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Describing people with 'au', 'à la' and 'aux', as in 'la fille aux yeux bleus'

When English picks someone out by their looks, it uses with: the girl with blue eyes, the man with a beard, the lady with the hat. French has a neat construction for this: the preposition à followed by the definite article. So you get la fille aux yeux bleus, l'homme à la barbe and la dame au chapeau. It works with body features such as cheveux, yeux or moustache, and with clothes and accessories such as lunettes or robe.

English speakers trip over this for two reasons. First, they expect avec because it translates with. Second, the article feels odd: English says a beard, but French says la barbe. Avec is not wrong, but à plus the article is the natural, idiomatic way to name the feature that identifies someone.

Word list
bouchefA1 mouth la fille à la bouche rieuse = the girl with the smiling mouth brasmA1 arm le garçon au bras cassé = the boy with the broken arm chapeaumA1 hat la dame au chapeau = the lady in the hat chaussurefA1 shoe la fille aux chaussures rouges = the girl in red shoes chemisefA1 shirt l'homme à la chemise bleue = the man in the blue shirt cheveuxmA1 hair l'homme aux cheveux longs = the man with long hair corpsmA1 body la danseuse au corps svelte = the dancer with the slender body dentfA1 tooth la fille aux dents blanches = the girl with white teeth dosmA1 back le vieillard au dos voûté = the old man with the hunched back œilmA1 eye la fille aux yeux bleus = the girl with blue eyes jambefA1 leg la fille aux longues jambes = the girl with long legs jupefA1 skirt la fille à la jupe plissée = the girl in the pleated skirt lunettesfA1 glasses la femme aux lunettes = the woman with glasses mainfA1 hand la pianiste aux mains fines = the pianist with slender hands manteaumA1 coat l'homme au manteau noir = the man in the black coat nezmA1 nose le garçon au nez pointu = the boy with the pointed nose oreillefA1 ear le chien aux oreilles pointues = the dog with pointed ears pantalonmA1 pants le garçon au pantalon vert = the boy in green trousers piedmA1 foot l'enfant aux pieds nus = the barefoot child têtefA1 head l'homme à la tête rasée = the man with the shaved head vêtementsmA1 clothes l'homme aux vêtements usés = the man in worn-out clothes visagemA1 face la femme au visage pâle = the woman with the pale face anneaumA2 ring la fille à l'anneau dans le nez = the girl with the nose ring baguefA2 ring la femme à la bague en diamant = the woman with the diamond ring barbefA2 beard l'homme à la barbe rousse = the man with the red beard bottefA2 boot la fille aux bottes rouges = the girl in red boots boucle d'oreillefA2 earring l'homme à la boucle d'oreille = the man with the earring chaussettefA2 sock le garçon aux chaussettes dépareillées = the boy in odd socks chaussonmA2 slipper l'enfant aux chaussons roses = the child in pink slippers chemisiermA2 blouse la femme au chemisier blanc = the woman in the white blouse colliermA2 necklace la dame au collier de perles = the lady with the pearl necklace costumemA2 suit l'homme au costume gris = the man in the grey suit coumA2 neck la femme au long cou = the woman with the long neck couronnefA2 crown le roi à la couronne d'or = the king with the golden crown cravatefA2 tie l'homme à la cravate rouge = the man with the red tie doigtmA2 finger la pianiste aux doigts fins = the pianist with slender fingers écharpefA2 scarf la fille à l'écharpe verte = the girl with the green scarf épaulefA2 shoulder le type aux larges épaules = the guy with broad shoulders figurefA2 face l'enfant à la figure ronde = the child with the round face foulardmA2 scarf la dame au foulard = the lady with the headscarf gantmA2 glove la dame aux gants blancs = the lady in white gloves genoumA2 knee l'enfant aux genoux écorchés = the child with grazed knees habitsmA2 clothes le garçon aux habits déchirés = the boy in torn clothes languefA2 tongue la voisine à la langue bien pendue = the chatty neighbour lunettes de soleilfA2 sunglasses l'homme aux lunettes de soleil = the man in sunglasses pantouflefA2 slipper le vieil homme aux pantoufles = the old man in slippers parapluiemA2 umbrella la dame au parapluie = the lady with the umbrella peaufA2 skin la femme à la peau mate = the woman with olive skin robefA2 dress la femme à la robe rouge = the woman in the red dress sac à dosmA2 backpack le garçon au sac à dos = the boy with the backpack sac à mainmA2 handbag la dame au sac à main rouge = the lady with the red handbag t-shirtmA2 T-shirt le garçon au t-shirt rayé = the boy in the striped T-shirt tee-shirtmA2 T-shirt l'homme au tee-shirt blanc = the man in the white T-shirt valisefA2 suitcase la femme à la valise = the woman with the suitcase ventremA2 belly l'homme au ventre rebondi = the man with the round belly vestefA2 jacket l'homme à la veste en cuir = the man in the leather jacket voixfA2 voice le chanteur à la voix grave = the singer with the deep voice bijoumB1 jewel la dame aux bijoux = the lady with the jewellery braceletmB1 bracelet la fille au bracelet doré = the girl with the gold bracelet capefB1 cloak l'homme à la cape noire = the man in the black cape cardiganmB1 cardigan la fille au cardigan bleu = the girl in the blue cardigan chevillefB1 ankle le garçon à la cheville foulée = the boy with the sprained ankle cicatricefB1 scar l'homme à la cicatrice = the man with the scar colmB1 collar l'homme au col relevé = the man with the turned-up collar cuissefB1 thigh le cycliste aux cuisses musclées = the cyclist with muscular thighs frontmB1 forehead l'homme au front haut = the man with the high forehead giletmB1 cardigan la dame au gilet gris = the lady in the grey cardigan imperméablemB1 raincoat l'homme à l'imperméable = the man in the raincoat jeanmB1 jeans le garçon au jean troué = the boy in the ripped jeans jouefB1 cheek le bébé aux joues rouges = the baby with red cheeks lèvrefB1 lip la femme aux lèvres rouges = the woman with red lips mallettefB1 briefcase l'homme à la mallette = the man with the briefcase manteaumB1 cloak le chevalier au manteau pourpre = the knight in the purple cloak masquemB1 mask l'homme au masque de fer = the man in the iron mask mentonmB1 chin l'homme au menton carré = the man with the square chin montrefB1 wristwatch l'homme à la montre en or = the man with the gold watch moustachefB1 moustache le monsieur à la moustache = the gentleman with the moustache nœudmB1 bow la petite fille au nœud rose = the little girl with the pink bow onglemB1 fingernail la femme aux ongles rouges = the woman with red nails poitrinefB1 chest l'homme à la poitrine large = the broad-chested man poucemB1 thumb le garçon au pouce bandé = the boy with the bandaged thumb pullmB1 sweater la fille au pull rouge = the girl in the red sweater pull-overmB1 sweater l'homme au pull-over gris = the man in the grey pullover pyjamamB1 pajamas l'enfant au pyjama bleu = the child in blue pyjamas regardmB1 look l'homme au regard perçant = the man with the piercing gaze rubanmB1 ribbon la fille au ruban rouge = the girl with the red ribbon sacochefB1 handbag l'homme à la sacoche = the man with the shoulder bag sandalefB1 sandal la fille aux sandales dorées = the girl in golden sandals souliermB1 shoe le monsieur aux souliers vernis = the gentleman in patent shoes sourcilmB1 eyebrow l'homme aux sourcils épais = the man with bushy eyebrows souriremB1 smile la fille au sourire éclatant = the girl with the dazzling smile taillefB1 waist la fille à la taille fine = the girl with the slim waist talonmB1 heel la femme aux talons hauts = the woman in high heels avant-brasmB2 forearm le marin aux avant-bras tatoués = the sailor with tattooed forearms bicepsmB2 biceps le type aux biceps énormes = the guy with huge biceps capuchefB2 hood le garçon à la capuche = the boy in the hood casquemB2 helmet l'homme au casque jaune = the man in the yellow helmet casquettefB2 baseball cap le garçon à la casquette = the boy in the cap chandailmB2 sweater le garçon au chandail bleu = the boy in the blue sweater chapeau de paillemB2 straw hat l'homme au chapeau de paille = the man in the straw hat cilmB2 eyelash la fille aux longs cils = the girl with long eyelashes coiffurefB2 hairdo la femme à la coiffure extravagante = the woman with the wild hairdo giletmB2 waistcoat l'homme au gilet noir = the man in the black waistcoat grain de beautémB2 mole la femme au grain de beauté = the woman with the mole hanchefB2 hip la femme aux hanches larges = the woman with wide hips mâchoirefB2 jawbone l'homme à la mâchoire carrée = the man with the square jaw manchefB2 sleeve l'homme aux manches retroussées = the man with rolled-up sleeves manteau de fourruremB2 fur coat la dame au manteau de fourrure = the lady in the fur coat mèchefB2 lock la fille à la mèche rebelle = the girl with the unruly lock of hair perruquefB2 wig le juge à la perruque = the judge in the wig poignetmB2 wrist le joueur au poignet bandé = the player with the bandaged wrist porte-documentsmB2 briefcase l'homme au porte-documents = the man with the briefcase serviettefB2 briefcase l'homme à la serviette en cuir = the man with the leather briefcase tabliermB2 apron la femme au tablier blanc = the woman in the white apron tatouagemB2 tattoo l'homme au tatouage = the man with the tattoo torsemB2 torso l'homme au torse nu = the bare-chested man béquillefC1 crutch le garçon aux béquilles = the boy on crutches cannefC1 cane le vieil homme à la canne = the old man with the cane collantmC1 pantyhose la fille aux collants rouges = the girl in red tights crânemC1 skull l'homme au crâne rasé = the man with the shaved head molletmC1 calf le coureur aux mollets musclés = the runner with muscular calves nœud papillonmC1 bowtie l'homme au nœud papillon = the man in the bow tie paupièrefC1 eyelid l'homme aux paupières lourdes = the man with heavy eyelids pommettefC1 cheekbone la femme aux pommettes saillantes = the woman with high cheekbones queue-de-chevalfC1 ponytail la fille à la queue-de-cheval = the girl with the ponytail ridefC1 wrinkle la vieille dame aux rides profondes = the old lady with deep wrinkles tache de rousseurfC1 freckle la fille aux taches de rousseur = the girl with freckles tempefC1 temple le monsieur aux tempes grisonnantes = the man going grey at the temples béretmC2 beret le peintre au béret = the painter in the beret haut-de-formemC2 top hat le monsieur au haut-de-forme = the gentleman in the top hat (no à l') voilemC2 veil la femme au voile = the woman with the veil
How it works

The pattern is: person + à + definite article + feature (+ adjective). The usual contractions apply: à + le becomes au, à + les becomes aux, à la stays as it is, and à l' is used before a vowel.

  • au: l'homme au chapeau
  • à la: la femme à la robe rouge
  • à l': la fille à l'écharpe verte
  • aux: le garçon aux cheveux courts

The definite article is there because French treats the feature as the one that singles the person out. Think of it as "the man of the beard" rather than "a man who has a beard". The whole group works like a label, which is why you hear it in descriptions, stories, fairy tales and when pointing someone out in a crowd.

C'est la fille aux yeux verts.
(That's the girl with green eyes.)
Je cherche un homme à la barbe rousse.
(I'm looking for a man with a red beard.)
The words
Hair and facial hair

These are the classic identifiers: cheveux (always plural here, so aux), barbe, moustache and the hairstyle queue-de-cheval.

L'homme aux cheveux longs joue de la guitare.
(The man with long hair is playing the guitar.)
Le monsieur à la moustache grise est mon voisin.
(The gentleman with the grey moustache is my neighbour.)
La petite à la queue-de-cheval s'appelle Léa.
(The little girl with the ponytail is called Léa.)
The face

Remember that œil becomes yeux in the plural, so it is almost always aux yeux. The same goes for nez, visage, figure, bouche, lèvre (usually aux lèvres), oreille, sourcil, joue and menton. They usually take an adjective: au nez pointu, aux sourcils épais, au menton carré.

Une femme au visage souriant m'a ouvert la porte.
(A woman with a smiling face opened the door for me.)
Sur la photo, il y a un bébé aux joues toutes rouges.
(In the photo there's a baby with bright red cheeks.)
Body, skin and voice

Use the same pattern with peau, voix, main, épaule, jambe and bras: à la peau mate, aux mains fines, au bras cassé.

J'adore ce chanteur à la voix grave.
(I love that singer with the deep voice.)
Un grand type aux larges épaules est entré.
(A tall guy with broad shoulders came in.)
Clothes and accessories

What someone wears works just as well, as long as it marks them out: lunettes, lunettes de soleil, chapeau, casquette, manteau, robe, écharpe and foulard. Words like parapluie or sac rouge behave the same way.

Tu vois la dame aux lunettes rondes ?
(Do you see the lady with the round glasses?)
Le garçon à la casquette est mon cousin.
(The boy in the cap is my cousin.)
Watch out

This construction only describes a noun: it comes right after the person. To state a feature in a full sentence, French uses avoir with the definite article. You say elle a les yeux bleus, never elle est aux yeux bleus.

Ma sœur a les cheveux frisés.
(My sister has curly hair.)

Avec is still correct, especially with an indefinite article for a plain description: un homme avec une barbe. Choose à plus the definite article when the feature is the label that identifies the person. Also keep the article: un homme à barbe exists, but it means a bearded type of man in general, not the man with the beard you are pointing at.

Summary

To pick someone out by a feature or something they wear, put au, à la, à l' or aux plus the feature right after the person, where English uses with: la fille aux yeux bleus, l'homme au chapeau. In a full sentence about that feature, switch to avoir with the definite article: elle a les yeux bleus.