les cheveux de Lucie.")
EXCEPT:
a. after a non-pronominal verb which signifies a non-typical action done with one's own body ("Elle a posé sa tête sur le lit"). Use a possessive adjective.
b. after "avoir" when an adjective precedes the body part. ("Tu as de beaux yeux"; "Tu as un joli nez.") or is unusual or unexpected ("Elle a des épaules larges et musclés"). Use an indefinite article.
c. after a verb other than "avoir" when an adjective qualifies the body part (J'ai pris sa main froide).
3. le, la, les when a body part or a piece of clothing is in apposition to the verb ("Il est parti, l'oeil fixé sur son camarade"; "Elle est partie, le chapeau sur la tête.")
DETAILED DISCUSSION:
A. If the part of the body (or mental faculty) is the SUBJECT of an English
verb other than "to be," French like English uses a possessive adjective
(mon, son, etc.):
Example: Her (his) hair hangs down.=Ses cheveux tombent en cascade.
*****BUT: In translating the English verb "to be," the
French prefer to use the definite article (le, la, les) and to make the body
part (or mental faculty) the object of "avoir" or a preposition following
"avoir" (see B4 and B5 below):
Example:
1) Her hair is black = Elle a les cheuveux noirs.
2) Her feet are cold = Elle a froid aux pieds.
B. If the body part (or mental faculty) is the DIRECT OBJECT of a verb or preposition, use a definite article (le, la, les) before the body part; but only if the owner of the body part is clear.
Thus:
1. Use the definite article (le, la, les) when the body part (or mental
faculty) is the direct object of a non-pronominal verb and the verb expresses a
common or typical action that the subject performs WITH HIS OR HER BODY:
Examples:
1) Elle a haussé les épaules;
2) Il lui tend (serre) la main;
3) Nous avons élevé la voix.
See also:
hocher la tête; baisser/tourner la tête; cligner de l'oeil; baisser/lever/fermer les
yeux; élever la voix; perdre la tête/la vie/la vue/la voix/la mémoire; montrer
qqn/qqch du doigt; avancer le pied; recouvrir la vue; tirer la langue; retrouver la
mémoire; ouvrir la bouche; froncer les sourcils; serrer la
main.
NOTE: If the action is not common or typical, French prefers the possessive
adjective before the body part (or mental faculty):
Examples:
1) Elle a posé sa tête sur le lit.
2) Il a mis son doigt sur sa bouche.
2. Use the definite article (le, la, les) when the body part (or mental
faculty) is the direct object of a pronominal verb expressing an action that one
performs ON ONESELF:
Examples:
1) Tu t'es coupé le doigt;
2) Elle s'est brossé les cheveux.
NOTE: The pronominal pronoun in 2) is an indirect object, so the past participle
does not agree.
See also:
se casser le bras/la jambe/le pied (etc.); se brûler le doigt (etc.); se couper les
ongles (etc.); se peigner les cheveux;
se tordre la cheville; se mordre la langue.
3. Use the definite article (le, la, les) when the action is performed
upon someone else's body and this other person
is signified by an indirect object pronoun or a prepositional phrase (de Jean):
Examples:
1) Elle lui a tiré les cheveux.
2) Le docteur a soigné le bras de Pierre.
4. Use the definite article (le, la, les) when the body part is the object
of the preposition "à" in expressions that signify sensations, such as "avoir
chaud à" and "avoir mal à" (see A above):
Examples:
1) Il a froid aux mains;
2) Nous avons mal à l'estomac.
5. Use the definite article (le, la, les) after "avoir" to
describe physical or mental attributes of the subject of the sentence (see A
above):
Examples:
1) Les hommes ont les yeux bruns;
2) Pierre a les bras musclés.
3) Nous avons l'esprit large.
NOTE 1: English speakers would say "His arms are strong," making the
body part the subject of the sentence.
The French could say "Les bras de Pierre sont musclés," but they prefer
to make the body part
the direct object: "Il a les bras musclés."
NOTE 2:
a) After the verb "avoir," use the indefinite article (un,
de, des, etc.) when:
1) the adjective precedes the body part (or mental faculty);
2) or the adjective is unusual or unexpected.
Examples:
1) Tu as de beaux yeux.
2) Elle a des épaules larges et musclés.
3) Tu as un joli nez.
b) After a verb other than "avoir," if the body part (or
mental faculty) is qualified by an adjective (other than "droit" or
"gauche"), French uses the possessive adjective (mon, ma, mes):
Examples:
1) J'ai pris sa main froide.
2) Elle a lavé ses cheveux effroyables.
6. Use the definite article (le, la, les) when the body part (or mental
faculty) is in apposition to the verb.
The resulting phrase is translated by "with":
Examples:
1) Elle est arrivée, un pistolet au poing. ("with a pistol in his
hands")
2) Il est parti, l'oeil fixé sur son camarade.
Note: when clothes are in apposition to the verb, they are also preceeded by
the definite article (le, la, les):
Examples:
1) Elle est partie, le chapeau sur la tête.
2) Il passait, les gants aux mains.
C. If a thing (rather than a person) is possessed by another thing ("the
dress's color"="la couleur de la robe"):
1. the thing possessed is preceded by the definite article (le, la, les)
2. and "en" is placed before the verb:
Examples:
1) J'adore cette robe, mais la couleur en est trop claire.
2) J'aime Paris et j'en connais tous les quartiers.
NOTE: In this case, "its" is translated by the definite article (le, la,
les) and "en" is placed before the verb.
Speaking of a car: Its tires are black=Les pneus en sont noirs.