French Phrase
Demande d'abord l'avis d'un avocat.
Meaning
This sentence is a direct recommendation: ‘First ask for a lawyer’s advice.’ It stresses the importance of getting legal counsel before taking any further action.
When to use
Use it when you want to caution someone about a legal matter—before signing a contract, filing a claim, or making a decision that could have legal consequences.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Demanded'abordl'avisd'unavocat
Imperative (tu)
‘Demande’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb *demander*; it is used when speaking informally to one person.
Adverb ‘d’abord’
‘d’abord’ means ‘first’ or ‘to begin with’ and is placed directly after the verb in an imperative sentence.
Elision with l’
The definite article *le* becomes *l’* before a vowel sound, as in *l'avis*.
Partitive contraction ‘d’un’
‘d’un’ is the contraction of *de* + *un* and introduces a singular, indefinite noun.
Noun gender
*avocat* is masculine; the article *un* reflects that gender.
🗨In Conversation
Je veux signer ce contrat sans rien lire.
I want to sign this contract without reading it.
Demande d'abord l'avis d'un avocat.
First ask for a lawyer’s advice.
✕Common Mistakes
Demandez d'abord l'avis d'un avocat.
‘Demandez’ is the formal/plural imperative; it is wrong only if you are speaking informally to a single person.
l'avis d'une avocat
‘avocat’ is masculine, so the article must be *un*, not *une*.
Demande d'abord un avis d'un avocat.
When talking about a specific opinion, French uses the definite article *l’avis*, not *un avis*.
↔Alternatives
Consulte d'abord un avocat.
Consult a lawyer first.
Obtiens d'abord l'avis d'un avocat.
Obtain a lawyer’s opinion first.
Avant tout, demande l'avis d'un avocat.
Above all, ask for a lawyer’s advice.
Cultural Tip
In French‑speaking jurisdictions, it is common to seek a lawyer’s opinion before signing any legal document. The informal imperative ‘Demande’ is suitable among friends or colleagues; in a formal setting you would say ‘Veuillez demander l'avis d'un avocat’ or use the plural ‘Demandez’. Also note that *l’avis* (the opinion) is always preceded by the definite article, not *un avis*.