the 2 — school / the school etc.
school · hospital · prison · church · bed · work · home — Complete Guide
the 2 — school / the school etc.
school · hospital · prison · church · bed · work · home — Guide Complet
Understand why students go to school but parents go to the school — and master fixed expressions: go to bed, go to work, go home.
Comprenez pourquoi les élèves vont à school mais les parents vont à the school — et maîtrisez les expressions figées : go to bed, go to work, go home.
Some words can be used with or without the depending on why you go there. Go to school means going as a student; go to the school means going to the specific building (as a visitor, parent, or repair worker). The same logic applies to hospital, prison, church, university. In addition, bed, work and home appear in fixed expressions without any article.
Certains mots peuvent être utilisés avec ou sans the selon la raison pour laquelle on y va. Go to school = y aller en tant qu’élève ; go to the school = se rendre au bâtiment spécifique (en tant que visiteur, parent ou ouvrier). La même logique s’applique à hospital, prison, church, university. De plus, bed, work et home apparaissent dans des expressions figées sans article.
School / The School · Hospital / The Hospital · Prison · Church
School / The School · Hospital / The Hospital · Prison · Church
No the = you are there as the main participant (student, patient, prisoner, worshipper). The = you are going to the specific building (as a visitor, worker, or for another purpose).
Sans the = vous y êtes en tant que participant principal (élève, patient, prisonnier, fidèle). Avec the = vous vous rendez au bâtiment spécifique (en tant que visiteur, travailleur ou pour une autre raison).
No the — as the main user
Sans the — comme participant principal
The — as a visitor / for the building
Avec the — visiteur / bâtiment
| Word | No the (main user) | The (visitor / building) |
|---|---|---|
| Mot | Sans the (participant principal) | Avec the (visiteur / bâtiment) |
| school | go to school · at school (student) | at the school · to the school (visitor) |
| university / college | go to university · at university (student) | at the university · to the university (visitor) |
| hospital | go to hospital · in hospital (patient) | at the hospital · to the hospital (visitor) |
| prison / jail | in prison · go to prison (prisoner) | at the prison · to the prison (visitor) |
| church | go to church · at church (worship) | at the church · to the church (building) |
Bed · Work · Home — Fixed Expressions Without Article
Bed · Work · Home — Expressions Figées Sans Article
These words appear in fixed expressions with no article. But when bed refers to the actual piece of furniture (a physical object in the room), use the bed.
Ces mots apparaissent dans des expressions figées sans article. Mais quand bed désigne le meuble physique lui-même, utilisez the bed.
But: I sat down on the bed. (the piece of furniture)
WORK: go to work · be at work · start work · finish work · after work
HOME: go home · come home · get home · arrive home · be at home · work at home
✗ going to the work → ✓ going to work
✗ going to the home → ✓ going home (no preposition either!) ✗ going to the bed (= pour dormir) → ✓ going to bed
✗ going to the work → ✓ going to work
✗ going to the home → ✓ going home (sans préposition non plus !)
Complete with school or the school.
Complétez avec school ou the school.
Type exactly: school · OR · the school
Tapez exactement : school · OU · the school
University, hospital, prison or church — with or without the?
University, hospital, prison or church — avec ou sans the ?
Type the exact word(s): e.g. hospital · the hospital · university · the university
Tapez le(s) mot(s) exact(s) : ex. hospital · the hospital · university · the university
Complete using the word bank: bed · the bed · in bed · home · at home · like home · work · to work · after work
Complétez avec la banque de mots : bed · the bed · in bed · home · at home · like home · work · to work · after work
Complete with at/in/to + the correct word (hospital, school, university, work, bed, home, prison).
Complétez avec at/in/to + le bon mot (hospital, school, university, work, bed, home, prison).
Type the full expression, e.g.: in hospital · to school · at home · in bed
Tapez l’expression complète, ex. : in hospital · to school · at home · in bed
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions Fréquentes
The difference is why you are going. Go to school = you are a student — school represents the idea of learning. Go to the school = you are going to the specific building for another reason (as a parent, repairman, inspector…).
La différence réside dans la raison de votre visite. Go to school = vous êtes élève. Go to the school = vous vous rendez au bâtiment spécifique pour une autre raison.
In hospital = she is a patient there. In the hospital = she is inside the specific hospital building (perhaps as a visitor or employee).
In hospital = elle est patiente. In the hospital = elle se trouve à l’intérieur du bâtiment (peut-être en tant que visiteuse ou employée).
Go to bed is a fixed expression meaning to go to sleep — bed represents the concept of sleeping. Sit on the bed refers to the actual piece of furniture in the room.
Go to bed est une expression figée signifiant aller dormir. Sit on the bed désigne le meuble physique dans la pièce.
Home acts like an adverb in these expressions and needs no preposition: go home · come home · get home · arrive home. However: stay at home · work at home.
Home fonctionne comme un adverbe et n’a pas besoin de préposition : go home · come home · get home. Mais : stay at home · work at home.
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