de la société
de the société
Wörtlich: de (of) la (the) société (society/company)
Use it to link nouns to either the collective human experience or a formal business entity.
In 15 Sekunden
- Refers to both 'of society' and 'of the company.'
- Used for social issues, business contexts, and board games.
- Placed after a noun to act as a descriptive modifier.
Bedeutung
This phrase translates to 'of the society' or 'of the company.' It is used to describe things related to the collective human community or a specific business entity.
Wichtige Beispiele
3 von 6Discussing social issues with a friend
C'est un vrai problème de la société actuelle.
It is a real problem of today's society.
In a business meeting
Voici les nouveaux objectifs de la société.
Here are the company's new objectives.
Texting a colleague about a car
Tu as pris la voiture de la société ?
Did you take the company car?
Kultureller Hintergrund
The French have a deep intellectual tradition of discussing 'la société' stemming from Enlightenment thinkers like Rousseau. In modern times, the term is equally split between philosophical debates and the corporate world, reflecting France's blend of social consciousness and business history. Interestingly, 'jeux de société' (board games) highlights the cultural importance of gathering together for a shared activity.
The 'Board Game' Exception
When talking about board games, the 'la' usually disappears. It's 'un jeu de société' (a game of society/company) rather than 'de la société.' It's a tiny detail that makes you sound like a pro!
Don't use it for 'Social Media'
Even though it involves society, 'social media' is always 'les réseaux sociaux.' Using 'médias de la société' will confuse people.
In 15 Sekunden
- Refers to both 'of society' and 'of the company.'
- Used for social issues, business contexts, and board games.
- Placed after a noun to act as a descriptive modifier.
What It Means
de la société is a versatile French building block. It has two main personalities. First, it refers to society at large. Think of social issues, human behavior, or collective values. Second, it refers to a business or company. In French, a 'société' is often a legal business structure. So, it can mean 'of the company' just as easily as 'of society.' It acts like a descriptive tag you attach to nouns.
How To Use It
You place it directly after the noun you want to describe. It functions like an adjective in English. For example, un membre de la société means a member of society. If you are at work, le logo de la société is the company logo. It is simple to slot into sentences. You do not need to change the form for gender or number. It stays de la société whether the noun before it is masculine or feminine.
When To Use It
Use it when discussing big-picture topics. It is perfect for debates about politics or sociology. You will hear it constantly on the news. Use it in professional settings too. It is the standard way to refer to corporate property or rules. If you are playing board games, you are playing jeux de société. This is a very common everyday use you will love.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it to describe someone as 'social.' If your friend is a party animal, they are sociable, not de la société. Also, avoid it when talking about a small, informal group of friends. For that, use du groupe or de la bande. It feels too heavy for small social circles. Do not confuse it with social, which is the direct adjective for 'social.'
Cultural Background
French culture places a high value on the 'social contract.' People love to debate les problèmes de la société over a long lunch. It is a national pastime to analyze how the world works. Also, the term société reflects the French legal view of business. Businesses are seen as 'societies' of partners. This shows a focus on collective effort rather than just a 'company.'
Common Variations
You will often see au sein de la société. This means 'within the society' or 'within the company.' Another common one is siège de la société for the headquarters. If you are talking about high society, you might hear la haute société. For board games, it is always jeux de société. It is a phrase that grows with your vocabulary.
Nutzungshinweise
The phrase is highly versatile. In business, it identifies ownership or affiliation. In general conversation, it identifies societal trends. It is grammatically stable and doesn't change based on the noun it modifies.
The 'Board Game' Exception
When talking about board games, the 'la' usually disappears. It's 'un jeu de société' (a game of society/company) rather than 'de la société.' It's a tiny detail that makes you sound like a pro!
Don't use it for 'Social Media'
Even though it involves society, 'social media' is always 'les réseaux sociaux.' Using 'médias de la société' will confuse people.
The CEO Title
In France, the CEO is the 'PDG' (Président-Directeur Général) 'de la société.' It sounds very grand because 'société' carries more weight than just 'business.'
Beispiele
6C'est un vrai problème de la société actuelle.
It is a real problem of today's society.
Here, it refers to the collective human community.
Voici les nouveaux objectifs de la société.
Here are the company's new objectives.
In this context, it clearly refers to a business entity.
Tu as pris la voiture de la société ?
Did you take the company car?
A common way to refer to corporate-owned assets.
On fait un petit jeu de société ce soir ?
Shall we play a little board game tonight?
The standard term for board games in French.
Mon chat se prend pour le PDG de la société !
My cat thinks he's the CEO of the company!
Using the corporate meaning for a funny comparison.
Il se sent parfois en marge de la société.
He sometimes feels on the fringes of society.
A more serious, emotional use regarding social belonging.
Teste dich selbst
Complete the sentence to talk about a company's headquarters.
Le siège ___ se trouve à Lyon.
We use 'de la société' to indicate possession or relation to the company.
Complete the sentence to talk about board games.
J'adore les jeux ___.
While 'de la société' means 'of the company,' the fixed expression for board games is 'jeux de société' (without the 'la'). This is a common nuance!
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality and Context Spectrum
Talking about board games or a company car with friends.
jeux de société
General discussions about social issues or news.
un débat de la société
Corporate bylaws, legal documents, or academic papers.
les statuts de la société
High-level political or philosophical discourse.
le contrat de la société
Where you'll hear 'de la société'
At the Office
Discussing the company vision.
News Broadcast
Reporting on social trends.
Game Night
Playing Monopoly or Scrabble.
University
In a sociology or law lecture.
Dinner Party
Debating the state of the world.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it depends on context. If you're talking about taxes or offices, it's 'the company.' If you're talking about values or crime, it's 'society.'
It is neutral. You can use it in a legal contract or while chatting with your neighbor about the news.
You say la voiture de la société. It is the most common way to describe work-provided vehicles.
Not really. For a social event, use un événement social or une soirée. De la société is more about the structure of the group.
It refers to a 'social phenomenon' or a trend that reveals something about how people live today, like the rise of remote work.
Mostly, yes. Entreprise is more general for 'business,' while société is the specific legal term for a company with shareholders.
Because they are games played in a group (a small society) rather than alone. It emphasizes the social interaction.
Yes, this means 'the members of society.' It is often used in political speeches or sociology.
This means the 'company headquarters.' You will see this on almost every French business card.
It is always de la société because société is a feminine noun. Never use du here.
Verwandte Redewendungen
en société
jeu de société
siège social
fait de société
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