Learn French
Author: Omar Khan
Date: 2024-07-07T19:29:59.875650+00:00

[hi]Quel était ton livre préféré quand tu étais enfant ?[/hi]. This translates to “What was your favorite book when you were a child?”

- Quel[/hi] is an interrogative adjective meaning “what”.

- était[/hi] is the past tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- ton[/hi] is the possessive adjective “your” (masculine singular).

- livre[/hi] is a noun meaning “book”.

- préféré[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]préférer[/hi] (to prefer). This acts as an adjective here describing the book.

- quand[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “when”.

- tu[/hi] is the pronoun “you” (informal, singular).

- étais[/hi] is the past tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- enfant[/hi] is a noun meaning “child”.

The sentence structure is simple. The interrogative adjective Quel[/hi] modifies the noun livre[/hi] to make the question phrase. The past tense verb était[/hi] is used with the subject pronoun tu[/hi]. The phrase quand tu étais enfant[/hi] is a subordinate clause that acts as an adverbial phrase modifying the main verb.

This is a classic question to ask someone about their childhood.

[hi]Pourrais-tu me prêter main forte ?[/hi]. Could you lend me a hand?

This is a polite request asking someone for help.

- Pourrais-tu[/hi] is the polite form of “could you” in the conditional tense, indicating a request or possibility.

- me[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, meaning “me”.

- prêter[/hi] means “to lend”.

- main forte[/hi] is a common idiom meaning “a helping hand” or “assistance”.

Breakdown:

- The sentence is in the interrogative (question) form.

- The subject pronoun “[hi]tu[/hi]” (you) is implied.

- The verb “[hi]prêter[/hi]” is conjugated in the conditional tense (“[hi]pourrais[/hi] [hi]prêter[/hi]”).

- The direct object pronoun “[hi]me[/hi]” is placed before the verb.

- The idiom “[hi]main forte[/hi]” is used to express the specific type of help being requested.

[hi]Il ne s’agit pas juste d’argent.[/hi]. It’s not just about money.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “he” or “it.” In this case, it acts as a placeholder for the implied subject of the sentence, which is the situation being discussed.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negative particle, indicating that the statement is negative.

- s’agit[/hi] – This is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “s’agir,” which means “to be a question of” or “to be about.”

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb, meaning “not.”

- juste[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “just” or “only.”

- d’[/hi] – This is the preposition “of” or “about.”

- argent[/hi] – This is the noun “money.”

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The use of “[hi]ne[/hi]” and “[hi]pas[/hi]” creates a negative statement.

- Implied Subject: The subject of the sentence is not explicitly stated but is implied by the context.

- Idiom: The phrase “s’agir de” is a common French idiom that is often used to express what something is about.

Translation: It is not just about [hi]argent[/hi] (money).

[hi]Elles ont eu une prise de bec, hier.[/hi]. They had an argument yesterday.

[hi]Elles[/hi] is the plural feminine form of the pronoun [hi]elle[/hi] (she). It means ‘they’ (feminine).

[hi]ont eu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) conjugated with the third person plural of the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have). It means ‘had’.

[hi]une prise de bec[/hi] is a noun phrase that literally translates to ‘a beak grab’. It is a common French idiom meaning ‘an argument’ or ‘a fight’.

[hi]hier[/hi] is an adverb meaning ‘yesterday’.

[hi]J’essaye de faire de l’exercice tous les jours.[/hi]. I am trying to exercise every day.

This sentence uses the present tense of the verb [hi]essayer[/hi] (to try) and the infinitive [hi]faire[/hi] (to do).

*[hi]J’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]le[/hi] (the).

*[hi]de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of.”

*[hi]l’exercice[/hi] is the masculine singular form of the noun [hi]l’exercice[/hi] (exercise).

*[hi]tous[/hi] is an adjective meaning “all.”

*[hi]les[/hi] is a definite article meaning “the.”

*[hi]jours[/hi] is the plural form of the noun [hi]jour[/hi] (day).

[hi]Tout le monde connaît son nom.[/hi]. Everyone knows his name.

The sentence uses the [hi]tout[/hi] which is a pronoun meaning “everyone” or “everything”. It is followed by [hi]le monde[/hi] which means “the world” but in this context translates to “everyone”. [hi]connaît[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb [hi]connaître[/hi] which means “to know”. [hi]son[/hi] is a possessive adjective meaning “his” or “her”. The noun [hi]nom[/hi] means “name”.

So the sentence literally means “Everyone knows his/her name”.

[hi]Je pensais que vous seriez impressionné.[/hi]. I thought you would be impressed.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I

- pensais[/hi] – This is the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]penser[/hi] (to think). The imperfect tense is used to describe an ongoing action in the past.

- que[/hi] – that

- vous[/hi] – you

- seriez[/hi] – This is the conditional tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be). The conditional tense is used to express something that is likely to happen, or something that would happen under certain conditions.

- impressionné[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]impressionner[/hi] (to impress). The past participle is used in this case to form the conditional tense.

Key concepts:

- Imperfect Tense: Used to describe ongoing actions in the past.

- Conditional Tense: Used to express something that is likely to happen, or something that would happen under certain conditions.

- Past Participle: Used to form the conditional tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi].

[hi]Je me suis imaginée que je pourrais compter sur toi.[/hi]. I imagined that I could count on you.

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”

- me[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “myself”

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “to be” (être) conjugated in the first person singular.

- imaginée[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “to imagine” (imaginer) conjugated in the feminine singular. This form is used because the subject is “je” (I) which is feminine.

- que[/hi] – This is the conjunction “that”

- je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”

- pourrais[/hi] – This is the conditional tense of the verb “to be able” (pouvoir) conjugated in the first person singular.

- compter[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to count”

- sur[/hi] – This is the preposition “on”

- toi[/hi] – This is the pronoun “you”

[hi]La situation semble désespérée.[/hi]. The situation seems desperate.

- La [hi]la[/hi] is the definite article, meaning “the”.

- situation [hi]situation[/hi] is a noun, meaning “situation”.

- semble [hi]semble[/hi] is a verb meaning “seems”.

- désespérée [hi]désespérée[/hi] is an adjective meaning “desperate”.

This sentence uses the simple present tense in French, indicated by the verb “semble” [hi]semble[/hi]. The adjective “désespérée” [hi]désespérée[/hi] modifies the noun “situation” [hi]situation[/hi], meaning that the situation is desperate.

[hi]Tu as l’air d’être un homme honnête.[/hi]. You seem like an honest man.

This sentence uses the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] meaning “to have” in the present tense, conjugated as [hi]as[/hi] because it is the second person singular form.

[hi]l’air[/hi] is a noun meaning “appearance” but is used here as a noun phrase meaning “to seem.”

[hi]d’être[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb [hi]être[/hi] meaning “to be.” Here, the infinitive is used as a noun phrase meaning “to be” or “being.”

[hi]un[/hi] is the masculine singular indefinite article meaning “a” or “an.”

[hi]homme[/hi] is the noun meaning “man.”

[hi]honnête[/hi] is an adjective meaning “honest.”

[hi]Tom a une voix horrible.[/hi]. Tom has a horrible voice.

Here is a breakdown of the sentence:

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence, referring to a person named Tom.

- a[/hi] is an indefinite article, meaning “a” or “an” in English.

- voix[/hi] is a noun, meaning “voice” in English.

- horrible[/hi] is an adjective, meaning “horrible” in English.

The sentence uses the present tense of the verb “avoir” ([hi]avoir[/hi]) in its conjugated form “a.” This conjugation of “avoir” is used for the third person singular, which refers to Tom. The sentence structure is typical of French, where the subject precedes the verb.

[hi]Nous ne t’avons pas entendue entrer.[/hi]. We didn’t hear you enter.

Breakdown:

- Nous [hi]Nous[/hi] – We (subject pronoun, plural)

- ne…pas [hi]ne…pas[/hi] – negation, meaning “not”

- t’ [hi]t’[/hi] – contraction of [hi]te[/hi] (object pronoun, you, singular, informal) and [hi]à[/hi] (to)

- avons [hi]avons[/hi] – have (verb “avoir” in the present tense, first person plural, conjugated with the negation “ne…pas”)

- entendue [hi]entendue[/hi] – heard (past participle of the verb “entendre,” past participle used with “avoir” to form the passé composé)

- entrer [hi]entrer[/hi] – to enter (infinitive verb, used after the past participle in the passé composé)

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The use of [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to form the negative sentence.

- Object Pronoun: The object pronoun [hi]t’[/hi] is used to indicate the person being acted upon (you).

- Passé Composé: The verb tense used in the sentence, formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” and the past participle of the main verb.

- Past Participle Agreement: The past participle “entendue” agrees in gender and number with the direct object “t’”, which is feminine singular.

[hi]Vous feriez une super maman.[/hi]. You would make a great mother.

The sentence is in the conditional mood, indicating a hypothetical situation.

- Vous[/hi] is the formal pronoun for “you,” used when addressing someone with respect.

- feriez[/hi] is the conditional form of the verb “[hi]faire[/hi]” (to do, to make). It is conjugated in the second person plural, agreeing with the subject “[hi]vous[/hi]”.

- une super maman[/hi] is a noun phrase meaning “a great mother.”

* une[/hi] is the feminine singular definite article, indicating “a” or “the” * super[/hi] is an adjective meaning “great,” “awesome,” or “fantastic” * maman[/hi] is the noun meaning “mother”

This sentence is a compliment that implies the person addressed possesses qualities that would make them a wonderful mother.

[hi]Ça me semble étrange.[/hi]. That seems strange to me.

Breakdown:

- Ça[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]la[/hi] (the).

- me[/hi] is the object pronoun “me”.

- semble[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb [hi]sembler[/hi] (to seem).

- étrange[/hi] is the adjective “strange”.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: [hi]Ça[/hi] is a common contraction in French.

- Object Pronoun Placement: Object pronouns like [hi]me[/hi] are placed before the verb in French.

- Verb Conjugation: The verb [hi]sembler[/hi] is conjugated in the third person singular because the subject is implied (“it” or “this”).

[hi]Je n’ai pas de réponse à cela.[/hi]. I do not have an answer to that.

This sentence is in the negative form. It is using the negative pronoun [hi]ne[/hi] and the negative particle [hi]pas[/hi].

[hi]Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun meaning “I.”

[hi]n’ai[/hi] is the conjugation of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) in the present tense, first person singular and negative form.

[hi]pas[/hi] is a negative particle that follows the conjugated verb in the negative form.

[hi]de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of” or “from.”

[hi]réponse[/hi] is a noun meaning “answer.”

[hi]à[/hi] is a preposition meaning “to” or “at.”

[hi]cela[/hi] is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.”

[hi]Tom est en sanglots.[/hi]. Tom is sobbing.

Here is a breakdown of the sentence:

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence, and it is a masculine proper noun.

- est[/hi] is the third-person singular present tense of the verb être (to be).

- en[/hi] is a preposition meaning “in.”

- sanglots[/hi] is a noun meaning “sobs” and is in the plural form.

The phrase en sanglots[/hi] literally translates to “in sobs,” which is a common French idiom that signifies someone is sobbing.

[hi]Je sais qu’il est irréaliste de s’attendre à se que Tom le fasse.[/hi]. I know that it is unrealistic to expect that Tom will do it.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I, a subject pronoun.

- sais[/hi] – know, present tense of the verb [hi]savoir[/hi] conjugated in the first person singular.

- qu’[/hi] – that, a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause.

- il[/hi] – he, a subject pronoun.

- est[/hi] – is, present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] conjugated in the third person singular.

- irréaliste[/hi] – unrealistic, an adjective.

- de[/hi] – to, a preposition indicating purpose or direction.

- s’attendre[/hi] – to expect, an infinitive verb.

- à[/hi] – to, a preposition indicating direction.

- se[/hi] – oneself, a reflexive pronoun.

- que[/hi] – that, a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause.

- Tom[/hi] – Tom, a proper noun.

- le[/hi] – it, a direct object pronoun.

- fasse[/hi] – do, subjunctive mood of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] conjugated in the third person singular.

Key Concepts:

- Subjunctive Mood: The subjunctive mood is used to express doubt, uncertainty, or possibility. In this sentence, the subjunctive mood is used in the clause “[hi]que Tom le fasse[/hi]” because it is expressing the speaker’s uncertainty about Tom’s willingness to do something.

- Reflexive Pronoun: The reflexive pronoun “[hi]se[/hi]” is used to indicate that the subject of the verb ([hi]s’attendre[/hi]) is also the object of the verb.

- Direct Object Pronoun: The direct object pronoun “[hi]le[/hi]” refers to something that has already been mentioned in the previous clause.

English Translation: I know it’s unrealistic to expect Tom to do it.

[hi]Je suis heureuse, ici.[/hi]. I am happy, here.

This sentence uses the verb [hi]être[/hi] “to be” in the present tense, conjugated for the first person singular, [hi]je suis[/hi].

[hi]Heureuse[/hi] is the feminine form of the adjective [hi]heureux[/hi], meaning “happy”.

[hi]Ici[/hi] means “here” and is an adverb of place.

[hi]Je ne pense pas que je puisse le réparer.[/hi]. I don’t think I can fix it.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negative particle “not”. It is used with the verb “penser” in the following way.

- pense[/hi] – This is the present tense, first person singular conjugation of the verb “penser” (to think).

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb “not”. It is used in conjunction with the negative particle “ne”.

- que[/hi] – This is the conjunction “that”. It introduces a subordinate clause that expresses a doubt or opinion.

- je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- puisse[/hi] – This is the present subjunctive of the verb “pouvoir” (to be able to), first person singular. The subjunctive mood expresses an uncertain possibility or opinion.

- le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form.

- réparer[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “réparer” (to fix).

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The use of “[hi]ne[/hi]” and “[hi]pas[/hi]” to create a negative sentence.

- Subjunctive Mood: The use of the subjunctive mood in “[hi]puisse[/hi]” to express uncertainty or opinion.

- Direct Object Pronoun: “[hi]le[/hi]” functions as the direct object pronoun of the verb “[hi]réparer[/hi]”.

[hi]Sa réponse m’a outré.[/hi]. His response outraged me.

Breakdown:

- Sa[/hi] is the masculine singular possessive adjective meaning “his”.

- réponse[/hi] is the noun “response”.

- m’a[/hi] is a contraction of the verb “avoir” in the past tense (third person singular) conjugated with the direct object pronoun “me”.

- outré[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “outrer” meaning “to outrage”.

This sentence uses a common grammatical structure in French, where the past participle agrees in gender and number with the direct object if the object precedes the verb. In this case, “[hi]réponse[/hi]” (feminine singular) is the direct object and it precedes the verb, so “[hi]outré[/hi]” agrees in gender and number.

[hi]Il est assez apte à gérer une affaire.[/hi]. He is quite capable of managing a business.

The sentence uses the following grammatical concepts:

- Il[/hi] is the subject pronoun “he”.

- est[/hi] is the third-person singular form of the verb “être” (to be).

- assez[/hi] is an adverb meaning “quite” or “enough.”

- apte[/hi] is an adjective meaning “capable” or “apt.”

- à[/hi] is the preposition “to” or “for.”

- gérer[/hi] is the verb “to manage.”

- une[/hi] is the indefinite article “a” or “an” referring to a feminine noun.

- affaire[/hi] is the noun “business” or “affair.”

In this case, the sentence is formed with the subject, verb, and adjective, followed by a prepositional phrase expressing the object of the verb. The prepositional phrase is essential for understanding the context of the sentence.

[hi]Tout s’arrêtait.[/hi]. Everything was stopping.

Breakdown:

- Tout [hi]tout[/hi]: This is a pronoun meaning “everything” or “all”. Here, it functions as the subject of the verb.

- s’arrêtait [hi]s’arrêtait[/hi]: This is the third-person singular imperfect tense of the reflexive verb [hi]s’arrêter[/hi] (to stop). The reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] is contracted with the verb to form [hi]s’[/hi]. This tense indicates a continuous or habitual action in the past.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verbs: Verbs that require a reflexive pronoun ([hi]se[/hi] in this case) to indicate the action is performed by the subject upon itself.

- Imperfect Tense: Used to describe actions or states that were ongoing or habitual in the past.

[hi]Qui vous a dit de me dire ça ?[/hi]. Who told you to tell me that?

This sentence is a question using the interrogative pronoun [hi]Qui[/hi] (who) and the past participle [hi]dit[/hi] (told) in the passé composé, formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) in the third person singular ([hi]a[/hi]). The object pronoun [hi]vous[/hi] (you) precedes the verb, which is common in French questions. The [hi]me[/hi] (me) serves as the indirect object pronoun, indicating that the information is being told to the speaker. The phrase [hi]de me dire ça[/hi] (to tell me that) functions as an infinitive phrase, specifying the action that the speaker is asking about.

[hi]Te sens-tu bien ?[/hi]. How are you feeling?

This sentence uses the reflexive verb [hi]se sentir[/hi] which means “to feel” in the context of one’s physical or emotional state. The reflexive pronoun [hi]te[/hi] means “you” and is used here because the verb [hi]se sentir[/hi] is a reflexive verb and the subject is “you”. The verb [hi]sentir[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense in the second person singular form, which is [hi]sens[/hi]. The final word [hi]bien[/hi] means “well” and it is an adverb that modifies the verb [hi]se sentir[/hi].

The literal translation is “Do you feel yourself well?” However, this is not how the sentence is understood in English. In English, we do not use the reflexive pronoun “yourself” in this situation. We would simply say, “How are you feeling?”

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verb: A reflexive verb is a verb that is used with a reflexive pronoun, which refers back to the subject of the verb.

- Reflexive Pronoun: A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that refers back to the subject of the verb.

- Present Tense: The present tense is a verb tense that describes an action that is happening now.

- Second Person Singular: The second person singular is the form of a verb that is used to refer to one person, who is the person being spoken to.

- Adverb: An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

[hi]Vous êtes le seul à pouvoir m’aider.[/hi]. You are the only one who can help me.

Here is a breakdown of the sentence:

- Vous[/hi] – This is the formal “you” in French. It is used when addressing someone you don’t know well, someone older than you, or someone in a position of authority.

- êtes[/hi] – This is the third-person plural form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be). It is conjugated in the present tense.

- le seul[/hi] – This means “the only one.” [hi]le[/hi] is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form.

- à pouvoir[/hi] – This is the infinitive “to be able” in the infinitive form. The [hi]à[/hi] before the verb marks the infinitive form.

- m’aider[/hi] – This means “to help me.” The [hi]m’[/hi] is the object pronoun “me” attached to the verb [hi]aider[/hi] (to help).

The sentence structure is a typical subject-verb-complement structure.

[hi]Les infirmières ont été très gentilles avec moi.[/hi]. The nurses were very kind to me.

- Les[/hi] is the plural definite article, meaning “the.”

- infirmières[/hi] is the plural noun, meaning “nurses.” It is feminine, so the article agrees in gender.

- ont été[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the plural. It is used here to form the past tense with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi].

- très[/hi] is an adverb meaning “very.”

- gentilles[/hi] is the feminine plural adjective meaning “kind.” It agrees in gender and number with the noun [hi]infirmières[/hi].

- avec[/hi] is a preposition meaning “with.”

- moi[/hi] is the pronoun “me” in the object form.

[hi]Sa voiture est tombée en panne en chemin.[/hi]. Her car broke down on the way.

- Sa [hi]Sa[/hi] means “her” and is the feminine singular form of the possessive adjective “son” [hi]son[/hi] (his).

- voiture [hi]voiture[/hi] means “car”.

- est [hi]est[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb “être” [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- tombée [hi]tombée[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “tomber” [hi]tomber[/hi] (to fall). It is used here in a figurative sense, meaning “to break down”.

- en panne [hi]en panne[/hi] is a common phrase meaning “broken down”.

- en chemin [hi]en chemin[/hi] means “on the way”.

[hi]Je veux étudier à l’étranger.[/hi]. I want to study abroad.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”

- veux[/hi] is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb “vouloir”, meaning “to want”

- étudier[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “étudier”, meaning “to study”

- à l’étranger[/hi] is a prepositional phrase meaning “abroad”. [hi]à[/hi] is the preposition “to/at/in”, and [hi]l’étranger[/hi] is the masculine singular definite article “the” followed by the noun “étranger” meaning “foreign country/abroad”.

[hi]Joues-tu d’un instrument de musique ?[/hi]. Do you play a musical instrument?

This sentence is in the interrogative form (question form) in French. Let’s break it down:

- Joues-tu [hi]Joues-tu[/hi]: This is the verb “jouer” [hi]jouer[/hi] (to play) conjugated in the second person singular of the present tense (you play). The “s” at the end is the conjugation marker. The “tu” is the subject pronoun for “you” (singular).

- d’un [hi]d’un[/hi]: This is a contraction of “de” [hi]de[/hi] (of) + “un” [hi]un[/hi] (a/an). It indicates that the instrument is unspecified.

- instrument [hi]instrument[/hi]: This is a noun meaning “instrument”

- de [hi]de[/hi]: This is a preposition meaning “of”

- musique [hi]musique[/hi]: This is a noun meaning “music”

The whole sentence literally translates to “Play you of an instrument of music?” but the English equivalent is “Do you play a musical instrument?”

[hi]Tu es bien plus grand que Tom.[/hi]. You are much taller than Tom.

The sentence uses a comparative adjective: [hi]plus grand[/hi] (taller). It follows the structure “subject + verb + [hi]plus[/hi] + adjective + [hi]que[/hi] + object.”

[hi]Plus[/hi] is used to indicate comparison, and [hi]que[/hi] means “than.”

[hi]J’aimerais savoir jouer au tennis.[/hi]. I would like to know how to play tennis.

This sentence is in the [hi]je[/hi] form, which is the first person singular form of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi] (to like). The verb [hi]aimer[/hi] is conjugated in the conditional tense, which is used to express a desire or a hypothetical situation. The infinitive verb [hi]savoir[/hi] (to know) is used in conjunction with the infinitive verb [hi]jouer[/hi] (to play) to express the desire to learn how to do something. The noun [hi]tennis[/hi] is the object of the verb [hi]jouer[/hi].

[hi]Elle m’attrapa par le bras et me retint d’aller chez moi.[/hi]. She grabbed me by the arm and stopped me from going home.

- Elle [hi]elle[/hi] – She, the subject of the verb. This is a third-person singular pronoun.

- m’attrapa [hi]m’attrapa[/hi] – grabbed me. This is a past tense verb (passé simple) from the verb [hi]attraper[/hi] – to grab. The [hi]m’[/hi] is a contraction of the preposition [hi]me[/hi] – me, and the pronoun [hi]le[/hi] – the. This is a direct object pronoun.

- par le bras [hi]par le bras[/hi] – by the arm. [hi]par[/hi] – by, a preposition. [hi]le[/hi] – the, definite article. [hi]bras[/hi] – arm.

- et me retint [hi]et me retint[/hi] – and stopped me. [hi]et[/hi] – and, a conjunction. [hi]me[/hi] – me, object pronoun. [hi]retint[/hi] – stopped. Past tense verb, again, [hi]retenir[/hi] – to hold back or stop.

- d’aller chez moi [hi]d’aller chez moi[/hi] – from going home. [hi]d’aller[/hi] – to go, infinitive. [hi]chez[/hi] – at the home of, a preposition. [hi]moi[/hi] – me, used as a possessive in this case, meaning my home.

[hi]Es-tu certaine que Tom a dit la vérité ?[/hi]. Are you sure that Tom told the truth?

This sentence is in the interrogative form, meaning it asks a question.

- Es-tu[/hi] is the conjugation of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the second person singular, meaning “are you.” This is the subject of the sentence.

- certaine[/hi] is an adjective meaning “certain” and agrees in gender and number with the subject ([hi]tu[/hi]), so it’s feminine singular.

- que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “that” and introduces a subordinate clause.

- Tom[/hi] is the proper noun for Tom, the subject of the subordinate clause.

- a dit[/hi] is the past tense of the verb [hi]dire[/hi] (to say), meaning “said.”

- la vérité[/hi] is the feminine noun “the truth.”

The entire subordinate clause, “[hi]que Tom a dit la vérité[/hi]”, functions as the object of the verb [hi]être[/hi] in the main clause.

[hi]Cela ne m’inquiète pas outre mesure.[/hi]. This doesn’t worry me excessively.

Breakdown:

- Cela [hi]Cela[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “this” or “that.” It is used as a subject pronoun, referring to the thing that is not worrying the speaker.

- ne…pas [hi]ne…pas[/hi] is a negation, meaning “not.” This phrase is used to make the verb [hi]inquiète[/hi] negative.

- m’ [hi]m’[/hi] is the contracted form of “me” [hi]me[/hi] This is the direct object pronoun, meaning the speaker is the one who is not worried.

- inquiète [hi]inquiète[/hi] is the third-person singular form of the verb [hi]inquiéter[/hi] meaning “to worry.” Here it is in the present tense.

- outre mesure [hi]outre mesure[/hi] is an idiom meaning “excessively” or “beyond measure.”

Key Concepts:

- This sentence demonstrates the use of the negation [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to make a verb negative in French.

- The pronoun [hi]Cela[/hi] is used to refer to an unspecified thing or idea.

- The idiom [hi]outre mesure[/hi] adds emphasis to the level of worry, indicating that the speaker is not particularly concerned.

[hi]Je ne savais pas trop quoi penser.[/hi]. I didn’t really know what to think.

Breakdown:

- Je: I (subject pronoun)

- ne…pas: Negation (not)

- savais: past imperfect of the verb “savoir” (to know)

- trop: too much

- quoi: what

- penser: to think (infinitive verb)

Key Concepts:

- Negation in French: French negation uses the words “ne” and “pas” around the verb.

- Past Imperfect Tense: The past imperfect tense in French is used to describe actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past. In this sentence, it emphasizes that the speaker was unsure what to think for a period of time.

- “Trop” with infinitives: “Trop” can be used with infinitives to mean “too much” or “excessively.” Here, “trop quoi penser” means “too much what to think,” highlighting the speaker’s uncertainty.

[hi]Bon, écoutez attentivement ![/hi]. Okay, listen carefully!

Breakdown:

- Bon[/hi] means “good” or “well” and is used here as an interjection to get the students’ attention.

- écoutez[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb “écouter” (to listen), which means “listen.”

- attentivement[/hi] is an adverb meaning “attentively.”

Key concept: The imperative mood is used to give commands or instructions. In this case, the professor is commanding the students to listen carefully.

[hi]N’oublie pas ton téléphone ![/hi]. Don’t forget your phone!

Breakdown:

- N’[hi]oublie[/hi] pas : This is a negative imperative.

* N’[/hi] is the negative particle, used before verbs in the imperative. * oublie[/hi] is the verb “to forget” in the imperative form, second person singular. * pas[/hi] is the negative adverb, emphasizing the negation.

- ton[/hi] [hi]téléphone[/hi] : This is the direct object of the verb “to forget”.

* ton[/hi] is the possessive adjective “your” (masculine singular). * téléphone[/hi] is the noun “phone” (masculine singular).

Key Concepts:

- Negative Imperative: This is a command using the negative form of the verb.

- Possessive Adjective: This word tells us who the phone belongs to (“your”).

- Direct Object: This is the noun that receives the action of the verb (“your phone”).

[hi]Nous n’avons pas les mêmes valeurs.[/hi]. We do not share the same values.

This sentence is in the negative form using the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] and the negation [hi]ne…pas[/hi].

- Nous ([hi]nous[/hi]) is the subject pronoun and means “we”.

- n’avons ([hi]n’avons[/hi]) is the conjugated form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the negative present tense, 3rd person plural.

- pas ([hi]pas[/hi]) is the negative adverb and means “not”.

- les ([hi]les[/hi]) is the definite article and means “the”.

- mêmes ([hi]mêmes[/hi]) is an adjective meaning “same”.

- valeurs ([hi]valeurs[/hi]) is the noun and means “values”.

This sentence highlights the difference in beliefs between two or more people.

[hi]J’ai remercié Marie pour son aide.[/hi]. I thanked Marie for her help.

This sentence is in the passé composé, which is a common way to express past actions in French.

- J’[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- remercié[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]remercier[/hi] (to thank).

- Marie[/hi] is the proper noun for the person being thanked.

- pour[/hi] means “for”.

- son[/hi] is the possessive adjective meaning “her” and agrees in gender and number with the noun that follows.

- aide[/hi] means “help.”

In this sentence, the subject, “I”, performed the action of thanking “Marie”. The verb “thanked” is conjugated in the past tense, indicating that the action has already happened. The preposition “for” introduces the reason for thanking, which is “her help”. The use of the possessive adjective “her” clarifies that the help belongs to Marie.

[hi]Écoute ton père.[/hi]. Listen to your father.

Breakdown:

- Écoute [hi]Écoute[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb “écouter” (to listen). This form is used to give a direct command.

- ton [hi]ton[/hi] is the masculine singular form of the possessive adjective “your”. It agrees in gender and number with the noun “père” (father).

- père [hi]père[/hi] means “father”.

Key Concepts:

- Imperative mood: The imperative mood is used to give commands, requests, or instructions.

- Possessive adjectives: Possessive adjectives indicate ownership and agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

[hi]Je ne me sens pas bien.[/hi]. I don’t feel well.

This sentence uses the negative construction in French, which is composed of ne and pas.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne[/hi] is the first part of the negative construction.

- me[/hi] is the reflexive pronoun “myself”. It is used with the verb sentir (“to feel”) to indicate that the subject is experiencing the feeling directly.

- sens[/hi] is the present tense of the verb sentir. It is conjugated in the first person singular form.

- pas[/hi] is the second part of the negative construction.

The sentence translates directly to: “I not myself feel well.”

[hi]J’ai été un peu émotionnel.[/hi]. I was a little emotional.

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- été[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) and agrees in gender and number with the subject [hi]je[/hi] (I).

- un peu[/hi] means “a little” and modifies the adjective [hi]émotionnel[/hi].

- émotionnel[/hi] is an adjective meaning “emotional”.

[hi]Je ne te fais pas confiance.[/hi]. I do not trust you.

This sentence is in the negative form and uses the negative pronoun “[hi]ne[/hi]” meaning “not.”

The verb “[hi]faire[/hi]” meaning “to do” is conjugated in the present tense, first person singular form “[hi]fais[/hi]” and is followed by the indirect object pronoun “[hi]te[/hi]” meaning “you.”

The verb is followed by the noun “[hi]confiance[/hi]” meaning “trust.”

The sentence structure is subject-verb-object with the subject being “I,” the verb being “do not trust,” and the object being “you.”

[hi]N’hésitez pas à me poser des questions.[/hi]. This means “Don’t hesitate to ask me questions.”

Here’s a breakdown:

- N’[hi]hésitez[/hi] pas : This is the negative imperative form of the verb [hi]hésiter[/hi] (to hesitate). It is the formal “you” form, so you would use this for a professor or someone you don’t know well. The [hi]pas[/hi] reinforces the negative.

- à [hi]me[/hi] [hi]poser[/hi]: This is the infinitive (to) of the verb [hi]poser[/hi] (to ask) with the indirect object pronoun [hi]me[/hi] (me).

- des [hi]questions[/hi]: This is the plural form of the noun [hi]question[/hi] (question).

Key concepts:

- Negative imperative: Used to tell someone not to do something.

- Formal “you”: Used for showing respect, as you would to a professor.

- Infinitive with preposition: The infinitive [hi]poser[/hi] is used with the preposition [hi]à[/hi] to indicate the purpose of the action.

- Indirect object pronoun: The pronoun [hi]me[/hi] indicates that the questions are being asked to the person speaking.

[hi]Tu cesseras bientôt de penser à elle.[/hi]. You will soon stop thinking about her.

- Tu [hi]tu[/hi] is the informal “you,” used for someone you know well.

- cesseras [hi]cesseras[/hi] is the future tense of the verb [hi]cesser[/hi] (to stop, cease), conjugated for the informal “you.”

- bientôt [hi]bientôt[/hi] means “soon.”

- de penser [hi]de penser[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb [hi]penser[/hi] (to think) preceded by the preposition [hi]de[/hi], indicating that it is the object of the verb [hi]cesser[/hi].

- à elle [hi]à elle[/hi] is the prepositional phrase “to her.” [hi]à[/hi] is the preposition “to” and [hi]elle[/hi] is the pronoun “she.”

This sentence is a simple future statement using the future tense of the verb [hi]cesser[/hi] to indicate that the action of stopping thinking about “her” will happen soon.

[hi]L’essence est utilisée comme carburant.[/hi]. The essence is used as fuel.

- L’essence[/hi] is the subject of the sentence. It means “gasoline” or “petrol”. It is the feminine singular form of the noun [hi]l’essence[/hi] and is being used as a definite article with the feminine singular noun [hi]essence[/hi] which means “essence”. The [hi]’[/hi] in front of the [hi]essence[/hi] is an elision of the definite article [hi]le[/hi] as it is before a vowel sound.

- est[/hi] is the third-person singular present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] which means “to be”.

- utilisée[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]utiliser[/hi] meaning “to use” and is in the feminine singular form agreeing with the subject [hi]l’essence[/hi].

- comme[/hi] is a preposition meaning “as” or “like”.

- carburant[/hi] is a masculine singular noun meaning “fuel”.

[hi]Elles sont dans la même classe.[/hi]. They are in the same class.

Breakdown:

- Elles[/hi] – This is the plural feminine form of the pronoun “they”.

- sont[/hi] – This is the third-person plural form of the verb “to be” in the present tense.

- dans[/hi] – This preposition means “in” or “inside”.

- la[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the feminine singular form.

- même[/hi] – This adjective means “same”.

- classe[/hi] – This noun means “class” or “classroom”.

Key Concepts:

- Gender Agreement: In French, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Here, “[hi]même[/hi]” is feminine singular to agree with “[hi]classe[/hi]”.

- Definite Articles: French uses definite articles (like “[hi]la[/hi]”) before singular nouns, even when the noun is a general concept like “class”.

[hi]On peut corriger ça.[/hi]. We can fix that.

Breakdown:

- On[/hi] – This is the pronoun “we” in the subject form.

- peut[/hi] – This is the verb “to be able to” in the third person singular form. It is conjugated in the present tense.

- corriger[/hi] – This is the verb “to correct” in the infinitive form.

- ça[/hi] – This is a pronoun that refers to something previously mentioned. It can be translated as “that” or “it.”

Key Concepts:

- Verb conjugation: The verb “[hi]peut[/hi]” is conjugated in the third person singular form, which agrees with the subject “[hi]On[/hi]”.

- Pronoun usage: The pronoun “[hi]ça[/hi]” refers to something that has been previously discussed or understood.

- Sentence structure: The sentence follows a typical subject-verb-object structure.

[hi]Je veux simplement que vous soyez heureuse.[/hi]. I simply want you to be happy.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- veux[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “vouloir” (to want) in the first person singular.

- simplement[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “simply” or “just.” It modifies the verb “vouloir.”

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause. It can be translated as “that.”

- vous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “you” in the second person plural (formal or informal).

- soyez[/hi] – This is the present subjunctive conjugation of the verb “être” (to be) in the second person plural. The subjunctive mood is used after verbs expressing desire, will, or emotion.

- heureuse[/hi] – This is the feminine adjective meaning “happy.” It modifies the pronoun “vous.”

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “veux” agrees with the subject “je” in number and person. The verb “soyez” agrees with the subject “vous” in number and person.

- Subjunctive Mood: The subjunctive mood is used in the subordinate clause to express the speaker’s desire that the person be happy.

- Adverbs: The adverb “simplement” modifies the verb “vouloir,” indicating the speaker’s intention is simple and straightforward.

[hi]Que pensez-vous de ce plan ?[/hi]. What do you think of this plan?

This sentence is a simple question in the [hi]tu[/hi] form, meaning “you”.

The verb “penser” means “to think” and it is conjugated in the present tense, [hi]pensez[/hi], which is the formal “you” form. The literal translation is “What do you think [formal] of this plan?”

The object of the verb is “ce plan” which means “this plan”.

The word order is very common in French questions: [hi]Question Word[/hi] + [hi]Verb[/hi] + [hi]Subject[/hi]

[hi]Un animal sauvage ne devrait pas être gardé comme animal de compagnie.[/hi]. A wild animal shouldn’t be kept as a pet.

- Un animal sauvage – [hi]Un animal sauvage[/hi] – This translates to “a wild animal”. [hi]Un[/hi] is the masculine singular indefinite article, which is equivalent to “a” or “an” in English. [hi]Animal[/hi] is the noun “animal”. [hi]Sauvage[/hi] is the adjective “wild”, modifying the noun [hi]animal[/hi].

- ne devrait pas être gardé – [hi]ne devrait pas être gardé[/hi] – This translates to “should not be kept”. [hi]Ne[/hi] is the negative particle, which makes the verb negative. [hi]Devrait[/hi] is the conditional form of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi] (“to have to”, “to should”). [hi]Pas[/hi] is the negative adverb, which emphasizes the negation. [hi]Être[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the infinitive form, which is used with the past participle [hi]gardé[/hi] to form the passive voice. [hi]Gardé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]garder[/hi] (“to keep”).

- comme animal de compagnie – [hi]comme animal de compagnie[/hi] – This translates to “as a pet”. [hi]Comme[/hi] is the preposition “as”. [hi]Animal de compagnie[/hi] is the noun phrase “pet”, literally meaning “companion animal”.

[hi]Mon épouse est partie pour le weekend.[/hi]. My wife has left for the weekend.

Breakdown:

- Mon[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “my” and it agrees in gender and number with the noun that follows, “épouse,” which is feminine singular.

- épouse[/hi] – This is the noun “wife” which is feminine singular.

- est[/hi] – This is the third person singular present tense form of the verb “être” (to be).

- partie[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “partir” (to leave). The past participle agrees in gender and number with the noun “épouse,” which is feminine singular. It is used in this sentence with the auxiliary verb “être” to form the passé composé tense.

- pour[/hi] – This is the preposition “for”.

- le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form.

- weekend[/hi] – This is the noun “weekend” which is masculine singular.

Key Concepts:

- Possessive Adjectives: [hi]Mon[/hi] is used to show that the speaker is referring to their own wife.

- Agreement: The past participle “[hi]partie[/hi]” agrees with the feminine singular noun “[hi]épouse[/hi]”.

- Past Composé: The verb “partir” is used in the passé composé tense to indicate a completed action.

- Prepositions: The preposition “[hi]pour[/hi]” is used to express the duration of the wife’s absence.

[hi]Elle porte toujours des vêtements à la mode.[/hi]. She always wears fashionable clothes.

Breakdown:

- Elle [hi]Elle[/hi] – This is the third person singular feminine pronoun, meaning “she”.

- porte [hi]porte[/hi] – This is the third person singular present tense of the verb [hi]porter[/hi], meaning “to wear”.

- toujours [hi]toujours[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “always”.

- des [hi]des[/hi] – This is the plural definite article meaning “some” or “the” in this case.

- vêtements [hi]vêtements[/hi] – This is the plural noun meaning “clothes”.

- à [hi]à[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “to” or “at” in this case.

- la [hi]la[/hi] – This is the singular feminine definite article meaning “the”.

- mode [hi]mode[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “fashion”.

Key Concepts:

- Present tense: The verb [hi]porte[/hi] is in the present tense, indicating an action that happens regularly.

- Definite articles: The definite articles [hi]des[/hi], [hi]la[/hi] are used to indicate specific clothes and fashion.

- Adverbs: The adverb [hi]toujours[/hi] modifies the verb [hi]porte[/hi] to indicate frequency.

- Preposition: The preposition [hi]à[/hi] indicates the relationship between the clothes and fashion.

[hi]J’ai dû commettre une erreur.[/hi]. I must have made a mistake.

Breakdown:

- J’ai – This is the contraction of je (I) and ai (have). This is the present tense of the verb avoir (to have), conjugated in the first person singular.

- dû – This is the past participle of the verb devoir (to have to, to be supposed to, to be required to). It is used here as an adjective modifying commettre.

- commettre – This verb means “to commit” or “to make” in the sense of committing a mistake or an error.

- une erreur – This means “a mistake” or “an error”.

Key Concepts:

- Past Participle: The past participle is a verb form that is used to create compound tenses. In this sentence, the past participle dû is used with the auxiliary verb avoir to form the past conditional tense.

- Auxiliary Verb: An auxiliary verb is a verb that is used with another verb to create a compound tense. In this sentence, avoir is the auxiliary verb.

- Contraction: A contraction is a combination of two words into one. In this sentence, j’ai is a contraction of je and ai.

[hi]Tom sait qu’il n’aurait pas dû dire ça.[/hi]. Tom knows that he shouldn’t have said that.

- sait[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb [hi]savoir[/hi] (to know).

- qu’il[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “that” followed by the third person singular subject pronoun [hi]il[/hi] (he).

- n’aurait pas dû[/hi] is the conditional perfect tense of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi] (to have to/should) in the negative form. It expresses regret or that something should not have happened.

- dire[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb [hi]dire[/hi] (to say).

- ça[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “that” or “it.”

Key Concepts

- Conditional perfect tense: This tense is used to express hypothetical situations or regrets in the past.

- Negation: The negative form of the conditional perfect tense is formed by placing [hi]ne[/hi] before the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi] after it.

[hi]Ils ne veulent pas qu’on sache.[/hi]. They don’t want us to know.

- Ils[/hi] – This is the third-person plural pronoun, meaning “they”.

- ne veulent[/hi] – This is the negative form of the verb “vouloir” (to want) in the present tense, conjugated for the third-person plural.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb, meaning “not”.

- qu’on[/hi] – This is the conjunction “que” followed by the pronoun “on” (one, people). It introduces a subordinate clause.

- sache[/hi] – This is the subjunctive form of the verb “savoir” (to know) in the present tense, conjugated for the third person singular. It is used because the main clause expresses a desire or wish.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negation “ne…pas” to express the idea of “not wanting”.

- Subjunctive mood: The subjunctive mood is used in the subordinate clause to express the wish or desire of the subject in the main clause.

- Pronoun “on”: The pronoun “on” is often used in French to refer to people in general or to an indefinite person.

[hi]Avez-vous parlé de ceci à quelqu’un d’autre ?[/hi]. Have you spoken about this to anyone else?

- Avez-vous [hi]Avez-vous[/hi] is the formal way to ask “have you” in French. It is the conjugation of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) in the present tense, second person plural.

- parlé [hi]parlé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]parler[/hi] (to speak).

- de [hi]de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of” or “about”.

- ceci [hi]ceci[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “this”.

- à [hi]à[/hi] is a preposition meaning “to”.

- quelqu’un [hi]quelqu’un[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “someone”.

- d’autre [hi]d’autre[/hi] means “else” or “other”.

The sentence uses the past participle [hi]parlé[/hi] after the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] to form the passé composé, which is the most common way to express past actions in French. The sentence also uses the preposition [hi]à[/hi] to indicate the person to whom the speaker has spoken.

[hi]Je veux t’aider à sortir de ce pétrin.[/hi]. I want to help you get out of this mess.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the first-person singular pronoun, meaning “I.”

- veux[/hi] – This is the first-person singular present tense conjugation of the verb “vouloir,” meaning “to want.”

- t’[/hi] – This is the second-person singular pronoun, meaning “you,” in the familiar form. It is a contraction of [hi]te[/hi] and [hi]le[/hi] or [hi]la[/hi].

- aider[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “aider,” meaning “to help.”

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to,” used here to indicate purpose.

- sortir[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “sortir,” meaning “to go out” or “to get out.”

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “from.”

- ce[/hi] – This is the demonstrative adjective “this.”

- pétrin[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “mess” or “pickle.”

Key concepts:

- Direct object pronoun: The pronoun [hi]t’[/hi] acts as the direct object of the verb [hi]aider[/hi].

- Infinitive phrase: The phrase [hi]sortir de ce pétrin[/hi] functions as the object of the preposition [hi]à[/hi] and expresses the purpose of helping.

- Familiar form: The use of the familiar form [hi]t’[/hi] suggests a close or informal relationship between the speaker and the listener.

[hi]Tom a réussi l’examen.[/hi]. Tom passed the exam.

This sentence uses the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense, which is the most common past tense in French. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) conjugated in the present tense and the past participle of the main verb.

In this case:

- a[/hi] is the conjugated form of the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the third person singular (he/she/it has).

- réussi[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]réussir[/hi] (to succeed).

So, the sentence literally translates to “Tom has succeeded the exam,” which is equivalent to “Tom passed the exam” in English.

[hi]Ça m’a l’air suspect.[/hi]. That seems suspicious to me.

The phrase uses the impersonal pronoun [hi]ça[/hi] (“it”) as the subject of the verb [hi]avoir l’air[/hi] (“to seem”). [hi]suspect[/hi] is an adjective meaning “suspicious”.

The sentence literally translates to “It seems suspicious to me” and is an idiomatic way of saying “That seems suspicious to me”.

[hi]Attends une minute.[/hi]. Wait a minute.

This is a simple imperative sentence, meaning it is a command or request.

- Attends[/hi] is the verb attendre[/hi] conjugated in the second-person singular tu[/hi] form, meaning “you” (informal). In this context, it is an imperative form, meaning “wait”.

- une minute[/hi] means “a minute” and functions as the object of the verb attendre[/hi].

[hi]Je viens de faire peindre la maison.[/hi]. I just had the house painted.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I

- viens[/hi] – come (present tense of the verb venir) – In this context, it is used in the construction venir de + infinitive, which means “to have just done something”.

- de[/hi] – of

- faire[/hi] – to do/make – In this context, it is used as a causative verb, meaning “to have something done”.

- peindre[/hi] – to paint

- la[/hi] – the

- maison[/hi] – house

Key Concepts:

- Causative Verbs: The verb faire is used to indicate that the subject of the sentence had someone else paint the house for them.

- venir de + infinitive[/hi]: This construction is used to express that an action has just been completed.

[hi]Tom a rejeté toutes mes idées.[/hi]. Tom rejected all of my ideas.

This sentence uses the [hi]passé composé[/hi], a common verb tense in French that indicates an action completed in the past.

- Tom[/hi] – This is the subject of the sentence, the person who performed the action.

- a rejeté[/hi] – This is the verb in the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the appropriate form for the subject ([hi]a[/hi] in this case), followed by the past participle of the main verb, [hi]rejeter[/hi].

- toutes[/hi] – This is the feminine plural form of the adjective [hi]toute[/hi] (all) and modifies the noun [hi]idées[/hi].

- mes[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective [hi]mon[/hi] in the plural, meaning “my” and modifying the noun [hi]idées[/hi].

- idées[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “ideas.”

Overall, the sentence states that Tom rejected all of the speaker’s ideas.

[hi]Tu es productif.[/hi]. You are productive.

This sentence is quite simple, but it illustrates the use of the verb être [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the present tense.

- Tu [hi]Tu[/hi] is the familiar form of “you” in French, used for friends, family, and sometimes people you know well.

- es [hi]es[/hi] is the second-person singular present tense conjugation of être [hi]être[/hi], used with the pronoun “tu” [hi]Tu[/hi].

- productif [hi]productif[/hi] is an adjective meaning “productive.”

Therefore, the sentence translates directly to “You are productive.”

[hi]Je suis fermement opposé au plan.[/hi]. I am firmly opposed to the plan.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “être” (to be).

- fermement[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “firmly”.

- opposé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “s’opposer” (to oppose), used here as an adjective.

- au[/hi] – This is the preposition “to” before a masculine noun.

- plan[/hi] – This is the noun “plan”.

Key Concepts:

- Adverbial modifier: “[hi]fermement[/hi]” modifies the verb “[hi]suis[/hi]” to indicate the strength of the opposition.

- Past participle as adjective: The past participle “[hi]opposé[/hi]” acts as an adjective modifying the subject “I”.

- Prepositional phrase: “[hi]au plan[/hi]” acts as a prepositional phrase, indicating the object of the opposition.

[hi]C’est un pays libre.[/hi]. This is a free country.

[hi]C’est[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] which means “this” and [hi]est[/hi] which is the third person singular form of the verb “to be”. [hi]Un[/hi] is the indefinite article meaning “a” or “an”. [hi]pays[/hi] means “country”, and [hi]libre[/hi] means “free”. [hi]C’est un pays libre[/hi] literally translates to “This is a free country”.

[hi]Je te suivrai partout où tu iras.[/hi]. I will follow you everywhere you go.

This sentence is in the future tense, indicating an action that will happen in the future. The verb is “[hi]suivrai[/hi]” which is the future tense of “[hi]suivre[/hi]” (to follow).

- “[hi]Je[/hi]” is the subject pronoun “I”.

- “[hi]te[/hi]” is the object pronoun “you” (informal).

- “[hi]suivrai[/hi]” is the future tense of the verb “[hi]suivre[/hi]” (to follow).

- “[hi]partout[/hi]” is an adverb meaning “everywhere”.

- “[hi]où[/hi]” is a relative pronoun meaning “where”.

- “[hi]tu[/hi]” is the subject pronoun “you” (informal).

- “[hi]iras[/hi]” is the future tense of the verb “[hi]aller[/hi]” (to go).

The sentence translates literally as “I will follow you everywhere where you will go”. However, the more natural English translation is “I will follow you everywhere you go”.

[hi]Pourquoi voulais-tu nous parler ?[/hi]. Why did you want to talk to us?

This sentence is in the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense, which is used to describe actions that have already happened. The verb [hi]vouloir[/hi] is conjugated in the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] and the past participle [hi]voulu[/hi] meaning “to want”. The subject of the sentence is [hi]tu[/hi] which means “you”, implying that the speaker is addressing one person. The pronoun [hi]nous[/hi] means “us” and is the object of the verb, indicating that the speaker wants to understand why the person wanted to talk to them and their peers.

[hi]Il m’a invitée à danser.[/hi]. He invited me to dance.

Breakdown:

- Il [hi]Il[/hi] – This is the masculine singular pronoun meaning “he”.

- m’ [hi]m’[/hi] – This is the contracted form of “me” [hi]me[/hi] which is used before a verb.

- a [hi]a[/hi] – This is the third person singular form of the auxiliary verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] which means “to have”. This is part of the past tense for regular verbs.

- invitée [hi]invitée[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “inviter” [hi]inviter[/hi] meaning “to invite”. This form agrees in gender and number with the direct object pronoun “me”.

- à [hi]à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to”, introducing the infinitive “danser” [hi]danser[/hi].

- danser [hi]danser[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “to dance”.

Key Concepts:

- Past Tense (Passé Composé): This sentence uses the Passé Composé, a common past tense in French. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] and the past participle of the main verb.

- Direct Object Pronouns: The pronoun “me” [hi]me[/hi] is the direct object of the verb “inviter” [hi]inviter[/hi].

- Agreement of Past Participle: The past participle “invitée” [hi]invitée[/hi] agrees with the direct object pronoun in gender and number. In this case, the direct object is “me” [hi]me[/hi] which is feminine singular, so the past participle is also feminine singular.

[hi]Je n’ai pas dit que c’était mal de manger.[/hi]. I didn’t say that it was bad to eat.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”

- n’ai[/hi] is the contraction of “ne” and “ai” which is the first person singular of the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have)

- pas[/hi] is the negation word “not”

- dit[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]dire[/hi] (to say)

- que[/hi] is the conjunction “that”

- c’était[/hi] is the contraction of “ce” and “était” which is the third person singular of the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be)

- mal[/hi] is the adjective “bad”

- de[/hi] is the preposition “to”

- manger[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb “to eat”

This sentence is in the negative form and uses the imperfect tense to describe a past action that was ongoing. The sentence emphasizes that the speaker did not express a negative opinion about eating.

[hi]Tu seras toujours bienvenu ici.[/hi]. You will always be welcome here.

This sentence uses the future tense [hi]serais[/hi] which is conjugated with the subject pronoun [hi]tu[/hi] (you) and the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be). The adjective [hi]bienvenu[/hi] (welcome) agrees in gender with the subject pronoun [hi]tu[/hi] and is in the masculine form. The adverb [hi]toujours[/hi] (always) modifies the verb [hi]serais[/hi]. The preposition [hi]ici[/hi] (here) indicates the location.

[hi]On ne saura jamais qui il est.[/hi]. We will never know who he is.

Breakdown:

- On ne saura jamais: This is a negative construction in the future tense.

* On is the pronoun “one” or “we”, used here in an impersonal sense. * ne is the negative particle, which is always used with pas or another negative word in a negative sentence. * saura is the third-person singular future tense of the verb savoir (to know). * jamais is the adverb meaning “never”.

- qui il est: This is a relative clause that modifies qui (who).

* qui is the relative pronoun meaning “who” or “that”. * il is the third-person singular subject pronoun “he”. * est is the third-person singular present tense of the verb être (to be).

Key Concepts:

- Impersonal “on”: This is a very common construction in French, used to express a general statement or something that applies to everyone.

- Negative Construction: The negative in French always requires both the negative particle ne and a negative word like pas.

- Future Tense: The future tense in French is formed by adding the future endings to the infinitive of the verb.

- Relative Clauses: A relative clause provides more information about a noun. It is introduced by a relative pronoun, such as qui or que.

[hi]J’ai beaucoup de rêves.[/hi]. I have many dreams.

This sentence is in the present tense, and it uses the verb “[hi]avoir[/hi]” which means “to have”. The subject of the sentence is “[hi]j’[/hi]” which is the contracted form of “[hi]je[/hi]” and means “I”. The object of the verb is “[hi]beaucoup de rêves[/hi]” which literally means “a lot of dreams”. “[hi]Beaucoup[/hi]” means “a lot” and “[hi]de[/hi]” functions as a preposition meaning “of” in this context. “[hi]Rêves[/hi]” is the plural form of “[hi]rêve[/hi]”, which means “dream”.

Therefore, the full meaning of the sentence is “I have many dreams”.

[hi]Tu peux y aller si c’est ce que tu souhaites.[/hi]. You can go there if that’s what you want.

- Tu [hi]Tu[/hi] is the informal singular subject pronoun, meaning “you.”

- peux [hi]peux[/hi] is the informal singular form of the verb “pouvoir” (to be able to), conjugated in the present tense. It’s a modal verb, helping to express possibility or permission.

- y [hi]y[/hi] is an adverb that refers to a place that has already been mentioned in the context. It’s often used with verbs of movement like “go,” “come,” “return,” etc.

- aller [hi]aller[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to go.”

- si [hi]si[/hi] is a conjunction that means “if.”

- c’est [hi]c’est[/hi] is a contraction of “ce” (this) and “est” (is), which translates as “it is” or “that is.”

- ce [hi]ce[/hi] is a demonstrative pronoun, referring to something previously mentioned or understood.

- que [hi]que[/hi] is a relative pronoun, meaning “that” or “what.”

- tu [hi]tu[/hi] is the informal singular subject pronoun, again, meaning “you.”

- souhaites [hi]souhaites[/hi] is the informal singular form of the verb “souhaiter” (to wish, to want), conjugated in the present tense.

The sentence is a conditional statement, meaning that the first part (You can go there) is contingent on the second part (if that’s what you want). The phrase is a gentle way to give someone permission to leave or to do something, but emphasizes that the decision is up to them.

[hi]J’ai fait un rêve avec un zèbre.[/hi]. I had a dream with a zebra.

This sentence is in the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense, which is used to describe completed actions in the past.

- J’ai[/hi] is the first-person singular form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) conjugated in the [hi]passé composé[/hi]. It acts as an auxiliary verb in this sentence.

- fait[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (to do, to make). It is the main verb and agrees with the subject, “I”.

- un rêve[/hi] is a noun phrase, meaning “a dream”.

- avec[/hi] is a preposition meaning “with”.

- un zèbre[/hi] is a noun phrase meaning “a zebra”.

Breakdown: The sentence can be broken down as follows: 1. The subject is “I” ([hi]je[/hi]).

2. The verb is “[hi]faire[/hi]” (to do, to make), conjugated in the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense.

3. The object of the verb is “a dream” ([hi]un rêve[/hi]).

4. The prepositional phrase “[hi]avec un zèbre[/hi]” (with a zebra) further describes the dream.

Key concepts:

- Passé composé[/hi]: This tense is essential for describing completed actions in the past. It is formed using an auxiliary verb ([hi]avoir[/hi] or [hi]être[/hi]) and the past participle of the main verb.

- Agreement: The past participle of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] must agree in gender and number with the direct object, which is “dream” in this case.

- Prepositional phrases: These are phrases that begin with a preposition and provide additional information about the noun they modify.

[hi]Entrez et faites comme chez vous.[/hi]. Come in and make yourself at home.

This sentence is a polite invitation to enter and relax. Let’s break it down:

- Entrez[/hi] – This is the imperative form of the verb [hi]entrer[/hi], meaning “to enter”. In this context, it’s a direct command, “Enter!”

- et[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “and”.

- faites[/hi] – This is the imperative form of the verb [hi]faire[/hi], meaning “to do” or “to make”. It is conjugated in the second person plural, addressing the person being spoken to, “you” (plural).

- comme[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “like”.

- chez[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “at the home of”.

- vous[/hi] – This is a pronoun meaning “you” (plural).

Putting it together, the sentence means “Enter and do like at the home of you”, which is a polite way of saying “Come in and make yourself at home”.

This sentence uses the imperative mood, which is used for commands and instructions. It also uses the informal “vous” which is a common way to address people in French, even strangers, especially in formal settings.

[hi]Je t’ai sauvé.[/hi]. I saved you.

This sentence is in the passé composé tense, which is used to describe actions that happened in the past and are now completed.

- Je [hi]je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- t’ [hi]te[/hi] is the object pronoun “you” (informal, singular). This is a contracted form of à toi [hi]à toi[/hi], meaning “to you.”

- ai [hi]ai[/hi] is the present tense of the auxiliary verb avoir [hi]avoir[/hi], which means “to have.”

- sauvé [hi]sauvé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb sauver [hi]sauver[/hi], meaning “to save.”

Therefore, the sentence means “I have saved you” or, more simply, “I saved you”.

[hi]As-tu appelé ?[/hi]. Did you call?

This sentence uses the [hi]passé composé[/hi], which is the most common past tense in French. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) in the present tense and the past participle of the main verb.

In this case, the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] is conjugated in the second person singular (tu), which means it is referring to the person being addressed directly.

The past participle of the verb [hi]appeler[/hi] (to call) is [hi]appelé[/hi].

So the full breakdown is: [hi]As[/hi] – Are (contraction of [hi]est-ce que[/hi] – is it that) [hi]tu[/hi] – you [hi]appelé[/hi] – called (past participle of [hi]appeler[/hi]) Therefore, the sentence translates to “Did you call?”

[hi]T’es-tu amusée ?[/hi]. Did you have fun?

This sentence is a question formed using the inverted subject-verb structure common in French.

- T’[/hi] is a contraction of tu[/hi] (you) and es[/hi] (are).

- es[/hi] is the conjugated form of the verb **[hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the past participle form.

- amusée[/hi] is the past participle of the verb s’amuser[/hi] (to have fun).

The sentence translates literally as “Are you amused?” However, the past participle amusée[/hi] indicates that the action of having fun is completed, making the question “Did you have fun?” more natural in English.

[hi]Je n’ai pas à te parler.[/hi]. I don’t have to talk to you.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- n’ai[/hi] – Contraction of [hi]ne[/hi] (negation) + [hi]ai[/hi] (present tense of [hi]avoir[/hi] – to have)

- pas[/hi] – not (negation)

- à[/hi] – to (preposition)

- te[/hi] – you (object pronoun)

- parler[/hi] – to talk (infinitive verb)

Key concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the double negation structure [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to express a negative meaning.

- Contraction: [hi]n’ai[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]ai[/hi]. This contraction is common in spoken and written French.

- Infinitive verb: The verb [hi]parler[/hi] is used in its infinitive form after the preposition [hi]à[/hi].

- Object pronoun: The pronoun [hi]te[/hi] is the direct object of the verb [hi]parler[/hi]. It indicates that the speaker does not have to talk to the person being addressed.

[hi]Voici ton salaire pour le mois dernier.[/hi]. Here is your salary for last month.

- Voici[/hi] means “here is” in this context. It is a demonstrative pronoun that points to something close.

- ton[/hi] means “your” and is a possessive adjective agreeing with the noun [hi]salaire[/hi] (salary).

- salaire[/hi] means “salary” and is the noun that is the object of the verb [hi]voici[/hi].

- pour[/hi] means “for” and introduces the time period in which the salary is given.

- le[/hi] means “the” and is a definite article agreeing with the noun [hi]mois[/hi].

- mois[/hi] means “month” and is the noun representing the time period.

- dernier[/hi] means “last” and modifies the noun [hi]mois[/hi].

[hi]Tom nous a certainement tous trompés.[/hi]. Tom has certainly deceived us all.

This sentence is in the past tense and uses the compound past tense ([hi]passé composé[/hi]) which is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the appropriate conjugation followed by the past participle of the main verb.

- Tom is the subject of the sentence.

- a[/hi] is the third person singular form of the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the present tense.

- certainement[/hi] means “certainly” and is an adverb that modifies the verb.

- tous[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “all” and acts as the direct object of the verb.

- trompé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]tromper[/hi] which means “to deceive”.

The complete verb phrase a tous trompé[/hi] translates to “has deceived all”.

[hi]Je vous ai pardonnée il y a longtemps.[/hi]. I forgave you a long time ago.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in French.

- vous[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “you” in French, used formally to show respect or distance.

- ai[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “avoir” (“to have”) in the first person singular. It is used in the passé composé tense, which is a common way to express past actions in French.

- pardonnée[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “pardonner” (“to forgive”). It is used in the passé composé tense and agrees in gender with the object pronoun “vous.”

- il y a[/hi] – This is a common French phrase meaning “there is” or “there are.” It is often used with a time expression to indicate how long ago something happened.

- longtemps[/hi] – This means “a long time” in French.

Key Concepts:

- Passé composé tense: The passé composé is a common French tense that is used to express completed actions in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” or “être” and the past participle of the main verb.

- Agreement: In French, adjectives and past participles must agree in gender and number with the noun or pronoun they modify.

- Formal address: The use of “[hi]vous[/hi]” instead of “[hi]tu[/hi]” (“you” in the informal singular) shows that the speaker is addressing the listener with respect.

[hi]Tom s’en va ?[/hi]. Tom is leaving.

This sentence uses the reflexive pronoun [hi]s’en[/hi] which combines the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] (himself) and the preposition [hi]en[/hi] (from it).

The verb [hi]va[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb [hi]aller[/hi] (to go), indicating that the action is happening now.

In this context, [hi]s’en va[/hi] translates to “is leaving from it,” but is more idiomatically expressed as “is leaving.”

[hi]Je me fais arrêter, de temps à autre.[/hi]. I get arrested, from time to time.

This sentence is in the present tense, but it describes an action that happens periodically, not consistently.

Breakdown:

- Je: [hi]Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”

- me fais: This is a reflexive verb construction using the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (“to make” or “to do”). The reflexive pronoun [hi]me[/hi] (“myself”) emphasizes that the action is being done to the subject.

- arrêter: [hi]arrêter[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to arrest”. It’s used here in the present tense, indicating that the action happens regularly.

- de temps à autre: This is a common French phrase that means “from time to time” or “occasionally”.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive verbs: Reflexive verbs involve the action being done to the subject by the subject themselves. They often require a reflexive pronoun like [hi]me, te, se, nous, vous, se[/hi].

- Present tense: The present tense in French is used to describe actions that happen habitually or regularly.

- Temporal expressions: Phrases like [hi]de temps à autre[/hi] are used to specify the frequency or duration of an action.

[hi]Pensiez-vous que je n’en informerais pas Tom ?[/hi]. You thought I wouldn’t tell Tom.

Breakdown:

- Pensiez-vous[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb [hi]penser[/hi] (to think) conjugated in the interrogative form, meaning it’s asking a question. The “vous” form is used for a formal or polite address, implying you are addressing the person as “you” but in a respectful manner.

- que[/hi] – This is the conjunction “that,” introducing a subordinate clause.

- je[/hi] – This is the pronoun “I.”

- n’en[/hi] – This is a contraction of [hi]ne[/hi] (not) and [hi]en[/hi] (of it/of them). In this context, [hi]en[/hi] refers to something previously understood or implied.

- informerais[/hi] – This is the conditional tense of the verb [hi]informer[/hi] (to inform) conjugated in the first person singular. The conditional tense expresses a hypothetical or conditional action.

- pas[/hi] – This is the adverb “not.”

- Tom[/hi] – This is the name Tom.

Key Concepts:

- Conditional Tense: The use of the conditional tense [hi]informerais[/hi] signifies a hypothetical situation. The speaker is implying that they were expected to inform Tom, but they did not.

- Indirect Object Pronoun [hi]en[/hi]: The pronoun [hi]en[/hi] is used to refer to something previously mentioned or understood. In this context, it likely refers to a specific piece of information that the speaker was expected to share with Tom.

- Interrogative Form: The sentence is a question, expressed by the verb conjugation [hi]Pensiez-vous[/hi].

[hi]Il est un danger pour la société.[/hi]. He is a danger to society.

This sentence features the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) conjugated in the third person singular present tense: [hi]est[/hi]. The subject is [hi]il[/hi] (he), and the predicate is [hi]un danger pour la société[/hi] (a danger to society).

- un[/hi] is an indefinite article meaning “a” or “an.”

- danger[/hi] is a noun meaning “danger.”

- pour[/hi] is a preposition meaning “for” or “to.”

- la[/hi] is the definite article meaning “the.”

- société[/hi] is a noun meaning “society.”

The sentence expresses a strong judgment about the subject’s character and potential threat to the well-being of society.

[hi]Que ferais-tu si tu perdais ton emploi ?[/hi]. What would you do if you lost your job?

This sentence is in the conditional mood, which expresses hypothetical situations.

- Que[/hi] is the interrogative pronoun “what”

- ferais-tu[/hi] is the conditional form of the verb “faire” (to do), conjugated in the second person singular. It is formed by combining the conditional stem “fer” with the ending “-ais” for the second person singular.

- si[/hi] is the conjunction “if”

- tu[/hi] is the pronoun “you”

- perdais[/hi] is the conditional form of the verb “perdre” (to lose), conjugated in the second person singular. It is formed by combining the conditional stem “perd” with the ending “-ais” for the second person singular.

- ton[/hi] is the possessive adjective “your”

- emploi[/hi] is the noun “job”

The sentence translates literally to “What would you do if you lost your job?”. The conditional mood indicates that the situation is hypothetical and not necessarily a reality.

[hi]Je ne suis pas certain de vouloir le poste.[/hi]. I am not certain of wanting the position.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation “not”.

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “être” (to be) conjugated in the first person singular.

- pas[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “not”.

- certain[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “certain”.

- de[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “of”.

- vouloir[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to want”.

- le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the”.

- poste[/hi] – This is the noun “position”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negation “ne… pas” to express the speaker’s uncertainty.

- Adjective Placement: The adjective “[hi]certain[/hi]” precedes the noun “[hi]poste[/hi]”. This is a common placement for adjectives in French.

- Infinitive after Preposition: The infinitive verb “[hi]vouloir[/hi]” follows the preposition “[hi]de[/hi]”. This is a common structure in French.

[hi]Je veux que vous arrêtiez de vous disputer toutes les deux.[/hi]. I want you two to stop arguing.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- veux[/hi] – want (present tense verb “vouloir”)

- que[/hi] – that (conjunction introducing a subordinate clause)

- vous[/hi] – you (plural subject pronoun)

- arrêtiez[/hi] – stop (present subjunctive of “arrêter”)

* The subjunctive is used here because it follows a verb that expresses a desire or a wish (“vouloir” – to want).

- de[/hi] – of, from (preposition)

- vous[/hi] – you (reflexive pronoun)

- disputer[/hi] – to argue (infinitive verb)

- toutes[/hi] – all (feminine plural adjective)

- les[/hi] – the (definite article, feminine plural)

- deux[/hi] – two (number)

Key Concepts:

- Subjunctive Mood: The subjunctive mood is used in French to express a variety of things, including wishes, desires, and opinions.

- Reflexive Pronoun: The reflexive pronoun “[hi]vous[/hi]” is used in this sentence because the action of arguing is being done to oneself.

- Definite Article: The definite article “[hi]les[/hi]” is used to specify that the speaker is referring to two specific people.

[hi]Ils m’ont tenu pour responsable.[/hi]. They held me responsible.

Breakdown:

- Ils[/hi] – They – This is the third-person plural pronoun, indicating more than one person.

- m’[/hi] – Me – This is the object pronoun, indicating the person receiving the action. The apostrophe is used to connect the pronoun to the following verb.

- ont[/hi] – Have – This is the auxiliary verb “avoir” in the present tense, third-person plural form. It is used with the past participle “tenu” to form the passé composé tense.

- tenu[/hi] – Held – This is the past participle of the verb “tenir.” In this context, it means “to hold” or “to consider.”

- pour[/hi] – For – This preposition indicates the reason or purpose of the action.

- responsable[/hi] – Responsible – This is an adjective describing the state of being responsible.

Key Concepts:

- Past Composé Tense: This tense is used to describe actions that happened in the past and are completed.

- Object Pronoun Placement: Object pronouns are placed before the verb in the passé composé tense.

- Prepositional Phrases: The preposition “pour” introduces a prepositional phrase that explains the reason for holding the person responsible.

[hi]Quel est le plus beau cadeau que vous avez reçu à Noël dernier ?[/hi]. What is the most beautiful gift that you received last Christmas?

- Quel is the interrogative adjective meaning “what.”

- est is the third person singular present tense of the verb “être” (to be).

- le is the definite article meaning “the.”

- plus is the adverb meaning “most.”

- beau is the masculine singular form of the adjective meaning “beautiful.”

- cadeau is the noun meaning “gift.”

- que is the relative pronoun meaning “that.”

- vous is the second person plural pronoun meaning “you.”

- avez is the second person plural present tense of the verb “avoir” (to have).

- reçu is the past participle of the verb “recevoir” (to receive).

- à is the preposition meaning “at.”

- Noël is the noun meaning “Christmas.”

- dernier is the adjective meaning “last.”

This sentence uses the comparative form of the adjective “beau” (“plus beau” meaning “most beautiful”) and a relative clause introduced by the relative pronoun “que” (“that you received”). The verb “avoir” is used in the compound tense “avez reçu” to express the past action of receiving. The sentence asks a question about a past event, specifically about the most beautiful gift received at Christmas.

[hi]Tom n’y est pas allé après tout.[/hi]. Tom didn’t go there after all.

Breakdown:

- Tom[/hi] – The subject of the sentence, a proper noun.

- n’y[/hi] – This is a contraction of [hi]ne[/hi] (not) + [hi]y[/hi] (there). The [hi]y[/hi] is a pronoun referring to a previously mentioned place.

- est[/hi] – This is the third-person singular form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the past participle. It indicates that Tom was not present.

- pas[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “not”.

- allé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]aller[/hi] (to go).

- après[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “after”.

- tout[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “all”. It emphasizes that the action didn’t happen at all.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative construction [hi]ne… pas[/hi] to express the idea of “not”.

- Contractions: The use of [hi]n’y[/hi] is a common contraction in French, combining the negative [hi]ne[/hi] with a pronoun.

- Past Participle: The past participle [hi]allé[/hi] is used with the auxiliary verb [hi]être[/hi] to form the past tense in this case.

- Pronoun: [hi]y[/hi] refers back to a previously mentioned location.

[hi]J’ai lutté.[/hi]. I struggled.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- ai[/hi] is the present tense conjugation of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have), used here in the auxiliary form to construct the passé composé tense.

- lutté[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]lutter[/hi] (to struggle).

This sentence uses the passé composé tense, which is used to express actions that have happened in the past. In this case, the action of struggling has been completed.

[hi]Je suis parti depuis trop longtemps, déjà.[/hi]. I have been gone for too long, already.

Breakdown:

- Je [hi]je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- suis [hi]suis[/hi] – am (present tense of the verb être – to be)

- parti [hi]parti[/hi] – gone (past participle of the verb partir – to leave)

- depuis [hi]depuis[/hi] – since (preposition indicating a starting point in time)

- trop [hi]trop[/hi] – too (adverb modifying “longtemps”)

- longtemps [hi]longtemps[/hi] – a long time (adverb of time)

- déjà [hi]déjà[/hi] – already (adverb indicating that something has happened sooner than expected)

Key concepts:

- Past participle used with “être”: The verb “partir” is conjugated with the auxiliary verb “être” (to be) in the passé composé (past tense). This means that the past participle “parti” agrees in gender and number with the subject “je”.

- “Depuis” + time expression: “Depuis” is used to indicate a starting point in time. Here, it is followed by “trop longtemps”, which specifies how long the speaker has been gone.

- “Déjà”: “Déjà” adds a sense of surprise or unexpectedness to the sentence. It implies that the speaker feels like they have been gone for a longer time than they anticipated.

[hi]J’ai bu du thé à la place du café ce matin.[/hi]. This morning, I drank tea instead of coffee.

Breakdown:

- J’ai[/hi] – This is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have). This is the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have), which is used to form the passé composé (past tense) with the verb [hi]boire[/hi] (to drink).

- bu[/hi] – This is the past participle of [hi]boire[/hi] (to drink).

- du[/hi] – This is a contraction of [hi]de[/hi] (of) and [hi]le[/hi] (the). It is used with masculine singular nouns.

- thé[/hi] – This is the French word for “tea”.

- à la place[/hi] – This means “instead of”.

- du[/hi] – This is another contraction of [hi]de[/hi] (of) and [hi]le[/hi] (the).

- café[/hi] – This is the French word for “coffee”.

- ce matin[/hi] – This means “this morning”.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: French often uses contractions, especially with the preposition [hi]de[/hi] (of) and the definite articles [hi]le[/hi], [hi]la[/hi], and [hi]les[/hi].

- Passé Composé: This tense is used to describe actions that have happened in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] or [hi]être[/hi] and the past participle of the main verb.

- à la place de[/hi]: This is a common phrase to express substituting one thing for another.

[hi]Que tu es grand ![/hi]. How tall you are!

This sentence uses the exclamation “Que” [hi]Que[/hi] which means “how” in this context and is used to express surprise.

[hi]tu[/hi] is the subject pronoun which means “you” (informal) [hi]es[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the present tense and is conjugated for the second person singular (you, informal).

[hi]grand[/hi] is the adjective meaning “tall” which agrees with the subject pronoun in gender (masculine) and number (singular).

This sentence translates directly to “How you are tall!”, but the more natural translation in English is “How tall you are!”

[hi]C’est trop grand.[/hi]. It is too big.

This is a simple sentence in the present tense.

Breakdown:

- C’est[/hi] – This is the contracted form of [hi]ce est[/hi], meaning “it is”.

- trop[/hi] – This means “too” or “too much”. This is an adverb modifying the adjective “grand”.

- grand[/hi] – This means “big” or “large”. It is an adjective describing the noun (which is implied, but could be anything).

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: [hi]C’est[/hi] is a common contraction in French, and it’s important to recognize and understand these to be able to read and speak French correctly.

- Adverbs: [hi]Trop[/hi] is an adverb, and it modifies the adjective [hi]grand[/hi]. Adverbs tell us more about verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

- Implied Subject: The subject of the sentence is implied to be “it”, as the noun is not explicitly stated.

[hi]Tom pense que ce prix est raisonnable.[/hi]. Tom thinks that this price is reasonable.

Breakdown:

- Tom [hi]Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence, a proper noun.

- pense [hi]pense[/hi] is the verb, meaning “thinks.” It is in the third person singular present tense, agreeing with the subject Tom.

- que [hi]que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “that,” introducing a subordinate clause.

- ce [hi]ce[/hi] is a demonstrative adjective meaning “this.”

- prix [hi]prix[/hi] is a noun meaning “price.”

- est [hi]est[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the third person singular present tense, agreeing with the subject prix.

- raisonnable [hi]raisonnable[/hi] is an adjective meaning “reasonable.”

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]pense[/hi] agrees with the subject [hi]Tom[/hi] in number and person. Similarly, the verb [hi]est[/hi] agrees with the subject [hi]prix[/hi].

- Subordinate Clause: The clause introduced by [hi]que[/hi] is dependent on the main clause.

- Demonstrative Adjective: [hi]Ce[/hi] points to a specific price that is already understood.

[hi]Ils croyaient Tom.[/hi]. They believed Tom.

This sentence is in the imperfect tense, which is used to describe actions or states that were happening in the past. The imperfect tense is formed by conjugating the verb “to be” in the imperfect tense, followed by the past participle of the main verb.

In this case, the verb “to be” is conjugated as ils étaient[/hi] (they were) and the past participle of the verb “to believe” is croyants[/hi].

Breakdown:

- Ils[/hi] – they (masculine plural subject pronoun)

- croyaient[/hi] – believed (imperfect tense of the verb [hi]croire[/hi] – to believe)

- Tom[/hi] – Tom (proper noun, masculine)

Translation:

- Ils[/hi] – they

- étaient[/hi] – were

- croyants[/hi] – believing

- Tom[/hi] – Tom

Full translation: They were believing Tom.

[hi]Je veux déposer de l’argent.[/hi]. I want to deposit money.

Breakdown:

- Je [hi]Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- veux [hi]veux[/hi] – This is the first person singular present indicative of the verb “vouloir” which means “to want.”

- déposer [hi]déposer[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to deposit.” In this context, it refers to depositing money.

- de [hi]de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.” It indicates the object of the verb “déposer” (money).

- l’argent [hi]l’argent[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” plus the noun “argent” which means “money.” It is the object of the preposition “de.”

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “veux” is conjugated in the first person singular to agree with the subject “je.”

- Infinitive + Preposition: The infinitive verb “déposer” is followed by the preposition “de” to indicate the object of the verb.

- Definite Article: The definite article “l’” is used before the noun “argent” to specify that it is a particular amount of money.

[hi]Il lui a conseillé d’arrêter de fumer.[/hi]. He advised her to stop smoking.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the pronoun “he,” the subject of the sentence.

- lui[/hi] – This is the pronoun “her,” the indirect object of the verb. It indicates the person to whom the advice is given.

- a conseillé[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb “conseiller” (to advise). This verb is conjugated in the passé composé, which is used to describe actions that happened in the past.

- d’arrêter[/hi] – This is the infinitive of the verb “arrêter” (to stop), which is used to express the advice being given. The preposition [hi]de[/hi] (of) is used to introduce the infinitive phrase.

- de fumer[/hi] – This is the infinitive of the verb “fumer” (to smoke), which is the object of the infinitive phrase.

Key Concepts:

- Indirect Object Pronoun: The use of the indirect object pronoun [hi]lui[/hi] shows that the advice is being directed towards a specific person.

- Infinitive Phrase: The infinitive phrase “[hi]d’arrêter de fumer[/hi]” expresses the action that is being advised.

- Past Tense: The use of the passé composé tense indicates that the advice was given in the past.

[hi]Je me sens mal de ne pas encore vous avoir payée.[/hi]. I feel bad for not having paid you yet.

This sentence uses the reflexive verb [hi]se sentir[/hi] meaning “to feel”. The pronoun [hi]me[/hi] is in the accusative case, which means it is the object of the verb [hi]se sentir[/hi]. The phrase [hi]mal de[/hi] means “bad about” and is followed by the infinitive verb [hi]payer[/hi] meaning “to pay”. The final phrase [hi]vous[/hi] is the indirect object of the verb [hi]payer[/hi] and means “you”.

The sentence is in the present tense, and is a complex sentence with a subordinate clause: “for not having paid you yet”. This clause is introduced by the preposition [hi]de[/hi], and the verb [hi]avoir payé[/hi] is in the past participle, meaning “to have paid”. The word [hi]encore[/hi] means “yet”, and emphasizes that the payment has not yet occurred.

[hi]Assister et encourager l’ennemi est considéré comme de la trahison.[/hi]. To assist and encourage the enemy is considered treason.

Breakdown:

- Assister[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “to assist.” In this sentence, it is conjugated in the infinitive form to emphasize the action itself.

- et[/hi] – This is the conjunction “and,” connecting the two verbs “assister” and “encourager.”

- encourager[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “to encourage.”

- l’ennemi[/hi] – This is the direct object of the verbs “assister” and “encourager,” meaning “the enemy.”

- est considéré[/hi] – This is the passive voice of the verb “to consider.” The passive voice indicates that the subject is receiving the action, not performing it.

- comme[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “as” or “like.”

- de la trahison[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “treason.”

Key Concepts:

- Infinitive verbs: In French, the infinitive form of a verb is often used to emphasize the action itself.

- Passive voice: The passive voice is used when the subject of the sentence is receiving the action, not performing it.

- Direct object: The direct object of a verb is the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb.

- Preposition: A preposition is a word that connects a noun or pronoun to another word in the sentence.

[hi]As-tu peint ça ?[/hi]. Did you paint this?

This sentence is a simple question in the [hi]passé composé[/hi], which is a common way to express past actions in French.

Breakdown:

- As-tu[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]Avez-vous[/hi] (Have you), which is the formal way to ask a question using the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) in the present tense.

- peint[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]peindre[/hi] (to paint). This form is used with [hi]avoir[/hi] in the [hi]passé composé[/hi] to form the past tense.

- ça[/hi] is a pronoun that means “this” or “that.”

Key concepts:

- Passé composé[/hi]: This tense is formed using the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) or [hi]être[/hi] (to be) and the past participle of the main verb.

- Contractions: French often uses contractions, especially in informal speech and writing. [hi]As-tu[/hi] is a common contraction for [hi]Avez-vous[/hi]

[hi]Je ne comprends pas pourquoi il faut que j’aille chez toi à minuit.[/hi]. I don’t understand why I have to go to your house at midnight.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- ne[/hi] – not (negation)

- comprends[/hi] – understand (present tense, first person singular of the verb [hi]comprendre[/hi])

- pas[/hi] – not (negation, used with [hi]ne[/hi])

- pourquoi[/hi] – why (interrogative pronoun)

- il faut que[/hi] – it is necessary that (formal expression of obligation)

- j’aille[/hi] – I go (subjunctive present, first person singular of the verb [hi]aller[/hi])

- chez toi[/hi] – at your place (literally “at your home”)

- à minuit[/hi] – at midnight

[hi]Mémorise-le.[/hi]. Memorize it.

This sentence is in the imperative mood, which means it is a command or instruction.

Breakdown:

- Mémorise is the imperative form of the verb [hi]mémoriser[/hi] (to memorize).

- -le is the direct object pronoun referring to the object that is being memorized. It is attached to the verb because it is a direct object pronoun.

Key concepts:

- Imperative mood: Used to give commands or instructions.

- Direct object pronoun: Replaces the noun that is the direct object of the verb.

- Pronoun placement: Direct object pronouns are placed before the conjugated verb in the imperative.

[hi]Sa perte de mémoire est un problème plus psychologique que physique.[/hi]. Their loss of memory is more of a psychological problem than a physical one.

- Sa[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]son[/hi] (his/her) and [hi]la[/hi] (the).

- perte[/hi] means “loss.”

- de mémoire[/hi] means “of memory” literally, but it implies a loss of memory function.

- est[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb “to be” ([hi]être[/hi]).

- un problème[/hi] means “a problem.”

- plus[/hi] means “more.”

- psychologique[/hi] means “psychological.”

- que[/hi] means “than.”

- physique[/hi] means “physical.”

This sentence uses a comparative structure with [hi]plus… que[/hi] (more…than) to compare the nature of the memory loss. It emphasizes that the problem is primarily psychological in origin.

[hi]Nous nous sommes rendus à la tombe de notre père.[/hi]. We went to our father’s grave.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the pronoun “we” in the subject form.

- nous sommes[/hi] – This is the reflexive verb “to go” in the past tense, conjugated in the first person plural. This is a compound tense, meaning it is formed using an auxiliary verb and a past participle. The auxiliary is [hi]sommes[/hi] which is the conjugation of “to be” in the first person plural, and the past participle is [hi]rendus[/hi]. The reflexive aspect means the action is done to oneself.

- rendus[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “to go.”

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to.”

- la tombe[/hi] – This is the feminine noun “grave.”

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- notre[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “our.”

- père[/hi] – This is the noun “father.”

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verbs: Reflexive verbs are verbs where the action is done to oneself. They are usually followed by the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] or its forms, in this case, [hi]nous[/hi].

- Compound Tenses: Compound tenses are formed using an auxiliary verb and a past participle. They are used to express different aspects of time, like the past tense, future tense, etc.

- Prepositions: Prepositions are words that connect nouns or pronouns to other words in the sentence. They show relationships like location, time, or direction.

- Possessive Adjectives: Possessive adjectives indicate possession. They agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. [hi]Notre[/hi] agrees with [hi]père[/hi] which is masculine and singular.

[hi]Nous avons voyagé dans toute l’Europe.[/hi]. We traveled throughout all of Europe.

[hi]Nous[/hi] is the pronoun “we” in the plural form. [hi]avons[/hi] is the present tense of the verb “avoir” (to have). [hi]voyagé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “voyager” (to travel). [hi]dans[/hi] means “in” or “into” and [hi]toute[/hi] means “all” in the feminine singular form. [hi]l’Europe[/hi] is the definite article “the” followed by the noun “Europe.” The sentence structure is a simple subject-verb-object construction with the verb conjugated in the passé composé (compound past).

[hi]Plusieurs personnes ont tenté de percer le cordon de sécurité.[/hi]. Several people tried to break through the security cordon.

Breakdown:

- Plusieurs [hi]personnes[/hi] means “several people.” [hi]personnes[/hi] is a plural noun meaning “people”

- ont [hi]tenté[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]tenter[/hi] meaning “to try” and is conjugated in the past tense using the auxiliary verb “avoir”

- de [hi]percer[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb “to pierce” and is used here to describe the action that the people tried to do. The “de” indicates an infinitive.

- le [hi]cordon[/hi] de [hi]sécurité[/hi] is a noun phrase meaning “the security cordon”. [hi]cordon[/hi] means “cordon” and [hi]sécurité[/hi] means “security”

Key Concepts:

- Past Participle: The past participle of a verb is used to form the perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, etc.) and can also be used as an adjective.

- Infinitive: The infinitive is the base form of a verb.

- Noun Phrase: A noun phrase is a group of words that functions as a noun.

- Auxiliary Verb: Auxiliary verbs are used to help form verb tenses. In this sentence, “avoir” is the auxiliary verb.

[hi]Quand j’étais petit, je me levais toujours tôt.[/hi]. When I was little, I always woke up early.

Breakdown:

- Quand [hi]j’étais[/hi] petit – This translates to “When I was little”.

* Quand[/hi] means “when” and indicates a time in the past. * j’étais[/hi] is the past imperfect tense of the verb “to be” ([hi]être[/hi]). It describes a state or action that was ongoing in the past. * petit[/hi] is an adjective meaning “little” and describes the speaker’s age.

- je me levais[/hi] toujours tôt – This translates to “I always woke up early”.

* je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”. * me levais[/hi] is the past imperfect tense of the reflexive verb “[hi]se lever[/hi]” which means “to get up” or “to wake up”. The reflexive pronoun “[hi]me[/hi]” emphasizes the action being done to oneself. * toujours[/hi] means “always” and indicates the regularity of the action. * tôt[/hi] means “early” and describes the time of day.

[hi]Cette pièce a l’air conditionné.[/hi]. This room is air-conditioned.

The sentence has the following breakdown:

- Cette[/hi] – This – This is a feminine singular demonstrative adjective, agreeing in gender and number with the noun that follows.

- pièce[/hi] – room – This is a feminine noun, referring to a physical space.

- a[/hi] – has – This is the third person singular form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi], meaning “to have”. It is used here in the present tense and indicates that the room possesses the quality of being air-conditioned.

- l’air[/hi] – the air – This is a masculine noun, but it’s used with the feminine singular definite article [hi]l’[/hi] because it is followed by a feminine adjective.

- conditionné[/hi] – conditioned – This is a past participle used as an adjective, modifying [hi]l’air[/hi]. The past participle is used as an adjective after the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] to indicate a state or condition. It is invariable, meaning it does not change to agree with the gender or number of the noun.

This sentence uses the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in a common construction with a past participle to express a state of being. It indicates that the room is in a state of being air-conditioned.

[hi]Tu aimes la pizza ? Tiens, prends une part.[/hi]. You like pizza? Here, take a slice.

The sentence is a simple question and an offer.

- Tu[/hi] is the informal second-person singular pronoun, meaning “you”.

- aimes[/hi] is the second-person singular present tense form of the verb “aimer” (to like), conjugated to agree with “tu”.

- la pizza[/hi] is the noun “pizza”, feminine gender, preceded by the definite article “la”.

- Tiens[/hi] is an imperative verb meaning “here” or “take” used to offer something.

- prends[/hi] is the second-person singular imperative form of the verb “prendre” (to take), conjugated to agree with “tu”.

- une part[/hi] is the noun “slice” (of pizza), feminine gender, preceded by the indefinite article “une”.

Key concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verbs “aimes” and “prends” are conjugated to agree with the subject pronoun “tu”.

- Imperative mood: The verb “prends” is in the imperative mood, indicating a command or request.

- Direct object: The noun “part” is the direct object of the verb “prends”.

[hi]Toma soupira de nouveau.[/hi]. He sighed again.

This sentence is in the past tense.

[hi]Toma[/hi] is the subject of the sentence and means “Thomas.”

[hi]soupira[/hi] is the verb “to sigh” in the past tense.

[hi]de nouveau[/hi] means “again.”

[hi]Nous avons décidé de nous taire.[/hi]. We decided to be quiet.

Breakdown:

- Nous [hi]Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we” in the first person plural.

- avons [hi]avons[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb avoir (to have) in the first person plural, agreeing with the subject “nous.” It serves as an auxiliary verb in this sentence.

- décidé [hi]décidé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb décider (to decide). It agrees in gender and number with the direct object, which is implied in this case (“la décision” – the decision).

- de [hi]de[/hi] – This preposition indicates a purpose or intention, translating to “to” in this context.

- nous [hi]nous[/hi] – This is a reflexive pronoun referring back to the subject “nous,” indicating that the action of being quiet is directed towards themselves.

- taire [hi]taire[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb se taire (to be quiet), which is a reflexive verb.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verb:
Se taire is a reflexive verb, meaning the action is directed back to the subject. This is indicated by the reflexive pronoun “nous” preceding the verb.

- Past Participle Agreement: The past participle “décidé” agrees in gender and number with the implied direct object “la décision.” This is a common grammatical feature in French.

- Preposition “de” for Intention: The preposition “de” after the verb “décider” indicates the purpose or intention of the decision, translating to “to” in English.

[hi]As-tu déjà fini tes devoirs ?[/hi]. Have you already finished your homework?

This sentence is in the interrogative form, meaning it asks a question.

- As-tu[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]as[/hi] and [hi]tu[/hi], meaning “have you”.

- déjà[/hi] means “already”. It is an adverb of time, indicating that the action has taken place before the present moment.

- fini[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]finir[/hi] (“to finish”). It agrees in gender and number with the subject [hi]tu[/hi], which is singular and masculine.

- tes[/hi] is the possessive adjective “your”. It agrees with the noun [hi]devoirs[/hi], which is plural.

- devoirs[/hi] means “homework” and is the object of the verb [hi]fini[/hi].

This sentence is structured as a question with the subject ([hi]tu[/hi]) placed after the verb ([hi]as[/hi]). This is a common characteristic of interrogative sentences in French.

[hi]À quelle heure vas-tu au lit ?[/hi]. At what time do you go to bed?

Breakdown:

- À quelle heure[/hi] – This phrase means “At what time” and is used to ask about the time of an action.

* À[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “at” and is used to indicate time or place. * quelle[/hi] – This is an interrogative adjective meaning “what” and is used to ask about something unspecified. * heure[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “hour” or “time.”

- vas-tu[/hi] – This is a verb conjugation in the present tense of the verb “aller” meaning “to go.”

* vas[/hi] – This is the conjugation of the verb “aller” in the second person singular of the present tense. * -tu[/hi] – This is a pronoun suffix indicating “you” in the second person singular.

- au lit[/hi] – This phrase means “to bed.”

* au[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “to” or “in” and is used to indicate direction or location. * lit[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “bed.”

[hi]Je pensais que votre maison se situait au centre-ville.[/hi]. I thought your house was located in the city center.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- pensais[/hi] – thought (past imperfect of the verb [hi]penser[/hi] – to think)

- que[/hi] – that (conjunction introducing a subordinate clause)

- votre[/hi] – your (possessive adjective)

- maison[/hi] – house (noun)

- se situait[/hi] – was located (past imperfect of the reflexive verb [hi]se situer[/hi] – to be located)

- au[/hi] – at/in (preposition)

- centre-ville[/hi] – city center (noun)

Key Concepts:

- Past Imperfect: The past imperfect ([hi]pensais[/hi], [hi]se situait[/hi]) is used to describe a past action or state that was ongoing or habitual.

- Reflexive Verb: The verb [hi]se situer[/hi] is a reflexive verb, meaning that the action is done to or by the subject itself.

- Subordinate Clause: The clause “that your house was located in the city center” is a subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction [hi]que[/hi], and it functions as the object of the verb [hi]pensais[/hi].

[hi]Tom est vraiment un mec bien.[/hi]. Tom is truly a good guy.

The sentence structure is simple:

- Tom[/hi] is the subject, a proper noun.

- est[/hi] is the verb, the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” (to be).

- vraiment[/hi] is an adverb meaning “truly” or “really,” modifying the adjective “good.”

- un[/hi] is an indefinite article meaning “a” or “one.”

- mec[/hi] is a slang term for “guy” or “man.”

- bien[/hi] is an adjective meaning “good.”

The sentence uses the definite article un[/hi] because it is a general statement about Tom’s character. It means that Tom is generally seen as a good person.

[hi]Ta mère m’aime.[/hi]. Your mother loves me.

- Ta[/hi] is the possessive adjective meaning “your” and agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, [hi]mère[/hi], which is feminine singular.

- mère[/hi] means “mother”.

- m’[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]me[/hi] and [hi]aime[/hi] is the verb “to love” in the present tense, third-person singular form.

- The sentence is in the affirmative form.

[hi]La même chose s’est produite en 2013.[/hi]. The same thing happened in 2013.

Breakdown:

- La[/hi] is the definite article, meaning “the.”

- même[/hi] means “same.”

- chose[/hi] means “thing.”

- s’est[/hi] is the third person singular of the reflexive verb “[hi]se produire[/hi]” meaning “to happen.”

* se[/hi] is the reflexive pronoun. * est[/hi] is the present tense of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” “to be.”

- produite[/hi] is the past participle of “[hi]se produire[/hi].”

- en[/hi] is a preposition meaning “in.”

- 2013[/hi] is the year 2013.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive verbs: A verb whose action is directed back at the subject.

- Past participle: The form of a verb that combines with the auxiliary verb “to have” or “to be” to create a perfect tense.

- Definite article: Used before a noun to indicate that the noun is specific and known to both the speaker and the listener.

[hi]Ce sont mes étudiants.[/hi]. This is my students.

- Ce[/hi] is a demonstrative adjective meaning “this” or “these,” but in this case, it is used in the plural, so it means “these.”

- sont[/hi] is the third-person plural form of the verb “être” (to be) in the present tense.

- mes[/hi] is a possessive adjective meaning “my.” It agrees in gender and number with the noun that it modifies, which is “étudiants.”

- étudiants[/hi] is a noun meaning “students.”

Key Concepts:

- Demonstrative Adjectives: [hi]Ce[/hi], [hi]cette[/hi], [hi]cet[/hi], [hi]ces[/hi]

- Possessive Adjectives: [hi]mon[/hi], [hi]ma[/hi], [hi]mes[/hi], [hi]ton[/hi], [hi]ta[/hi], [hi]tes[/hi], [hi]son[/hi], [hi]sa[/hi], [hi]ses[/hi], [hi]notre[/hi], [hi]nos[/hi], [hi]votre[/hi], [hi]vos[/hi], [hi]leur[/hi], [hi]leurs[/hi]

- Agreement: Adjectives in French must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

[hi]Certains élèves ont été en retard à l’école.[/hi]. Translation: Some students were late to school.

Breakdown:

- Certains[/hi] means “some” or “certain” and is a plural indefinite pronoun. It indicates that not all students were late, but a portion of them were.

- élèves[/hi] means “students” and is a plural noun.

- ont été[/hi] is the past participle of the verb être[/hi] (to be) in the past tense (passé composé) and is used here to express a completed action in the past.

- en retard[/hi] means “late” and is an adverbial phrase modifying the verb **[hi]être[/hi]. It signifies that the students arrived after the expected time.

- à l’école[/hi] means “to school” and is a prepositional phrase indicating the place where the students were late. The preposition [hi]à[/hi] (to, at) is combined with the definite article [hi]l’[/hi] (the) before the noun [hi]école[/hi] (school).

[hi]Vous êtes très occupés.[/hi]. You are very busy.

This sentence uses the formal “vous” [hi]vous[/hi], which is used to address someone with respect or formality. It is the polite way to address someone you don’t know well, someone older than you, or someone in a position of authority.

“[hi]Êtes[/hi]” is the conjugated form of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” (to be) in the present tense, third person plural. The verb “être” is used to describe someone’s state of being.

“[hi]très[/hi]” is an adverb meaning “very” and modifies the adjective “[hi]occupés[/hi]”.

“[hi]occupés[/hi]” is the past participle of the verb “[hi]occuper[/hi]” (to occupy) and functions as an adjective in this sentence, describing the state of being busy. It is in the masculine plural form to agree with the subject “[hi]vous[/hi]”.

[hi]Il est temps que quelqu’un fasse quelque chose à propos du coût élevé des soins médicaux.[/hi]. It is time that someone do something about the high cost of medical care.

This sentence uses the subjunctive mood in French, which is often translated as “should” or “ought to” in English.

- Il[/hi] is the masculine singular pronoun “he,” but in this context it means “it.”

- est[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb “être” (to be).

- temps[/hi] means “time.”

- que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause.

- quelqu’un[/hi] means “someone.”

- fasse[/hi] is the third person singular present subjunctive of the verb “faire” (to do).

- quelque chose[/hi] means “something.”

- à propos de[/hi] means “about.”

- le coût[/hi] means “the cost.”

- élevé[/hi] means “high.”

- des soins médicaux[/hi] means “of medical care.”

The subjunctive mood is used here because the sentence expresses a need, obligation, or desire. The speaker is saying that it is important for someone to take action on the high cost of medical care.

[hi]Est-ce la clé que tu cherches ?[/hi]. Is this the key that you are looking for?

Breakdown:

- Est-ce[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]est-ce que[/hi], which means “is it that” or “is it the case that.” It’s used to introduce a question.

- la clé[/hi] means “the key”.

- que[/hi] means “that” or “which” and introduces a relative clause.

- tu cherches[/hi] means “you are looking for”. It’s the present tense of the verb [hi]chercher[/hi] (“to look for”) conjugated in the second person singular.

- [hi] ?[/hi] indicates the end of the question.

Key Concepts:

- Relative clause: The phrase “[hi]que tu cherches[/hi]” is a relative clause that provides more information about the key. It’s introduced by the relative pronoun [hi]que[/hi] and modifies the noun [hi]la clé[/hi].

- Present tense conjugation: The verb [hi]cherches[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense to indicate an ongoing action.

- Question formation: The sentence is a question formed by using the interrogative phrase [hi]Est-ce que[/hi] or its contracted form [hi]Est-ce[/hi].

[hi]Pourquoi ne m’apprécient-ils pas ?[/hi]. Why don’t they appreciate me?

This sentence is a question using the [hi]ne…pas[/hi] construction, which is the standard way to express negation in French.

Breakdown:

- Pourquoi [hi]pourquoi[/hi]: Why – This is an interrogative adverb used to ask for a reason.

- ne [hi]ne[/hi]: This is the negative particle that precedes the verb in a negative sentence.

- m’ [hi]m’[/hi]: This is the contracted form of [hi]me[/hi] and [hi]à[/hi], meaning “to me” or “at me”. This is the indirect object pronoun, indicating who is not being appreciated.

- apprécient [hi]apprécient[/hi]: This is the present tense, third-person plural of the verb [hi]apprécier[/hi], which means “to appreciate.” It is conjugated in the third person plural because the subject is “they”.

- -ils [hi]-ils[/hi]: This is the third-person plural pronoun “they”.

- pas [hi]pas[/hi]: This is the negative particle that follows the verb in a negative sentence.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The [hi]ne…pas[/hi] construction is used to negate verbs in French.

- Indirect Object Pronouns: The pronoun [hi]m’[/hi] indicates who is not being appreciated, functioning as the indirect object of the verb.

- Verb Conjugation: The verb [hi]apprécier[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense, third-person plural to agree with the subject “they.”

[hi]Il a volé l’argent de mon coffre.[/hi]. He stole the money from my safe.

Breakdown:

- Il [hi]Il[/hi] – He (masculine singular pronoun)

- a [hi]a[/hi] – has (present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] “to have”)

- volé [hi]volé[/hi] – stolen (past participle of the verb [hi]voler[/hi] “to steal”)

- l’ [hi]l’[/hi] – the (contraction of [hi]le[/hi] and [hi]le[/hi])

- argent [hi]argent[/hi] – money

- de [hi]de[/hi] – from

- mon [hi]mon[/hi] – my (masculine singular possessive adjective)

- coffre [hi]coffre[/hi] – safe

Key Concepts:

- Past Participle: [hi]volé[/hi] is a past participle, and in this case, it’s used to form the past tense of the verb. It agrees in gender and number with the direct object, which is [hi]l’argent[/hi] (masculine singular).

- Contractions: [hi]l’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]le[/hi] and [hi]le[/hi].

- Possessive Adjectives: [hi]mon[/hi] agrees with the noun it modifies, [hi]coffre[/hi] (masculine singular).

[hi]Je pensais vous avoir reconnus.[/hi]. I thought I recognized you.

This sentence uses the past imperfect tense of the verb [hi]penser[/hi] (to think) in the first person singular [hi]je[/hi] (I).

[hi]PensaIS[/hi] is a regular conjugation of the past imperfect. The [hi]ais[/hi] ending indicates the past imperfect tense in the first person singular.

[hi]vous[/hi] (you) is the object pronoun in the sentence and [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) is the auxiliary verb in the past participle form, [hi]reconnu[/hi] (recognized).

[hi]reconnu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]reconnaître[/hi] (to recognize). This means that the past participle [hi]reconnu[/hi] must agree in gender and number with the object [hi]vous[/hi]. However, since [hi]vous[/hi] is a plural pronoun, the past participle remains unchanged.

The literal translation of the sentence is “I was thinking to have recognized you.” This is a typical use of the past imperfect tense in French to describe an ongoing thought or action.

[hi]Je veux que tu saches que je t’aimerai toujours.[/hi]. I want you to know that I will always love you.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- veux[/hi] – want (present tense verb “vouloir”)

- que[/hi] – that (conjunction introducing a subordinate clause)

- tu[/hi] – you (subject pronoun)

- saches[/hi] – know (present subjunctive tense of “savoir”)

- que[/hi] – that (conjunction introducing a subordinate clause)

- je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- t’aimerai[/hi] – will love you (future tense of “aimer” conjugated with the object pronoun “[hi]te[/hi]”)

- toujours[/hi] – always (adverb)

Key Concepts:

- Subjunctive mood: The subjunctive mood is used in French to express a wish, opinion, or feeling. In this sentence, the subjunctive “[hi]saches[/hi]” is used because the sentence expresses the speaker’s desire for the listener to know something.

- Object Pronoun: The object pronoun “[hi]te[/hi]” is attached to the verb “[hi]aimerai[/hi]” to indicate that the verb’s action is directed towards the listener.

- Future Tense: The future tense “[hi]aimerai[/hi]” expresses the speaker’s certainty about their future action of loving the listener.

[hi]Ne méprisez pas les autres.[/hi]. Don’t despise others.

This sentence is a negative imperative, meaning it is telling someone not to do something. It is constructed as follows:

- Ne [hi]ne[/hi] is the negative particle, used in front of verbs in the imperative mood.

- méprisez [hi]méprisez[/hi] is the second-person plural form of the verb [hi]mépriser[/hi] “to despise”, conjugated in the present tense of the imperative mood.

- pas [hi]pas[/hi] is the negative adverb, meaning “not”.

- les autres [hi]les autres[/hi] is the plural definite article [hi]les[/hi] followed by the noun [hi]autres[/hi], meaning “others”.

This sentence emphasizes the importance of respecting others and not looking down on them.

[hi]Quel pays as-tu visité et combien de temps es-tu resté ?[/hi]. This sentence asks “What country did you visit and how long did you stay?”. Let’s break down the sentence:

- [hi]Quel[/hi] is an interrogative adjective meaning “what”

- [hi]pays[/hi] is a noun meaning “country”

- [hi]as-tu[/hi] is the inversion of the verb “avoir” (“to have”) used to ask a question, conjugated in the second person singular (you)

- [hi]visité[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “visiter” (to visit)

- [hi]et[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “and”

- [hi]combien[/hi] is an interrogative pronoun meaning “how much” or “how many”

- [hi]de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of”

- [hi]temps[/hi] is a noun meaning “time”

- [hi]es-tu[/hi] is the inversion of the verb “être” (“to be”) used to ask a question, conjugated in the second person singular (you)

- [hi]resté[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “rester” (to stay)

The sentence uses inversion, a common grammatical feature in French questions. Instead of placing the verb before the subject, the verb is split into two parts, with the first part placed before the subject and the second part after. This is particularly common with the verbs “avoir” and “être” in questions.

[hi]Sais-tu compter en français ?[/hi]. Do you know how to count in French?

This sentence is a question in the [hi]tu[/hi] form, meaning “you” in a familiar or informal context. It asks if the listener knows how to count in French.

Let’s break down the sentence:

- Sais-tu[/hi]: This is the verb [hi]savoir[/hi] “to know” conjugated in the present tense, with the pronoun [hi]tu[/hi] (you) attached.

- compter[/hi]: This is the verb “to count”.

- en français[/hi]: This means “in French” and is a prepositional phrase.

The sentence is a simple interrogative (question) sentence.

[hi]Je ne connais pas le prix de cette moto-ci.[/hi]. I don’t know the price of this motorcycle.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation particle “not”.

- connais[/hi] – This is the present tense form of the verb “to know” in the first person singular. It is conjugated with the negative particle “[hi]ne[/hi]”.

- pas[/hi] – This is another negation particle, which is often used in conjunction with “[hi]ne[/hi]” in negative sentences.

- le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form.

- prix[/hi] – This is the noun “price” in the masculine singular form.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of”.

- cette[/hi] – This is the demonstrative adjective “this” in the feminine singular form.

- moto-ci[/hi] – This is the noun “motorcycle” in the feminine singular form. The “-ci” suffix is used to indicate proximity.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the double negation “[hi]ne[/hi]...[hi]pas[/hi]” to express the negative meaning.

- Direct Object: The noun phrase “[hi]le prix de cette moto-ci[/hi]” functions as the direct object of the verb “[hi]connais[/hi]”.

- Demonstrative Adjective: The demonstrative adjective “[hi]cette[/hi]” points to a specific motorcycle that is close to the speaker.

[hi]Ça ne marchera pas.[/hi]. That won’t work.

Breakdown:

- Ça[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]la[/hi] (the).

- ne[/hi] is a negative particle.

- marchera[/hi] is the third person singular future tense of the verb [hi]marcher[/hi] (to work, to function).

- pas[/hi] is a negative adverb.

Key concepts:

- Contraction: [hi]Ça[/hi] is a common contraction in French.

- Future tense: The future tense is used to express an action that will happen in the future.

- Negation: [hi]ne…pas[/hi] is the standard way to negate verbs in French.

[hi]Tu commences à m’énerver.[/hi]. You are starting to annoy me.

Breakdown:

- Tu [hi]tu[/hi]: The informal “you” pronoun, used for addressing someone you know well.

- commences [hi]commences[/hi]: The third-person singular present tense of the verb “commencer” [hi]commencer[/hi], meaning “to begin” or “to start.”

- à [hi]à[/hi]: The preposition “to,” indicating direction or purpose.

- m’ [hi]m’[/hi]: The contracted form of “me” and “à,” indicating the object of the verb “énerver” [hi]énerver[/hi].

- énerver [hi]énerver[/hi]: The infinitive form of the verb “to annoy.” This verb is in the present tense.

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “commences” [hi]commences[/hi] is conjugated in the third person singular to agree with the subject “tu” [hi]tu[/hi].

- Prepositions: The preposition “à” [hi]à[/hi] is used to connect the verb “commencer” [hi]commencer[/hi] to the infinitive “énerver” [hi]énerver[/hi].

- Object Pronouns: The object pronoun “m’” [hi]m’[/hi] is used to indicate that the person being annoyed is the speaker.

- Informal Address: The use of “tu” [hi]tu[/hi] indicates an informal relationship between the speaker and the person being addressed.

[hi]Vous êtes tellement impatientes.[/hi]. You are so impatient.

The sentence is in the [hi]vous[/hi] form, which is the formal “you” in French. The verb [hi]êtes[/hi] is the present tense conjugation of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the [hi]vous[/hi] form. [hi]Impatientes[/hi] is the feminine plural form of the adjective [hi]impatient[/hi] (impatient). The sentence structure is straightforward: Subject + Verb + Adjective.

[hi]J’ai trouvé le livre ennuyeux.[/hi]. I found the book boring.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] – This is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- ai[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) conjugated in the first person singular.

- trouvé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]trouver[/hi] (to find). It is used here in the “passé composé” tense, indicating that the action of finding happened in the past and is now completed.

- le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in masculine singular form.

- livre[/hi] – This is the noun “book” in masculine singular form.

- ennuyeux[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “boring”. It modifies the noun “book”.

Key Concepts:

- Passé Composé: This tense is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] or [hi]être[/hi] and the past participle of the main verb. It is used to express actions that happened in the past and are now completed.

- Agreement of Adjectives: Adjectives in French must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. In this case, [hi]ennuyeux[/hi] is masculine singular to agree with [hi]livre[/hi].

[hi]Tout le monde était fatigué.[/hi]. Everyone was tired.

Breakdown:

- Tout[/hi] means “all” or “everyone” and is a pronoun here.

- le monde[/hi] is a noun phrase meaning “the world” but is used here to mean “everyone” or “everybody.”

- était[/hi] is the past tense of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” meaning “to be” and agrees in gender and number with the subject “[hi]tout le monde[/hi].”

- fatigué[/hi] is an adjective meaning “tired” and modifies the subject.

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “[hi]était[/hi]” agrees with the subject “[hi]tout le monde[/hi]” in gender and number.

- Noun Phrase: “[hi]le monde[/hi]” functions as a noun phrase and acts as the subject of the sentence.

- Pronoun: “[hi]Tout[/hi]” is a pronoun that replaces a noun phrase and acts as the subject of the sentence.

[hi]Je ne pense pas que ce soit le moment.[/hi]. I don’t think this is the time.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne[/hi] is the negative particle “not”.

- pense[/hi] is the verb “to think” in the present tense, conjugated for the first person singular (“I think”).

- pas[/hi] is the negative adverb “not”.

- que[/hi] is the conjunction “that” introducing a subordinate clause.

- ce[/hi] is the demonstrative pronoun “this” referring to the situation being discussed.

- soit[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the subjunctive mood, conjugated for the third person singular (“be”).

- le[/hi] is the definite article “the”.

- moment[/hi] is the noun “moment”.

This sentence is a negative statement, indicating that the speaker does not believe that the current situation is appropriate. The subjunctive mood is used in the subordinate clause because the speaker is expressing an opinion or judgment about the situation.

[hi]Je peux vous emprunter votre stylo pendant quelques minutes ?[/hi]. Can I borrow your pen for a few minutes?

This sentence is a polite request using the [hi]je[/hi] form of the verb [hi]pouvoir[/hi] (to be able to).

- [hi]Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun for “I”

- [hi]peux[/hi] is the first-person singular conjugation of [hi]pouvoir[/hi] in the present tense.

- [hi]vous[/hi] is the formal second-person pronoun, used to address someone politely.

- [hi]emprunter[/hi] means “to borrow” and takes the infinitive form after [hi]pouvoir[/hi] because it’s part of the verb phrase.

- [hi]votre[/hi] is the possessive adjective meaning “your” (formal).

- [hi]stylo[/hi] means “pen.”

- [hi]pendant[/hi] means “for” or “during” and introduces a duration of time.

- [hi]quelques[/hi] means “a few.”

- [hi]minutes[/hi] means “minutes.”

- The question mark [hi] ?[/hi] indicates the sentence is a question.

[hi]J’espère pouvoir t’être d’une aide quelconque.[/hi]. I hope to be of some help to you.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]j’[/hi] (I). It is used before a verb starting with a vowel or a silent [hi]h[/hi].

- espère[/hi] is the first person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]espérer[/hi] (to hope).

- pouvoir[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb [hi]pouvoir[/hi] (to be able to). It is used in the infinitive phrase [hi]pouvoir t’être[/hi] (to be able to be).

- t’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]te[/hi] (you) and [hi]à[/hi] (to). It is used to indicate the indirect object “to you”.

- être[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be). It is used in the infinitive phrase [hi]pouvoir t’être[/hi] (to be able to be).

- d’une[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]de[/hi] (of) and [hi]une[/hi] (a/one). It indicates the object of [hi]être[/hi] (be) – “of a help”.

- aide[/hi] is a noun meaning “help”.

- quelconque[/hi] is an adjective meaning “any”. It modifies [hi]aide[/hi], making it “any help”.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: The use of contractions [hi]j’[/hi] and [hi]t’[/hi] is common in French.

- Infinitive Phrases: The use of the infinitive verbs [hi]pouvoir[/hi] and [hi]être[/hi] to form infinitive phrases is common in French.

- Indirect Objects: The use of [hi]t’[/hi] indicates the indirect object “to you”.

- Adjectives: The adjective [hi]quelconque[/hi] modifies the noun [hi]aide[/hi] and provides more information about the type of help.

[hi]Puis-je te parler une seconde ?[/hi]. Can I talk to you for a second?

- Puis-je [hi]Puis-je[/hi] is the polite form of “can I.” It is formed by using the verb “pouvoir” (to be able to) in the conditional mood.

- te [hi]te[/hi] is the object pronoun for “you” in the familiar form.

- parler [hi]parler[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to speak” or “to talk”

- une seconde [hi]une seconde[/hi] literally translates to “one second.” It is a common way to say “for a second” or “briefly” in French.

[hi]Je n’ai pas encore lu le journal du jour.[/hi]. I haven’t read today’s newspaper yet.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I.”

- n’ai[/hi] is the negative conjugation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the present tense, first person singular.

- pas[/hi] is the negation adverb, meaning “not.”

- encore[/hi] is the adverb meaning “yet,” indicating that the action has not happened.

- lu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “lire” (to read). It is in the masculine singular form to agree with the noun “journal.”

- le[/hi] is the definite article “the” in masculine singular form.

- journal[/hi] is the noun meaning “newspaper.”

- du[/hi] is the contraction of the definite article “de” and the masculine singular adjective “le” (of the), indicating possession of the day.

- jour[/hi] is the noun meaning “day.”

The sentence is in the negative form, indicating that the speaker has not yet performed the action of reading the newspaper. The sentence structure is typical of French, with the subject, verb, and object following a specific order. The use of the past participle “lu” along with the auxiliary verb “avoir” is a key characteristic of the French perfect tense, indicating an action completed in the past.

[hi]Je voulais de la compassion.[/hi]. I wanted compassion.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- voulais[/hi] – This is the imperfect tense of the verb “vouloir”, which means “to want”. The imperfect tense indicates a past action that was ongoing or habitual.

- de la[/hi] – This is a partitive article, meaning “some” or “any”. It is used before uncountable nouns, such as compassion.

- compassion[/hi] – This is the noun “compassion”, which refers to a feeling of sympathy and concern for others.

Key Concepts:

- Imperfect Tense: The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions that were ongoing or habitual. It is often used to set the scene or describe the background of an event.

- Partitive Articles: Partitive articles are used before uncountable nouns to indicate a quantity of something. The most common partitive articles are “de la” (feminine singular), “du” (masculine singular), and “de l’” (plural and some singular masculine nouns that begin with a vowel).

[hi]C’est difficile, n’est-ce pas ?[/hi]. That is difficult, isn’t it?

This sentence is a simple statement followed by a tag question.

- C’est[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]est[/hi] (is).

- difficile[/hi] is the adjective meaning difficult.

- n’est-ce pas[/hi] is a tag question, literally meaning “is it not?” This is a common way to ask for confirmation or agreement in French. The [hi]ne[/hi] negates the verb [hi]est[/hi] (is), and [hi]ce[/hi] refers back to the subject of the sentence, [hi]C’est[/hi].

[hi]Tu as peur de la vérité.[/hi]. You are afraid of the truth.

- Tu [hi]Tu[/hi] is the informal pronoun for “you,” used when addressing someone you know well, like a friend or family member.

- as [hi]as[/hi] is the verb “to have” in the present tense, conjugated in the second person singular. It’s like saying “you have” in English.

- peur [hi]peur[/hi] means “fear” in English.

- de [hi]de[/hi] is a preposition that means “of” in this context. It’s used to show that the fear is directed towards something.

- la [hi]la[/hi] is the definite article “the,” used before feminine nouns.

- vérité [hi]vérité[/hi] is the noun “truth.”

The sentence literally translates to “You have fear of the truth,” but in English, we would say “You are afraid of the truth.”

[hi]Tom est rassasié.[/hi]. Tom is full.

The sentence [hi]Tom est rassasié[/hi] uses the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the present tense with the subject pronoun [hi]il[/hi] (he) understood. The adjective [hi]rassasié[/hi] (full) is in the masculine singular form, agreeing with the subject [hi]Tom[/hi] (Tom).

Here is a breakdown: - [hi]Tom[/hi]: A proper noun (name) for a male person, the subject of the sentence.

- [hi]est[/hi]: The third-person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- [hi]rassasié[/hi]: An adjective meaning “full” or “satisfied.” It is in the masculine singular form to agree with the masculine singular subject [hi]Tom[/hi].

[hi]Le contremaître m’a retenu une heure de salaire pour être arrivée en retard au travail.[/hi]. The foreman docked my pay for an hour because I was late to work.

- Le[/hi] – This is the definite article, meaning “the.”

- contremaître[/hi] – This is the noun “foreman.”

- m’a[/hi] – This is the contraction of [hi]me[/hi] (me) and [hi]a[/hi] (has).

- retenu[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]retenir[/hi] (to hold back, to deduct).

- une[/hi] – This is the indefinite article, meaning “a/an.”

- heure[/hi] – This is the noun “hour.”

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- salaire[/hi] – This is the noun “salary/pay.”

- pour[/hi] – This is the preposition “for.”

- être[/hi] – This is the verb “to be.”

- arrivée[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]arriver[/hi] (to arrive).

- en[/hi] – This is the preposition “in.”

- retard[/hi] – This is the noun “delay/lateness.”

- au[/hi] – This is the contracted form of [hi]à[/hi] (to) and [hi]le[/hi] (the).

- travail[/hi] – This is the noun “work.”

This sentence uses the passé composé tense, which is a common way to describe actions that happened in the past. It is formed by combining the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) with the past participle of the main verb. In this case, [hi]avoir[/hi] is conjugated as [hi]a[/hi] because it is in the third person singular.

[hi]T’as du lait ?[/hi]. Do you have milk?

The phrase “T’as du lait ?” is a casual and informal way of asking “Do you have milk?” in French. Let’s break it down:

- T’as: This is a contraction of tu as [hi]tu as[/hi], meaning “you have”. In this case, “tu” [hi]tu[/hi] is the informal “you” used with friends or family.

- du: This is the masculine singular form of the indefinite article “some” or “any”. In this context, it refers to “some milk”.

- lait: This is the French word for “milk” [hi]lait[/hi].

The sentence structure is very simple and follows the standard French question word order: subject (tu) + verb (as) + object (du lait). The sentence is shortened for informality, making it a very casual phrase.

[hi]Il est possible que Tom vous ait menti.[/hi]. It is possible that Tom lied to you.

This sentence uses the subjunctive mood in French, which is used to express doubt, possibility, or uncertainty.

The subjunctive mood is formed using the verb “que” [hi]que[/hi], which means “that.”

In this case, the subjunctive mood is used with the verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] (“to have”) in the past participle form “ait” [hi]ait[/hi] to indicate that the possibility of Tom lying to you is not certain.

So, the full breakdown is:

- Il [hi]il[/hi] – he

- est [hi]est[/hi] – is

- possible [hi]possible[/hi] – possible

- que [hi]que[/hi] – that

- Tom [hi]Tom[/hi] – Tom

- vous [hi]vous[/hi] – you

- ait [hi]ait[/hi] – (from the verb avoir [hi]avoir[/hi] “to have”) – have

- menti [hi]menti[/hi] – lied

[hi]Es-tu une blonde naturelle ?[/hi]. Are you a natural blonde?

This sentence is a question in the [hi]tu[/hi] form, which is the informal second person singular.

- Es-tu[/hi] is the verb “être” (to be) conjugated in the present tense, interrogative form for the informal second person singular. It literally means “Are you?”. “Tu” is the subject pronoun for “you” in the informal singular form.

- une[/hi] is the indefinite article meaning “a” or “an”, used before a feminine noun.

- blonde[/hi] is a feminine noun meaning “blonde”.

- naturelle[/hi] is a feminine adjective meaning “natural”.

The sentence is asking the person if they are naturally blonde.

[hi]Je pensais qu’il s’agissait d’une blague.[/hi]. I thought it was a joke.

This sentence uses the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]penser[/hi] (to think) which is [hi]pensais[/hi]. This tense is used to describe an action or state that was in progress in the past. The pronoun [hi]je[/hi] (I) is the subject of the verb. The direct object of the verb is the clause [hi]qu’il s’agissait d’une blague[/hi]. This clause is introduced by the conjunction [hi]que[/hi] (that) and contains the verb [hi]s’agir[/hi] (to be a matter of) in the imperfect tense. The pronoun [hi]il[/hi] (he) is the subject of the verb [hi]s’agir[/hi] and the phrase [hi]d’une blague[/hi] (of a joke) is the object of the verb. The entire clause [hi]qu’il s’agissait d’une blague[/hi] acts as the direct object of the verb [hi]penser[/hi].

[hi]Es-tu d’accord ?[/hi]. This means “Do you agree?”

The phrase is composed of:

- Es-tu[/hi]: This is the informal form of the verb “to be” in the second person singular, meaning “are you”. It is conjugated in the present tense.

- d’accord[/hi]: This means “in agreement”. It is an adjective used as an adverb.

The phrase is a simple question asking for confirmation or agreement.

[hi]C’est un bon nageur.[/hi]. He is a good swimmer.

[hi]C’est[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]est[/hi] (is).

[hi]un[/hi] is the indefinite article meaning “a” and it is used before a masculine noun.

[hi]bon[/hi] is an adjective meaning “good”.

[hi]nageur[/hi] is a noun meaning “swimmer”.

[hi]Nous avons déjà trois événements réservés pour la semaine prochaine.[/hi]. We already have three events booked for next week.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we” in the plural form.

- avons[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the first-person plural form.

- déjà[/hi] – This adverb means “already” and indicates that the events are booked prior to the moment of speaking.

- trois[/hi] – This is the cardinal number “three”.

- événements[/hi] – This is the plural form of the noun “événement” (event).

- réservés[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “réserver” (to reserve) in the masculine plural form, agreeing with the noun “événements”.

- pour[/hi] – This preposition means “for”.

- la[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the feminine singular form, referring to “semaine”.

- prochaine[/hi] – This adjective means “next” and modifies “semaine”.

- semaine[/hi] – This noun means “week”.

Key Concepts:

- Agreement: The past participle “réservés” agrees in gender and number with the noun “événements”.

- Prepositions: The preposition “pour” is used to indicate the purpose or duration of the event bookings.

- Adverbs: The adverb “déjà” adds emphasis and indicates the timing of the booking.

[hi]Tu n’es pas obligée d’être si grossière.[/hi]. You don’t have to be so rude.

- Tu [hi]tu[/hi] is the informal pronoun for “you”, used when addressing someone directly.

- n’es [hi]n’es[/hi] is the negative conjugation of the verb être [hi]être[/hi] (“to be”) in the present tense, second person singular. It is negated with the particle ne [hi]ne[/hi] and pas [hi]pas[/hi].

- obligée [hi]obligée[/hi] is the feminine past participle of the verb obliger [hi]obliger[/hi] (“to oblige”). Since obligée [hi]obligée[/hi] follows the verb être [hi]être[/hi] it is functioning as an adjective modifying the subject “tu” [hi]tu[/hi]

- d’être [hi]d’être[/hi] is the infinitive “to be” used after the preposition de [hi]de[/hi] (“of”). The preposition de [hi]de[/hi] is used before the infinitive to indicate obligation or necessity.

- si [hi]si[/hi] is an adverb that means “so” in this context.

- grossière [hi]grossière[/hi] is an adjective meaning “rude” or “coarse”.

[hi]Ça leur reviendra.[/hi]. It will come back to them.

This sentence uses the impersonal construction “ça” with the reflexive verb “[hi]revenir[/hi]”.

- ça[/hi] is a pronoun that stands in for an unspecified subject, meaning it is not clear exactly what will come back to them.

- revenir[/hi] means “to come back” and is used here in the third-person singular form of the future tense.

- leur[/hi] is a possessive pronoun, meaning “their.”

The full meaning is that whatever action they are taking will eventually have negative consequences for them.

[hi]Qu’est-ce que je suis censé faire ensuite ?[/hi]. What am I supposed to do next?

Breakdown:

- Qu’est-ce que is a contraction of [hi]que est-ce que[/hi], which means “what is it that”.

- je is the subject pronoun “I”

- suis is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]être[/hi], which means “to be”

- censé is the past participle of the verb [hi]censurer[/hi], which means “to censor”

- faire is the infinitive form of the verb “to do”

- ensuite is an adverb meaning “next” or “afterwards”

Key concepts:

- Interrogative sentence: This sentence asks a question.

- Contraction: [hi]Qu’est-ce que[/hi] is a common contraction in French.

- Verb conjugation: The verb [hi]être[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense to agree with the subject “je”.

- Past participle: The past participle [hi]censé[/hi] is used as an adjective in this sentence, modifying the noun “je”.

[hi]N’oubliez pas de prendre des vêtements chauds.[/hi]. Don’t forget to take warm clothes.

This sentence uses the negative imperative form of the verb [hi]oublier[/hi] (to forget). The negative imperative is formed by using the negative particle [hi]ne[/hi] followed by the verb in the imperative form.

- N’oubliez[/hi] is the negative imperative form of the verb [hi]oublier[/hi], meaning “don’t forget”

- pas[/hi] is the negative adverb, meaning “not”

- de prendre[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb [hi]prendre[/hi] (to take), used after the negative imperative

- des vêtements[/hi] means “clothes”

- chauds[/hi] is an adjective meaning “warm”

The sentence can be literally translated as “Don’t forget not to take warm clothes.” However, the “not” is implied in the negative imperative, so the natural English translation is “Don’t forget to take warm clothes.”

[hi]Fais-le immédiatement ![/hi]. Do it immediately!

This is an imperative sentence, meaning it gives a command.

- Fais[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (to do) in the second person singular, meaning “you” (informal singular).

- le[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, standing in for the noun previously mentioned (it)

- immédiatement[/hi] is an adverb meaning “immediately”

[hi]Cherchez ce mot dans votre dictionnaire.[/hi]. Look for this word in your dictionary.

This sentence uses the [hi]impératif[/hi] (imperative) mood, which is used to give commands or instructions. The subject pronoun “[hi]vous[/hi]” (you) is implied in the imperative form of the verb “[hi]cherchez[/hi]” (look for).

“[hi]ce[/hi]” (this) is a demonstrative adjective that modifies the noun “[hi]mot[/hi]” (word).

“[hi]dans[/hi]” (in) is a preposition that introduces the location where the word should be looked for.

“[hi]votre[/hi]” (your) is a possessive adjective that modifies the noun “[hi]dictionnaire[/hi]” (dictionary).

[hi]Discutons tout de suite de ce problème.[/hi]. Let’s discuss this problem right away.

- Discutons is the first-person plural imperative form of the verb [hi]discuter[/hi] (to discuss). The imperative form is used to give a command or make a request. In this case, it’s a suggestion to start discussing the problem.

- tout de suite means “right away” or “immediately”.

- de ce problème is a prepositional phrase. de is the preposition “of”, and ce problème is the noun phrase “this problem”.

The sentence means “Let’s discuss this problem immediately”.

[hi]Je l’ai acheté hier soir.[/hi]. I bought it last night.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- l’[/hi] – This is the direct object pronoun “it.” It is a contracted form of [hi]le[/hi] + [hi]le[/hi].

- ai[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “avoir” (to have), conjugated in the first person singular.

- acheté[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “acheter” (to buy). It agrees in gender and number with the direct object pronoun “[hi]l’[/hi].”

- hier[/hi] – This means “yesterday.”

- soir[/hi] – This means “evening.”

Key concepts:

- Direct object pronouns are used to replace a noun that is the direct object of a verb.

- Past participles are used to form compound tenses of verbs, like the past perfect and the future perfect.

- Agreement between past participles and direct object pronouns is important in French.

[hi]Une couleur est une main de poker dans laquelle la totalité des cinq cartes sont de la même couleur.[/hi]. A flush is a poker hand in which all five cards are of the same suit.

Here is the breakdown:

- Une[/hi] – This is the feminine singular definite article meaning “a” or “the.” Here it is translated as “a” because it precedes the noun [hi]couleur[/hi].

- couleur[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “color” or “suit.” Here it is translated as “flush” which is a poker term meaning a hand with all cards of the same suit.

- est[/hi] – This is the third person singular present tense of the verb “to be.”

- une[/hi] – This is the feminine singular definite article meaning “a” or “the.” Here it is translated as “a” because it precedes the noun [hi]main[/hi].

- main[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “hand.” Here it is translated as “hand” because it is used in the context of poker.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition meaning “of.”

- poker[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “poker.”

- dans[/hi] – This is the preposition meaning “in” or “within.”

- laquelle[/hi] – This is the relative pronoun meaning “in which” or “where.”

- la[/hi] – This is the feminine singular definite article meaning “the.”

- totalité[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “totality” or “whole.”

- des[/hi] – This is the plural form of the definite article meaning “the.”

- cinq[/hi] – This is the cardinal number meaning “five.”

- cartes[/hi] – This is the plural noun meaning “cards.”

- sont[/hi] – This is the third person plural present tense of the verb “to be.”

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition meaning “of.”

- la[/hi] – This is the feminine singular definite article meaning “the.”

- même[/hi] – This is the adjective meaning “same.”

- couleur[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “color” or “suit.” It’s translated as “suit” here for the poker context.

This sentence uses the relative pronoun [hi]laquelle[/hi] to introduce a relative clause that describes the noun [hi]main[/hi]. The clause is [hi]laquelle la totalité des cinq cartes sont de la même couleur[/hi], which means “in which all five cards are of the same suit.”

This sentence is a simple definition of a flush in poker.

[hi]Pourquoi l’amour nous rend-il si heureux ?[/hi]. Why does love make us so happy?

This sentence uses the [hi]indicative[/hi] mood of the verb [hi]rendre[/hi], which means “to make” or “to render.”

- Pourquoi[/hi] is an interrogative word meaning “why” and it is used to introduce a question.

- l’amour[/hi] is a noun meaning “love.” The definite article [hi]le[/hi] is used here because the noun refers to a general concept of love.

- nous[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “us” and is the subject of the verb [hi]rendre[/hi].

- rend-il[/hi] is the third person singular present indicative of the verb [hi]rendre[/hi]. The [hi]il[/hi] in [hi]rend-il[/hi] refers to [hi]l’amour[/hi] and is the subject of the verb.

- si[/hi] is an adverb meaning “so.”

- heureux[/hi] is an adjective meaning “happy.”

The sentence structure is: interrogative word + subject + verb + adverb + adjective.

The sentence is asking a philosophical question about the nature of love and its effect on humans. The use of the [hi]indicative[/hi] mood suggests that the speaker is seeking a factual answer. The adverb [hi]si[/hi] emphasizes the intensity of the feeling of happiness that love brings.

[hi]Quand as-tu passé l’examen ?[/hi]. When did you take the exam?

This sentence is a simple question in the past tense. Let’s break it down:

- Quand [hi]Quand[/hi] means “when” and acts as an interrogative adverb, asking about the time of an event.

- as-tu [hi]as-tu[/hi] is the contracted form of “as-tu” which means “have you”. Here, it’s the conjugation of the verb “avoir” in the second person singular, meaning you.

- passé [hi]passé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “passer” [hi]passer[/hi], meaning “to take” or “to pass” in this context.

- l’examen [hi]l’examen[/hi] is the definite article “le” [hi]le[/hi] contracted with “examen” [hi]examen[/hi] meaning “the exam”.

The sentence asks the listener when they took the exam, implying they already have.

[hi]Il se pourrait que je rentre tard à la maison. Dans ce cas, je te téléphonerai.[/hi]. It is possible that I will return home late. In this case, I will call you.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – He/it. This pronoun refers to the speaker.

- se pourrait que[/hi] – It could be that… This phrase expresses possibility.

- je[/hi] – I

- rentre[/hi] – return (present tense, first person singular of [hi]rentrer[/hi], to return)

- tard[/hi] – late

- à la maison[/hi] – at home

- Dans ce cas[/hi] – In this case

- je[/hi] – I

- te[/hi] – you (informal singular)

- téléphonerai[/hi] – will call (future tense, first person singular of [hi]téléphoner[/hi], to call)

Key concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb [hi]rentre[/hi] agrees with the subject [hi]je[/hi] (I) in number and person.

- Future tense: The verb [hi]téléphonerai[/hi] is in the future tense, indicating an action that will happen in the future.

- Conditional mood: The phrase [hi]se pourrait que[/hi] expresses possibility using the conditional mood.

- Direct object pronoun: The pronoun [hi]te[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, meaning it receives the action of the verb [hi]téléphonerai[/hi].

[hi]En tant qu’adultes, nous ne devrions pas gâcher les aptitudes intellectuelles et créatives des enfants.[/hi]. As adults, we should not waste the intellectual and creative abilities of children.

Breakdown:

- En tant qu’adultes[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase meaning “as adults.”

[hi]En[/hi] is the preposition “as” or “in the role of.” [hi]tant que[/hi] is the conjunction “as” or “while.” * [hi]adultes[/hi] is the noun “adults” in the plural form.

- nous[/hi] – This is the pronoun “we” in the subject form.

- ne devrions pas[/hi] – This is a negative construction that means “should not.”

* [hi]ne[/hi] is the negative particle. [hi]devrions[/hi] is the verb “to have to” in the conditional tense. [hi]pas[/hi] is the negative adverb “not.”

- gâcher[/hi] – This is the verb “to waste” or “to spoil.”

- les aptitudes intellectuelles et créatives[/hi] – This is a noun phrase referring to the “intellectual and creative abilities.”

[hi]les[/hi] is the definite article “the.” [hi]aptitudes[/hi] is the noun “abilities.” [hi]intellectuelles[/hi] is the adjective “intellectual” in the feminine plural form. [hi]et[/hi] is the conjunction “and.” * [hi]créatives[/hi] is the adjective “creative” in the feminine plural form.

- des enfants[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “of children.”

* [hi]des[/hi] is the partitive article “of” or “some.” * [hi]enfants[/hi] is the noun “children” in the plural form.

[hi]Les galeries commerciales sont en vogue parmi les adolescents.[/hi]. Shopping malls are in vogue among teenagers.

This sentence uses the present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the third person plural, [hi]sont[/hi], and the adjective [hi]en vogue[/hi] (in vogue, fashionable).

The phrase [hi]les adolescents[/hi] (teenagers) is the object of the preposition [hi]parmi[/hi] (among).

[hi]Avez-vous passé une chouette soirée ?[/hi]. Did you have a great evening?

This sentence is a question in the past tense, asking if the person had a good time. Let’s break it down:

- Avez-vous[/hi] is the verb “to have” conjugated in the past tense, in the formal “vous” form, meaning “you” in a polite or formal way.

- passé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “passer” which means “to spend” or “to pass” in this context.

- une[/hi] is the feminine singular definite article “a” or “an”.

- chouette[/hi] is an informal adjective meaning “great” or “awesome.”

- soirée[/hi] is a noun meaning “evening”.

The sentence structure is subject-verb-object, and it is a direct question, asking for a confirmation of the listener’s experience.

[hi]Les racines de l’arbre s’étendent profondément dans la terre.[/hi]. The roots of the tree extend deep into the ground.

- Les[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the plural feminine form, agreeing with the noun “racines”.

- racines[/hi] – This is the noun “roots”, which is feminine and plural.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of”, introducing the noun phrase “l’arbre”.

- l’arbre[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form followed by the noun “tree”.

- s’étendent[/hi] – This is the third person plural present tense of the verb “s’étendre” which means “to extend”.

- profondément[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “deeply”.

- dans[/hi] – This is the preposition “in”, indicating location.

- la[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the feminine singular form, agreeing with the noun “terre”.

- terre[/hi] – This is the noun “ground”.

The sentence uses a simple subject-verb-object structure. The subject is “les racines”, the verb is “s’étendent”, and the object is “profondément dans la terre”. The sentence also uses a prepositional phrase “de l’arbre” to modify the subject.

[hi]Je ne suis pas celle qui a fracassé la voiture.[/hi]. I am not the one who smashed the car.

This sentence is in the negative form, using [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to negate the verb [hi]suis[/hi] (to be).

The sentence utilizes the [hi]qui[/hi] pronoun, which translates to “who” in this context. It is used to clarify who performed the action of smashing the car.

The verb [hi]fracassé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]casser[/hi] (to break). It is used in the past tense to indicate that the action of smashing the car occurred in the past.

The sentence structure is “Subject – Negation – Verb – [hi]qui[/hi] – Verb – Object.”

[hi]Il m’a fallu faire mon devoir.[/hi]. It took me to do my homework.

This sentence uses the impersonal verb [hi]falloir[/hi] which means “to be necessary”.

The structure is “il + [hi]falloir[/hi] + [hi]infinitive[/hi]”

[hi]Il[/hi] is the pronoun that is required with the impersonal verb [hi]falloir[/hi]

[hi]m’[/hi] is the dative pronoun meaning “to me”

[hi]a[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] meaning “to have”.

It is required with the impersonal verb [hi]falloir[/hi] and agrees in gender and number with the subject of the infinitive.

[hi]faire[/hi] is the infinitive meaning “to do”.

[hi]mon[/hi] is the possessive adjective meaning “my”

[hi]devoir[/hi] is the noun meaning “homework”.

[hi]Je n’ai pas l’intention de me mêler de vos affaires.[/hi]. I have no intention of getting involved in your business.

The sentence is in the negative form and uses the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) and the negative [hi]ne…pas[/hi].

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”

- n’ai[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]ne ai[/hi], the negative form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the present tense.

- pas[/hi] is the negative particle.

- l’intention[/hi] is the noun “intention” and the [hi]l’[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]le[/hi] (the) and [hi]l’[/hi].

- de[/hi] is the preposition “of”

- me[/hi] is the reflexive pronoun “myself”

- mêler[/hi] is the verb “to get involved”

- de[/hi] is the preposition “of”

- vos[/hi] is the possessive adjective “your”

- affaires[/hi] is the noun “business”

The sentence translates to: “I (do) not have the intention of getting involved in your business.” The negative “[hi]ne…pas[/hi]” negates the verb “[hi]avoir[/hi]” to say “I don’t have…”. The infinitive “[hi]mêler[/hi]” is used after the preposition “of” to form an infinitive phrase. The preposition “of” in this case means “to.”

[hi]Je voudrais quelques informations à propos de vos nouveaux ordinateurs.[/hi]. I would like some information about your new computers.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the pronoun “I” in the subject form.

- voudrais[/hi] – This is the conditional form of the verb “vouloir” (to want). It indicates a polite request or desire.

- quelques[/hi] – This means “some” or “a few” and is used with plural nouns.

- informations[/hi] – This is the plural noun “information.”

- à propos de[/hi] – This means “about” or “regarding.”

- vos[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “your” referring to the listener’s computers.

- nouveaux[/hi] – This is the adjective “new” modifying “ordinateurs” (computers).

- ordinateurs[/hi] – This is the plural noun “computers.”

Key Concepts:

- Conditional Tense: The verb “voudrais” is in the conditional tense, which makes the request more polite.

- Possessive Adjectives: The word “[hi]vos[/hi]” is a possessive adjective, showing that the computers belong to the person being addressed.

- Prepositions: The preposition “[hi]à propos de[/hi]” connects the subject’s desire to the object of that desire.

[hi]J’ai eu du bol.[/hi]. I was lucky.

This sentence uses the passé composé tense, which is used to describe completed actions in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) conjugated in the past tense ([hi]j’ai[/hi] in this case) and the past participle of the main verb ([hi]eu[/hi] from [hi]avoir[/hi]).

The phrase [hi]du bol[/hi] literally means “of luck.” It is a common expression in French that is used to indicate that someone has been fortunate.

[hi]Je suis tombé.[/hi]. I fell.

[hi]Je[/hi] is the pronoun “I”. It is the subject of the sentence, meaning it performs the action.

[hi]suis[/hi] is the present tense conjugation of the verb [hi]être[/hi], “to be”, in the first person singular. It is used here as part of the passé composé (past tense) of the verb [hi]tomber[/hi], “to fall”. The passé composé is formed by combining the auxiliary verb [hi]être[/hi] with the past participle of the main verb.

[hi]tombé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]tomber[/hi]. It is used in the passé composé to indicate that the action of falling has already happened.

The sentence uses the passé composé tense, which is used to talk about completed actions in the past.

[hi]J’étais très choqué.[/hi]. I was very shocked.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]étais[/hi] (was). This is a very common contraction in French.

- étais[/hi] is the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be). The imperfect tense is used to describe actions or states that were ongoing in the past.

- très[/hi] means very. It is an adverb that modifies the adjective [hi]choqué[/hi].

- choqué[/hi] means shocked. It is a past participle that functions as an adjective in this sentence.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: French uses contractions frequently, especially with the pronoun [hi]je[/hi] (I).

- Imperfect Tense: The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions or states that were ongoing. This is different from the passé composé which is used for completed actions in the past.

- Adjectives: Adjectives in French agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

- Past Participles: Past participles can function as adjectives.

[hi]Tu n’as pas le choix.[/hi]. You have no choice.

This sentence is a simple negative statement in the present tense.

- Tu[/hi] is the subject pronoun “you” in the informal singular form.

- n’as[/hi] is the negative conjugation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the present tense, second person singular. The “n’” is a contraction of “ne” and “pas” (not).

- pas[/hi] is the negative adverb “not” and emphasizes the negation.

- le[/hi] is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form.

- choix[/hi] is the noun “choice” in the masculine singular form.

Together, the sentence means “You do not have the choice.” The implication is that the person addressed is obligated to do something, as they have no alternative.

[hi]Nous ne voulons rien faire de précipité.[/hi]. We don’t want to do anything rash.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we” in the plural form.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation particle “not”.

- voulons[/hi] – This is the verb “to want” in the present tense, conjugated in the first-person plural (we).

- rien[/hi] – This is the indefinite pronoun “nothing”.

- faire[/hi] – This is the verb “to do” in the infinitive form.

- de[/hi] – This is a preposition that translates as “of” or “from” in this context.

- précipité[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “rash” or “hasty”.

Key concepts:

- Negation: The use of [hi]ne[/hi] before the verb to express negation.

- Indefinite pronoun: [hi]rien[/hi] is used to emphasize that we don’t want to do anything.

- Infinitive: The verb [hi]faire[/hi] is used in its infinitive form after the preposition [hi]de[/hi].

Translation: We do not want to do anything rash.

[hi]Conformément aux closes du contrat, vous pouvez prendre trois jours de congé de deuil pour les funérailles de votre oncle, mais un seul pour celles de votre neveu.[/hi]. According to the terms of the contract, you are allowed to take three days of bereavement leave for the funeral of your uncle, but only one day for the funeral of your nephew.

Breakdown:

- Conformément[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “in accordance with” or “according to.” It’s used to indicate that something is being done or is allowed because it aligns with a specific rule or guideline.

- aux[/hi] – This is the masculine plural form of the preposition [hi]à[/hi] (“to” or “at”). It’s used here to introduce the [hi]clauses[/hi] of the contract.

- clauses[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “clauses” or “terms.” It refers to the specific parts of a contract that outline the rights and obligations of the parties involved.

- du[/hi] – This is a contraction of the preposition [hi]de[/hi] (“of”) and the definite article [hi]le[/hi] (“the”). It’s used here to show possession or belonging.

- contrat[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “contract.” It refers to a legally binding agreement between two or more parties.

- vous[/hi] – This is the pronoun “you” (formal). It’s used to address the person who is reading or hearing this sentence.

- pouvez[/hi] – This is the verb “to be able to” or “can” in the present tense. It indicates that the person is permitted to do something.

- prendre[/hi] – This is the verb “to take” in the present tense. It is used to indicate the action of taking time off for bereavement leave.

- trois[/hi] – This is the number “three.”

- jours[/hi] – This is the noun “days.”

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- congé[/hi] – This is the noun “leave” (vacation time).

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- deuil[/hi] – This is the noun “bereavement.”

- pour[/hi] – This is the preposition “for.”

- les[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” (plural).

- funérailles[/hi] – This is the noun “funeral.” It refers to the ceremony held to honor a deceased person.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- votre[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “your.” It is used to indicate that the uncle belongs to the person being addressed.

- oncle[/hi] – This is the noun “uncle.” This word is related to the concept of family.

- mais[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “but” or “however.” It is used to connect two contrasting ideas.

- un[/hi] – This is the indefinite article “a” or “one.”

- seul[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “only.” It indicates that there is just one day of bereavement leave allowed.

- pour[/hi] – This is the preposition “for.”

- celles[/hi] – This is the plural feminine form of the definite article “the.”

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- votre[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “your.” It indicates that the nephew belongs to the person being addressed.

- neveu[/hi] – This is the noun “nephew.” This word is related to the concept of family.

Key Concepts:

- Bereavement leave: This is a type of paid or unpaid leave that an employee is entitled to take when they experience a loss in their family.

- Contractual obligations: This refers to the terms and conditions that are agreed upon in a written contract.

- Family relationships: This sentence uses the words “uncle” and “nephew” to describe relationships within a family.

[hi]Cela pourrait être la dernière fois que l’on se voit.[/hi]. This could be the last time we see each other.

Breakdown:

- Cela[/hi] – This, it. It is a demonstrative pronoun, referring to the idea of seeing each other.

- pourrait[/hi] – could, might. It is the conditional tense of the verb [hi]pouvoir[/hi] (to be able to). It expresses a possibility or uncertainty.

- être[/hi] – to be. It is the infinitive form of the verb “to be” and is used here in the present tense.

- la[/hi] – the. It is the definite article, indicating that the “last time” is specific.

- dernière[/hi] – last. It is an adjective modifying the noun “time”.

- fois[/hi] – time. It is a noun.

- que[/hi] – that. It is a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause.

- l’on[/hi] – one, we. It is a pronoun, meaning “we” in this context.

- se voit[/hi] – see each other. It is the reflexive verb “to see each other” in the present tense.

Key Concepts:

- Conditional Tense: The use of the conditional tense [hi]pourrait[/hi] indicates a possibility or uncertainty about the future.

- Reflexive Verb: The verb [hi]se voit[/hi] is reflexive, meaning that the action of seeing is directed back to the subject. This is conveyed by the use of the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi].

- Subordinate Clause: The phrase “que l’on se voit” is a subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction [hi]que[/hi]. It depends on the main clause “Cela pourrait être la dernière fois.”

[hi]Je n’en suis pas si sûre ![/hi]. I’m not so sure about that!

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- n’[/hi] is the negation “not”

- en[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “of it” or “of them.”

- suis[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the first person singular present tense.

- pas[/hi] is the adverb “not”

- si[/hi] is the adverb “so”

- sûre[/hi] is the adjective “sure” in the feminine singular form.

- ![/hi]** is the exclamation mark.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negation “n’...” to express doubt.

- Pronoun [hi]en[/hi]: The pronoun [hi]en[/hi] is used to refer to something previously mentioned, though it is not explicit in this sentence. It can be understood to refer to the statement about which the speaker is unsure.

- Adjectives: The adjective [hi]sûre[/hi] agrees in gender with the subject pronoun [hi]Je[/hi].

[hi]Je l’ai rencontrée à Londres.[/hi]. I met her in London.

- Je [hi]je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- l’ [hi]l’[/hi] is the direct object pronoun “her”, contracted from “la” and the article “le”.

- ai [hi]ai[/hi] is the present tense of the auxiliary verb “avoir” meaning “have”, conjugated in the first person singular.

- rencontrée [hi]rencontrée[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “rencontrer” meaning “to meet”, used in the passé composé tense.

- à [hi]à[/hi] is the preposition “in”, used before a place.

- Londres [hi]Londres[/hi] is the name of the city “London”.

The sentence is in the passé composé tense, formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” and the past participle of the main verb “rencontrer”.

[hi]Fantastique ![/hi]. This is an exclamation of excitement, meaning “Fantastic!”.

[hi]Fantastique[/hi] is an adjective meaning “fantastic”, “wonderful”, or “amazing”.

The exclamation mark at the end emphasizes the strong feeling of excitement.

[hi]Tom chante comme une casserole.[/hi]. Tom sings like a pot.

This sentence uses a [hi]comparative[/hi] to express the quality of Tom’s singing.

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence.

- chante[/hi] is the verb, which means “sings.”

- comme[/hi] means “like” and introduces the comparison.

- une casserole[/hi] means “a pot” and is the term being compared to.

The sentence implies that Tom’s singing is bad or unpleasant, using the image of a pot to convey this.

[hi]Puis-je avoir un verre d’eau ?[/hi]. Can I have a glass of water?

This is a simple question, using the polite form of the verb [hi]pouvoir[/hi] (to be able to) in the present tense, [hi]puis-je[/hi] (can I). [hi]Avoir[/hi] (to have) is also in the present tense, and it is conjugated with the pronoun [hi]je[/hi] (I). The direct object [hi]un verre d’eau[/hi] (a glass of water) is placed after the verb. The question mark at the end signifies it is a question.

[hi]Serre-moi bien fort.[/hi]. Hold me tight.

This sentence is a command, telling someone to hold the speaker tightly.

- Serre[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb “[hi]serrer[/hi]” which means “to hold tight” or “to squeeze”. It is in the singular form, meaning it is addressed to a single person.

- moi[/hi] is the direct object pronoun “me”. It is the object of the verb “[hi]serre[/hi]”.

- bien[/hi] is an adverb that means “well” or “tightly” in this context.

- fort[/hi] is an adjective that means “strong” or “tight” and acts as an adverb here, modifying the verb “[hi]serre[/hi]”.

Breakdown: [hi]Serre[/hi] + [hi]moi[/hi] + [hi]bien[/hi] + [hi]fort[/hi] = Hold + me + tight + tightly [hi]Tom s’est-il noyé ?[/hi]. Did Tom drown?

This sentence is in the past tense and asks a yes/no question.

The verb [hi]s’est-il[/hi] is the past participle of [hi]se noyer[/hi] (to drown) which is conjugated with the auxiliary verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

[hi]S’[/hi] is the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] contracted with the [hi]il[/hi] (he) subject.

The word order for yes/no questions in French is subject + verb + rest of the sentence.

Note: The use of [hi]être[/hi] for verbs of motion or change of state is key to understanding French grammar.

[hi]Je ne me rappelle pas qui a dit ça.[/hi]. I don’t remember who said that.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in French.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation particle “not” in French, used with the verb “se rappeler”.

- me[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “myself” in French, used with the verb “se rappeler”.

- rappelle[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “se rappeler” which means “to remember”.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negation particle “not” in French, used with the verb “se rappeler”.

- qui[/hi] – This is the interrogative pronoun “who” in French, used to ask about the subject of the verb “a dit”.

- a[/hi] – This is the third person singular present tense of the verb “avoir”, which means “to have” and is used in the past tense construction “avoir + past participle”.

- dit[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “dire”, which means “to say”.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verb: The verb “se rappeler” is reflexive. This means that the action of the verb is performed by the subject on themselves.

- Negation: The sentence uses a double negation, with “ne” before the verb “se rappeler” and “pas” after the verb. This is a common way to express negation in French.

- Past Tense Construction: The sentence uses the past tense construction “avoir + past participle” to express that the action of saying happened in the past.

- Interrogative Pronoun: The interrogative pronoun “qui” is used to ask a question about the subject of the verb “a dit”.

[hi]Écoute Tom.[/hi]. Listen to Tom.

The sentence is a simple imperative sentence, meaning it gives a direct command.

- Écoute[/hi] means “listen” in the imperative form, which is used to give direct commands. The imperative form is the same for both the singular and plural forms in this case.

- Tom[/hi] is the proper noun for the person being addressed.

[hi]Trouve-toi un vrai boulot.[/hi]. Find yourself a real job.

This sentence is in the imperative mood, meaning it’s a command or instruction.

- Trouve-toi is the imperative form of the verb trouver (to find), conjugated in the second person singular (you) and with the reflexive pronoun toi (yourself) attached.

- un is the indefinite article meaning “a”

- vrai is an adjective meaning “real”

- boulot is a colloquial word for “job”

So, the full meaning is “Find yourself a real job”.

[hi]Pourquoi n’avez-vous arrêté que les étrangers ?[/hi]. Why did you only stop the foreigners?

Breakdown:

- Pourquoi[/hi] – This is the interrogative pronoun “why,” used to ask a question.

- n’avez-vous[/hi] – This is the negative form of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the second person plural, conjugated with the interrogative particle “ne” and the subject pronoun “vous.” This is a common structure in French questions.

- arrêté[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “arrêter” (to stop). It is used here in the compound past tense.

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction that introduces a relative clause, meaning “that” or “which.”

- les[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the plural form, referring to “foreigners.”

- étrangers[/hi] – This is the noun “foreigners,” indicating people from different countries.

Key Concepts:

- Interrogative sentence structure: The sentence follows the typical structure of a French question, starting with an interrogative word or phrase.

- Negative construction: The sentence uses the negative construction “ne…pas” with the verb “avoir” in the past tense.

- Compound past tense: The verb “arrêter” is used in the compound past tense, which is formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” and the past participle.

- Relative clause: The conjunction “que” introduces a relative clause, providing further information about the object of the verb “arrêter.”

[hi]Tom hurla.[/hi]. Tom yelled.

The sentence is simple:

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence, a proper noun.

- hurla[/hi] is the verb, in the third-person singular present tense. This means that it is describing the action of Tom, who is a single person.

This sentence demonstrates a simple subject-verb structure, common in French and English.

[hi]Je suis désolée de vous avoir blessés.[/hi]. I am sorry to have hurt you.

The sentence “Je suis désolée de vous avoir blessés.” is composed of the following elements:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “être” (to be). It is used in conjunction with the past participle [hi]blessés[/hi] to form the passé composé, a compound past tense.

- désolée[/hi] – This is the feminine form of the adjective “désolé” which means “sorry”. The feminine form is used because the subject pronoun is “je” (I) and “je” is feminine.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of” and it is used to introduce the infinitive phrase that follows.

- vous[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “you” (plural). It is used here because the subject of the verb “blesser” is “I” and therefore the direct object is “you”.

- avoir[/hi] – This is the auxiliary verb “to have” and it is used in conjunction with the past participle [hi]blessés[/hi] to form the passé composé.

- blessés[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “blesser” (to hurt). It is used in conjunction with the auxiliary verb “avoir” to form the passé composé.

The sentence structure is a simple subject-verb-object structure. The sentence is in the passé composé tense, which is used to express an action that was completed in the past. The infinitive phrase “[hi]de vous avoir blessés[/hi]” functions as the object of the preposition “de”.

Key Concepts:

- Past Tense (Passé Composé) – The sentence uses the “passé composé” tense which combines the auxiliary verb “avoir” with a past participle to form a compound past tense.

- Agreement of Past Participles – The past participle “[hi]blessés[/hi]” agrees in gender and number with the direct object of the verb “blesser” which is the plural, masculine pronoun “[hi]vous[/hi]”.

- Object Pronoun Placement – The object pronoun “[hi]vous[/hi]” is placed before the verb “avoir” in the “passé composé” structure.

[hi]Elle lui a conseillé de s’y rendre seul.[/hi]. She advised him to go there alone.

Breakdown:

- Elle [hi]Elle[/hi] – She. This is a subject pronoun, meaning it is the one performing the action.

- lui [hi]lui[/hi] – Him. This is an indirect object pronoun, indicating the person who is the recipient of the action.

- a conseillé [hi]a conseillé[/hi] – advised. This is the past tense of the verb [hi]conseiller[/hi] (to advise).

- de [hi]de[/hi] – to. This is a preposition indicating purpose or intention.

- s’y rendre [hi]s’y rendre[/hi] – to go there. This is a reflexive verb, meaning the action is performed on oneself. The reflexive pronoun [hi]s’[/hi] (se) is combined with the pronoun [hi]y[/hi] (there) to create a compound pronoun that refers to the place being visited. The verb [hi]rendre[/hi] means “to go” or “to return.”

- seul [hi]seul[/hi] – alone. This is an adjective modifying the pronoun [hi]lui[/hi] (him) to indicate that he should go there by himself.

[hi]Je suis surpris que tu ignorais cela.[/hi]. I am surprised that you didn’t know that.

- Je[/hi] – I

- suis[/hi] – am (present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] – to be)

- surpris[/hi] – surprised (past participle of the verb [hi]surprendre[/hi] – to surprise, used here as an adjective)

- que[/hi] – that (conjunction introducing a subordinate clause)

- tu[/hi] – you

- ignorais[/hi] – didn’t know (imperfect tense of the verb [hi]ignorer[/hi] – to ignore)

- cela[/hi] – that (pronoun referring to something previously mentioned)

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]suis[/hi] is conjugated in the first person singular to agree with the subject [hi]je[/hi].

- Past Participle as Adjective: The past participle [hi]surpris[/hi] functions as an adjective, modifying the subject [hi]je[/hi].

- Subordinate Clause: The clause beginning with [hi]que[/hi] is a subordinate clause, dependent on the main clause.

- Imperfect Tense: The verb [hi]ignorais[/hi] is in the imperfect tense, describing an action or state that was ongoing in the past.

[hi]C’est sans espoir.[/hi]. This is hopeless.

The sentence is a simple declarative statement.

[hi]C’est[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce est[/hi], meaning “this is.”

[hi]sans[/hi] means “without”

[hi]espoir[/hi] means “hope”

So, the phrase literally means “this is without hope” which translates to “this is hopeless” in English.

[hi]Le corps meurt, mais l’âme est immortelle.[/hi]. The body dies, but the soul is immortal.

This sentence is a simple declarative sentence with a subject-verb-object structure.

- Le[/hi] is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form, referring to corps[/hi].

- corps[/hi] is the noun “body” in the masculine singular form.

- meurt[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb mourir[/hi], which means “to die.”

- mais[/hi] is the conjunction “but,” connecting the two parts of the sentence.

- l’[/hi] is the definite article “the” in the feminine singular form, referring to âme[/hi].

- âme[/hi] is the noun “soul” in the feminine singular form.

- est[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb être[/hi], which means “to be.”

- immortelle[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the adjective immortel[/hi], which means “immortal.”

The sentence expresses a philosophical idea about the nature of the body and the soul. It suggests that the physical body is mortal, but the spiritual soul is eternal.

[hi]Développer une conscience politique prend du temps.[/hi]. Developing a political consciousness takes time.

This sentence is straightforward. Here’s a breakdown of the grammar:

- Développer[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to develop” conjugated in the present tense, développer[/hi] (to develop).

- une conscience politique[/hi] is the direct object of the verb “to develop”. It means “a political consciousness”.

- prend[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb prendre[/hi] (to take).

- du temps[/hi] is a partitive article followed by the noun “time”. It means “some time”.

Key Concept: [hi]prendre[/hi] (to take) is often used figuratively in French to express the idea of “requiring” or “taking up” something, such as time or effort.

[hi]Voilà un livre, ici.[/hi]. Here is a book.

The sentence is made up of the following:

- Voilà [hi]Voilà[/hi] – This is an interjection that means “here is” or “there is.” It is used to introduce something that is being shown or presented. It is often used with a noun phrase.

- un [hi]un[/hi] – This is the masculine singular indefinite article, meaning “a” or “an.” It is used before a masculine singular noun.

- livre [hi]livre[/hi] – This is the noun “book.”

- ici [hi]ici[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “here.” It indicates the location of the book.

[hi]Ils lisent des journaux et des livres.[/hi]. They are reading newspapers and books.

Breakdown:

- Ils [hi]Ils[/hi] – This is the third person plural pronoun meaning “they”.

- lisent [hi]lisent[/hi] – This is the third person plural present tense of the verb [hi]lire[/hi] (to read).

- des [hi]des[/hi] – This is the plural indefinite article meaning “some” or “any”. It is used before plural nouns.

- journaux [hi]journaux[/hi] – This is the plural form of the noun [hi]journal[/hi] (newspaper).

- et [hi]et[/hi] – This is the conjunction “and”.

- livres [hi]livres[/hi] – This is the plural form of the noun [hi]livre[/hi] (book).

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]lisent[/hi] agrees in number and person with the subject [hi]Ils[/hi].

- Indefinite Articles: The use of [hi]des[/hi] indicates that there are multiple newspapers and books being read.

- Plural Nouns: Both [hi]journaux[/hi] and [hi]livres[/hi] are in the plural form because there are multiple newspapers and books.

[hi]Je me sentais vraiment bien.[/hi]. I was feeling really good.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- me[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “myself” or “me” in this context. This is used to show that the action of feeling good is directed at the subject (I).

- sentais[/hi] – This is the imperfect tense of the verb “[hi]sentir[/hi]” (to feel), which means “was feeling.”

- vraiment[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “really.”

- bien[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “good.” In this case, it’s used as an adverb, modifying the verb “[hi]sentais[/hi]” to describe how the subject was feeling.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Pronouns: The use of [hi]me[/hi] demonstrates the concept of reflexive verbs in French. These verbs reflect the action back on the subject. The reflexive pronoun always precedes the conjugated verb.

- Imperfect Tense: The imperfect tense is used to describe actions or states that were ongoing in the past. In this sentence, the speaker was feeling good, and this feeling was not a single, completed action.

[hi]Lincoln fut un grand homme d’État.[/hi]. Lincoln was a great statesman.

This sentence is in the past tense, using the past participle of the verb être ([hi]être[/hi]) which is “fut”.

- Lincoln is the subject of the sentence.

- fut ([hi]fut[/hi]) is the verb in the past tense.

- un grand homme d’État is the complement describing Lincoln.

Un ([hi]un[/hi]) is the indefinite article meaning “a” or “one”.

grand ([hi]grand[/hi]) is an adjective modifying homme ([hi]homme[/hi]) meaning “great” or “big”.

homme ([hi]homme[/hi]) is a noun meaning “man” or “person”.

d’État ([hi]d’État[/hi]) is a noun phrase meaning “of state” and acts as an adjective modifying homme ([hi]homme[/hi]).

The complete meaning of the phrase is “Lincoln was a great man of the state” or “Lincoln was a great statesman”.

[hi]Que s’est-il produit, en réalité ?[/hi]. What actually happened?

This sentence uses the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense, which is used to describe completed actions in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) conjugated in the past tense ([hi]est[/hi]) and the past participle of the main verb ([hi]produit[/hi]).

- [hi]Que[/hi] is an interrogative pronoun meaning “what.”

- [hi]s’est[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]se est[/hi], the third-person singular form of the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] (himself/herself/itself/themselves) and the auxiliary verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- [hi]il[/hi] (he/it) is the subject of the verb.

- [hi]produit[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]produire[/hi] (to happen, to occur, to produce).

- [hi]en réalité[/hi] is an adverbial phrase meaning “in reality,” “actually.”

Key concepts:

- Passé composé: The [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense is a common past tense used to describe completed actions in the past. It is formed with an auxiliary verb and a past participle.

- Reflexive verbs: [hi]Produire[/hi] is a reflexive verb, meaning that the action reflects back on the subject. In this case, the subject is experiencing the action.

- Adverbial phrases: [hi]En réalité[/hi] is an adverbial phrase that modifies the verb [hi]produit[/hi] by providing additional information about the action.

[hi]J’ai quelques questions faciles pour vous.[/hi]. I have a few easy questions for you.

Breakdown:

- J’ai: [hi]J’ai[/hi] is the first-person singular present tense conjugation of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have). It acts as a helping verb in this sentence.

- quelques: [hi]quelques[/hi] means “some” or “a few” and modifies the noun [hi]questions[/hi].

- questions: [hi]questions[/hi] is the plural noun meaning “questions.”

- faciles: [hi]faciles[/hi] is the plural adjective meaning “easy” and describes the [hi]questions[/hi].

- pour: [hi]pour[/hi] is a preposition meaning “for” and introduces the indirect object [hi]vous[/hi].

- vous: [hi]vous[/hi] is the formal second-person pronoun meaning “you.”

Key Concepts:

- Present Tense Conjugation: The verb [hi]avoir[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense to indicate an action happening now.

- Adjective Agreement: The adjective [hi]faciles[/hi] agrees in number with the noun [hi]questions[/hi] that it modifies.

- Prepositions: The preposition [hi]pour[/hi] indicates the direction of the questions towards the person being addressed.

[hi]Habille-toi ![/hi]. Get dressed!

This is a simple imperative sentence, meaning it gives a command.

Breakdown:

- Habille[/hi] – this is the verb [hi]habiller[/hi] (to dress) conjugated in the imperative form for the second person singular (you).

- toi[/hi] – this is the direct object pronoun [hi]toi[/hi] (you) referring to the person being addressed.

- Habille-toi[/hi] – this is the combined form of the verb and the direct object pronoun, making it a more concise and common way to say it.

[hi]Tu ne devrais pas y aller.[/hi]. You shouldn’t go there.

Breakdown:

- Tu: You (informal singular, subject pronoun)

- ne…pas: This is the negative structure used with verbs. The [hi]ne[/hi] goes before the verb, and [hi]pas[/hi] goes after it.

- devrais: This is the conditional form of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi] (to have to, to should). It indicates a suggestion or obligation that is not necessarily a strict rule.

- y: This pronoun replaces a location or a place that has already been mentioned. Here, it refers to the place where the person should not go.

- aller: To go (infinitive verb). This is the verb in the infinitive form, but it’s being used in conjunction with [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to form the negative conditional.

Key Concepts:

- Negative construction with [hi]ne…pas[/hi]: This is the most common way to form a negative sentence in French.

- Conditional mood: The conditional mood in French is used to express suggestions, polite requests, hypothetical situations, or possibilities. In this case, it emphasizes the speaker’s opinion that the action is not a good idea.

- Pronoun [hi]y[/hi]: This pronoun can replace a previously mentioned location or place.

[hi]Vous auriez dû venir un peu plus tôt.[/hi]. You should have come a little earlier.

This sentence is in the conditional perfect tense, which is used to express regret or a missed opportunity.

- Vous[/hi] – You (plural, formal or informal)

- auriez[/hi] – This is the conditional form of the verb avoir[/hi] (to have). It indicates a hypothetical situation or regret.

- dû[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb devoir[/hi] (to have to, to be obliged to).

- venir[/hi] – To come

- un peu plus tôt[/hi] – A little earlier

**The literal translation would be “You would have had to come a little earlier.” ** The conditional perfect emphasizes that the action was not taken, and the speaker is expressing regret about it.

[hi]J’ai acheté ce livre l’autre jour.[/hi]. I bought this book the other day.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- acheté[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]acheter[/hi] (to buy).

- ce[/hi] means “this”.

- livre[/hi] means “book”.

- l’autre jour[/hi] means “the other day” and refers to a recent, unspecified day.

Key Concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb [hi]ai[/hi] is conjugated in the first person singular to agree with the subject [hi]je[/hi].

- Past participle agreement: The past participle [hi]acheté[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the direct object [hi]ce livre[/hi], which is masculine singular.

- Contractions: The contraction of [hi]je[/hi] and [hi]ai[/hi] is a common feature of spoken and written French.

[hi]Le plan fut mis à exécution.[/hi]. The plan was put into execution.

Breakdown:

- Le[/hi] – This is the definite article, meaning “the”.

- plan[/hi] – This is the noun, meaning “plan”.

- fut[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb “être” (to be), meaning “was”.

- mis[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “mettre” (to put), meaning “put”.

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to”, indicating the direction of the action.

- exécution[/hi] – This is the noun, meaning “execution”.

Key Concepts:

- Past Tense: The sentence uses the past tense of “être” to indicate that the action of putting the plan into execution happened in the past.

- Past Participle: The past participle “mis” acts as an adjective modifying “plan” to describe its state after the action.

- Preposition “à”: This preposition signifies the direction or purpose of the action, indicating that the plan was put into “execution”.

[hi]Il répare sa propre voiture.[/hi]. He is fixing his own car.

Breakdown:

- Il [hi]Il[/hi] – This is the pronoun “he” in the third person singular.

- répare [hi]répare[/hi] – This is the third person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]réparer[/hi] meaning “to repair”.

- sa [hi]sa[/hi] – This is the feminine possessive adjective meaning “his” or “her”, referring to the car.

- propre [hi]propre[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “own”.

- voiture [hi]voiture[/hi] – This is the noun “car”.

Key Concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb [hi]répare[/hi] agrees in number and person with the subject pronoun [hi]il[/hi] (he).

- Possessive adjectives: The possessive adjective [hi]sa[/hi] indicates that the car belongs to him.

- Direct object: The noun [hi]voiture[/hi] (car) is the direct object of the verb [hi]répare[/hi] (repairs).

[hi]Je pense que Tom partira d’Australie à la fin du semestre.[/hi]. He thinks that Tom will leave Australia at the end of the semester.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the first-person singular pronoun meaning “I”

- pense[/hi] – This is the verb “to think” in the present tense, conjugated for the first person singular.

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that” and introduces a subordinate clause.

- Tom[/hi] – This is a proper noun, the name Tom.

- partira[/hi] – This is the verb “to leave” in the future tense, conjugated for the third person singular. This indicates a future action.

- d’Australie[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase indicating the place from which Tom will leave. [hi]d’[/hi] is the preposition “from” and [hi]Australie[/hi] is the noun “Australia”.

- à la fin[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase indicating the time of Tom’s departure. [hi]à[/hi] is the preposition “at” and [hi]la fin[/hi] means “the end”.

- du semestre[/hi] – This is a noun phrase indicating the specific time, the end of the semester. [hi]du[/hi] is the contraction of the preposition [hi]de[/hi] (of) and the definite article [hi]le[/hi] (the). [hi]semestre[/hi] is the noun “semester”.

Key Concepts:

- Tense: The sentence uses the present tense for the speaker’s action (“think”) and the future tense for Tom’s action (“leave”).

- Subordinate Clause: The clause “[hi]que Tom partira d’Australie à la fin du semestre[/hi]” is dependent on the main clause “Je pense” and provides more information.

- Prepositional Phrases: The sentence uses several prepositional phrases to specify details like location and time.

[hi]Je ne comprends pas l’analogie.[/hi]. I do not understand the analogy.

This sentence uses the negative construction “ne…pas” which is a common way to negate verbs in French. The verb “comprendre” is conjugated in the first person singular present tense, meaning “I understand.” “[hi]l’analogie[/hi]” is the direct object and means “the analogy.” The sentence structure is simple and straightforward, with the subject “je” followed by the verb “ne comprends pas” and then the object “l’analogie.”

[hi]Je souffre d’amnésie.[/hi]. I am suffering from amnesia.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the first-person singular pronoun, meaning “I”.

- souffre[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “souffrir”, meaning “to suffer”.

- d’[/hi] – This is the preposition “de” in its contracted form, meaning “of”.

- amnésie[/hi] – This is the noun “amnesia”, meaning a loss of memory.

Key Concepts:

- Present Tense: The verb “souffrir” is conjugated in the present tense, indicating an ongoing action or state.

- Preposition “de”: The preposition “de” is used to show possession or a connection between the subject and the object of the verb. In this case, it indicates that the speaker is suffering from amnesia.

- Noun “amnésie”: The noun “amnésie” is the object of the preposition “de”, specifying the cause of the suffering.

[hi]Ils sont tous deux vivants.[/hi]. They are both alive.

[hi]Ils[/hi] is the plural masculine pronoun meaning “they”. [hi]sont[/hi] is the third person plural of the present tense of the verb “être” meaning “to be”. [hi]tous[/hi] is a masculine plural adjective meaning “all” and [hi]deux[/hi] is a masculine noun meaning “two”. [hi]vivants[/hi] is the masculine plural adjective meaning “alive”.

[hi]Notre nourriture s’épuise.[/hi]. Our food is running out.

Breakdown:

- Notre[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “our” and agrees in gender and number with the noun “nourriture” (food) which is feminine.

- nourriture[/hi] – This is the noun “food” and is feminine.

- s’épuise[/hi] – This is the third person singular present tense of the reflexive verb “s’épuiser” which means “to run out” or “to become exhausted”. The reflexive pronoun “se” is used to indicate that the food is running out of itself.

Key concepts:

- Gender agreement: [hi]Notre[/hi] agrees in gender with [hi]nourriture[/hi] which is feminine.

- Reflexive verb: The verb [hi]s’épuise[/hi] is a reflexive verb and the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] is required.

- Present tense: The verb is in the present tense, indicating that the action is happening now.

[hi]Je vous prie de revenir.[/hi]. Please come back.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- vous[/hi] – This is the formal pronoun “you”.

- prie[/hi] – This is the first person singular present tense conjugation of the verb “[hi]prier[/hi]” (to beg or request).

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of” or “to” in this context.

- revenir[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to come back”.

This sentence uses the formal form of “you” which indicates a more polite and respectful tone. It is a polite way of asking someone to return.

[hi]L’étudiant s’en alla sans avoir dit quoi que ce soit.[/hi]. The student left without saying anything.

Breakdown:

- L’[hi]étudiant[/hi] – This is the subject of the sentence, meaning “the student.” [hi]Étudiant[/hi] is a masculine noun.

- s’[hi]en alla[/hi] – This is the verb, meaning “went away.” It is in the past tense (passé simple). This is an irregular verb, [hi]aller[/hi] (to go), and the past participle [hi]allé[/hi] is combined with [hi]s’[/hi] which is a contraction of [hi]se[/hi] (himself/herself) and [hi]en[/hi] (away from).

- sans avoir dit quoi que ce soit – This is a phrase acting as an adverbial modifier. It means “without having said anything.”

* sans – This means “without.” * avoir dit – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]dire[/hi] (to say) used in a perfect tense. [hi]Avoir[/hi] (to have) is used as an auxiliary verb to form the perfect tense. * quoi que ce soit – This is a compound phrase meaning “anything.” * quoi – This means “what.” * que – This is a conjunction meaning “that.” * ce – This is a demonstrative adjective meaning “this” and is used here for emphasis. * soit – This is the subjunctive form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

Key Concepts:

- Passé simple – This is a past tense used for actions that are completed in the past. It is often used in formal writing and storytelling.

- Perfect tense – This tense is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) or [hi]être[/hi] (to be) followed by the past participle of the main verb. It is used to express actions that have been completed in the past.

- Subjunctive mood – This mood is used to express a state of uncertainty or possibility. It is often used after conjunctions such as [hi]quoi que[/hi] (whatever), [hi]bien que[/hi] (although), and [hi]avant que[/hi] (before).

[hi]Cette robe a l’air très chère.[/hi]. This dress looks very expensive.

Breakdown:

- Cette[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the demonstrative adjective [hi]cet[/hi], meaning “this”.

- robe[/hi] is a noun meaning “dress”.

- a[/hi] is the third-person singular form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi], meaning “to have” and here used in the expression [hi]avoir l’air[/hi], meaning “to look”.

- l’air[/hi] is a noun meaning “the air” but is used idiomatically in this expression.

- très[/hi] is an adverb meaning “very”.

- chère[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the adjective [hi]cher[/hi], meaning “expensive”.

Key concepts:

- Demonstrative Adjectives: [hi]Cette[/hi] points to a specific dress.

- Verbs: The verb [hi]avoir[/hi] is used in the idiomatic expression [hi]avoir l’air[/hi] which means “to look” and takes an adjective complement.

- Adverbs: [hi]Très[/hi] modifies the adjective [hi]chère[/hi] to intensify its meaning.

- Gender Agreement: The adjective [hi]chère[/hi] agrees in gender with the noun [hi]robe[/hi] which is feminine singular.

[hi]Je ne me souviens pas comment nous avons finis à Boston.[/hi]. I don’t remember how we ended up in Boston.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first-person singular.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negative particle “not.” It is used in conjunction with the verb to form a negative sentence.

- me[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “myself.” It indicates that the action of the verb is being performed by the subject on themselves.

- souviens[/hi] – This is the verb “to remember” in the present tense, first-person singular.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative particle “not.” It is used in conjunction with the verb to form a negative sentence.

- comment[/hi] – This is the interrogative adverb “how.” It is used to ask about the manner in which something is done.

- nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we” in the first-person plural.

- avons[/hi] – This is the auxiliary verb “to have” in the present tense, first-person plural. It is used to form the past participle of the verb “to end up” (which is [hi]finis[/hi]).

- finis[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “to end up.” It is used in conjunction with the auxiliary verb [hi]avons[/hi] to form the perfect tense of the verb “to end up.”

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to” or “in.” It is used to indicate location.

- Boston[/hi] – This is the proper noun “Boston,” a city in Massachusetts, USA.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Pronouns: The use of [hi]me[/hi] in this sentence indicates that the speaker is remembering their own actions, not the actions of someone else.

- Past Participle: The verb “to end up” is in the past participle form [hi]finis[/hi], which is used in conjunction with the auxiliary verb “to have” to form the perfect tense.

- Negative Sentences: The use of the negative particles [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi] indicates that the speaker is stating a negative fact.

[hi]J’ai pointé mon appareil photo sur elle.[/hi]. I pointed my camera at her.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- pointé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]pointer[/hi] (to point). The past participle is used with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) to form the passé composé (past tense).

- mon[/hi] means “my”. It is the masculine singular form of the possessive adjective.

- appareil photo[/hi] means “camera”. It is a compound noun made up of two words, [hi]appareil[/hi] (apparatus) and [hi]photo[/hi] (photo).

- sur[/hi] means “on” or “at” and indicates location.

- elle[/hi] means “she” or “her” and is the feminine pronoun.

[hi]Tom a une valise pleine d’argent.[/hi]. Tom has a suitcase full of money.

Breakdown:

- Tom [hi]Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence, a proper noun.

- a [hi]a[/hi] is the indefinite article, indicating one suitcase.

- valise [hi]valise[/hi] is the noun, meaning “suitcase”.

- pleine [hi]pleine[/hi] is the adjective meaning “full”. It is in the feminine singular form to agree with valise.

- d’ [hi]d’[/hi] is the contraction of “de” [hi]de[/hi] and “le” [hi]le[/hi] meaning “of” and “the”.

- argent [hi]argent[/hi] is the noun meaning “money”.

Key Concepts:

- Gender Agreement: The adjective pleine [hi]pleine[/hi] agrees in gender with the noun valise [hi]valise[/hi]. French nouns have genders (masculine or feminine), and adjectives must agree.

- Contractions: “de” [hi]de[/hi] and “le” [hi]le[/hi] are often contracted to “d’” [hi]d’[/hi].

[hi]On ne devrait pas confondre la solitude et l’isolement. Ce sont deux choses différentes.[/hi]. We should not confuse [hi]solitude[/hi] and [hi]isolement[/hi]. These are two different things.

- On[/hi]: This is the [hi]on[/hi] pronoun, which means “one” or “we” in this context. It is used to make a general statement.

- ne devrait pas[/hi]: This is the negative form of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi], which means “should.” So, [hi]ne devrait pas[/hi] means “should not.”

- confondre[/hi]: This is the verb “to confuse.”

- la solitude[/hi]: This is the noun “solitude,” which refers to the state of being alone, but often by choice and enjoyed.

- et[/hi]: This is the conjunction “and.”

- l’isolement[/hi]: This is the noun “isolation,” which refers to the state of being alone and cut off from others, often involuntarily.

- Ce sont[/hi]: This is the third-person plural form of the verb [hi]être[/hi], which means “to be.” So, [hi]Ce sont[/hi] means “they are.”

- deux[/hi]: This is the number “two.”

- choses[/hi]: This is the noun “things.”

- différentes[/hi]: This is the adjective “different.”

This sentence explains that [hi]solitude[/hi] and [hi]isolement[/hi] are two distinct concepts. While [hi]solitude[/hi] can be a positive experience, [hi]isolement[/hi] often carries negative connotations.

[hi]Je pense que les examens ruinent l’éducation.[/hi]. I think that exams ruin education.

This sentence is in the present tense, using the verb [hi]penser[/hi] meaning “to think.”

[hi]Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun meaning “I”.

[hi]que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “that” and introduces the subordinate clause.

[hi]les examens[/hi] is the plural noun meaning “exams.”

[hi]ruinent[/hi] is the verb “to ruin” in the present tense, third-person plural form, agreeing with the plural noun [hi]les examens[/hi].

[hi]l’éducation[/hi] is the noun meaning “education.”

The sentence expresses a personal opinion, arguing that exams have a negative impact on education.

[hi]Je parie que tu n’as pas fermé l’œil de la nuit.[/hi]. I bet you didn’t sleep a wink last night.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- parie[/hi] – bet (verb, present tense, first person singular)

- que[/hi] – that (conjunction)

- tu[/hi] – you (subject pronoun)

- n’as[/hi] – have not (verb “avoir”, present tense, negative, second person singular)

- pas[/hi] – not (adverb, negation)

- fermé[/hi] – closed (past participle of the verb “fermer”)

- l’œil[/hi] – the eye (definite article “le” contracted with “l” before a vowel)

- de[/hi] – of (preposition)

- la[/hi] – the (definite article, feminine singular)

- nuit[/hi] – night (noun, feminine)

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The phrase uses the negation “n’as pas” to indicate that the subject “tu” did not sleep a wink.

- Past Participle: The past participle “[hi]fermé[/hi]” is used to describe the action of closing the eye.

- Contraction: The definite article “le” is contracted with “l” before the vowel “œil” to form “[hi]l’œil[/hi]”.

- Idiom: “[hi]fermer l’œil[/hi]” is an idiom meaning “to sleep” or “to close one’s eyes”.

[hi]Je ne suis personne de particulier.[/hi]. I am nobody special.

This sentence is in the negative form, using [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to negate the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

[hi]Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun for “I.”

[hi]ne…pas[/hi] is a negative construction that negates the verb.

[hi]suis[/hi] is the first-person singular present tense conjugation of the verb [hi]être[/hi].

[hi]personne[/hi] means “person” in this context, but it’s used in the sense of “no one.”

[hi]de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of.”

[hi]particulier[/hi] means “particular” or “special.”

The phrase [hi]personne de particulier[/hi] is a noun phrase, meaning “no one special.”

The entire sentence emphasizes that the speaker is not a person of importance.

[hi]J’en ai assez de me disputer.[/hi]. I’ve had enough of arguing.

Breakdown:

- J’en ai assez: This is a common French idiom meaning “I’ve had enough of”.

* J’ is the contracted form of je (I) + ai (have). * en is a pronoun that refers to the previous subject, in this case, the arguing. * assez means “enough”.

- de is a preposition meaning “of”

- me disputer: This is the infinitive verb disputer (to argue) conjugated in the reflexive form using the pronoun me. The reflexive form emphasizes that the action is done to oneself.

[hi]« Ça vous dérangerait de fermer la porte ? » « Non, pas du tout. »[/hi]. “Would it bother you to close the door?” “No, not at all.”

Breakdown:

- Ça[/hi] is a contraction of “[hi]cela[/hi]” meaning “that” or “it.” In this context, it refers to the act of closing the door.

- vous[/hi] is the formal “you” in French, used as a polite form of address.

- déranger[/hi] means “to bother” or “to disturb.”

- de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of” or “to” in this context.

- fermer[/hi] means “to close.”

- la porte[/hi] means “the door.”

- Non[/hi] means “no.”

- pas du tout[/hi] means “not at all.”

Key concepts:

- This sentence uses the conditional mood in French, indicated by the verb “[hi]déranger[/hi]” being conjugated in the conditional tense. This makes the request more polite and less direct.

- The phrase “[hi]pas du tout[/hi]” is a common way to express strong agreement or disagreement in French, emphasizing the speaker’s stance.

[hi]Tom passe trois heures par jour à la salle de gym.[/hi]. Tom spends three hours a day at the gym.

Breakdown:

- Tom [hi]Tom[/hi]: This is the subject of the sentence, a proper noun referring to a male person.

- passe [hi]passe[/hi]: This is the verb in the third-person singular present tense of the verb [hi]passer[/hi] meaning “to spend” or “to go by”. It indicates that Tom is currently spending time at the gym.

- trois heures [hi]trois heures[/hi]: This is the direct object of the verb [hi]passe[/hi], meaning “three hours”. It tells us how much time Tom spends at the gym.

- par jour [hi]par jour[/hi]: This is a prepositional phrase modifying the time “three hours” and means “per day”. It tells us the frequency of Tom’s gym visits.

- à la salle de gym [hi]à la salle de gym[/hi]: This is a prepositional phrase indicating the location where Tom spends his time, meaning “at the gym”. [hi]la salle de gym[/hi] is a noun phrase meaning “the gym”.

Key Concepts:

- Verb Conjugation: The verb [hi]passe[/hi] is conjugated in the third-person singular present tense to agree with the subject [hi]Tom[/hi].

- Direct Object: The object “three hours” is directly affected by the verb “spends”.

- Prepositional Phrases: The phrases [hi]par jour[/hi] and [hi]à la salle de gym[/hi] provide additional information about the time and place.

[hi]Il vaut mieux rester éloignés de Tom.[/hi]. It is better to stay away from Tom.

Breakdown:

- Il [hi]Il[/hi] is the pronoun “it” in this case. It’s a bit of an impersonal construction, meaning the statement applies in general.

- vaut mieux [hi]vaut mieux[/hi] is a common expression meaning “it is better” or “it’s advisable.”

- rester [hi]rester[/hi] means “to stay” or “to remain.”

- éloignés [hi]éloignés[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “éloigner” [hi]éloigner[/hi] meaning “to distance” or “to keep away.” It is used here as an adjective to describe the subject, in this case, implied to be “you” or “we.”

- de [hi]de[/hi] is the preposition “from” or “of.”

- Tom [hi]Tom[/hi] is the name Tom.

Key Concepts:

- Impersonal Construction: The sentence uses the impersonal “il” to convey a general statement rather than directly addressing a specific person.

- Past Participle as Adjective: The past participle “éloignés” modifies the implied subject, creating a descriptive phrase.

- Preposition “de”: The preposition “de” is used to indicate separation or distance, further emphasizing the idea of keeping away from Tom.

[hi]N’est-ce pas ton dictionnaire ?[/hi]. Isn’t that your dictionary?

Breakdown:

- N’est-ce pas [hi]N’est-ce pas[/hi] is a common French phrase that means “isn’t it?”. It is used to ask for confirmation or agreement. In this case, it is asking if the dictionary belongs to the person being addressed.

- ton [hi]ton[/hi] means “your” and is the masculine singular form of the possessive adjective. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, which is “dictionnaire”.

- dictionnaire [hi]dictionnaire[/hi] means “dictionary”.

Key Concepts:

- Possessive adjectives: [hi]ton[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

- Interrogative sentences: [hi]N’est-ce pas[/hi] is used to form a question asking for confirmation or agreement.

[hi]Je suis un romantique.[/hi]. I am a romantic.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense form of the verb “être” (to be) conjugated in the first person singular.

- un[/hi] – This is the indefinite article “a” or “an” in masculine singular form.

- romantique[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “romantic”.

This sentence uses the simple present tense, indicating a general truth or a habitual action. The adjective [hi]romantique[/hi] modifies the noun [hi]un[/hi] and describes the speaker’s personality.

[hi]Tu veux de la soupe ?[/hi]. You want some soup?

This is a simple question in the [hi]tu[/hi] form, which is the informal “you” used when speaking to someone you know well, like a friend or family member.

- Tu[/hi] is the subject pronoun “you” in the informal singular form.

- veux[/hi] is the verb “to want” conjugated in the present tense, second person singular, agreeing with the subject [hi]tu[/hi].

- de la[/hi] is the partitive article used before a noun to indicate an indefinite quantity of something. It literally means “some of the.”

- soupe[/hi] is the noun “soup.”

The entire sentence translates to “You want some soup?”

[hi]Comment avez-vous accompli tout ceci ?[/hi]. How did you manage to accomplish all of this?

- Comment [hi]Comment[/hi] is an interrogative adverb meaning “how”.

- avez-vous [hi]avez-vous[/hi] is the second person plural (vous) of the verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] conjugated in the present tense, meaning “have you”.

- accompli [hi]accompli[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “accomplir” [hi]accomplir[/hi], meaning “accomplished”.

- tout [hi]tout[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “all”.

- ceci [hi]ceci[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “this”.

This sentence uses the verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] as an auxiliary verb with the past participle “accompli” [hi]accompli[/hi] to form a compound past tense. The sentence is in the interrogative form, meaning it asks a question.

[hi]Ne souris pas.[/hi]. Don’t smile.

This sentence uses the [hi]ne[/hi] negation, which means “not” and is used before verbs in the imperative mood. The imperative mood is used for commands or requests.

[hi]souris[/hi] is the verb “to smile” in the present tense, conjugated for the singular “you” form.

[hi]Je prie pour Tom.[/hi]. I am praying for Tom.

- Je[/hi] – This is the first person singular pronoun, meaning “I”.

- prie[/hi] – This is the first person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]prier[/hi], meaning “to pray”.

- pour[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “for”.

- Tom[/hi] – This is the proper noun referring to Tom.

This sentence uses the simple present tense, indicating that the action of praying is happening now. The preposition [hi]pour[/hi] indicates that the speaker is praying for Tom, implying a desire for something good to happen to him.

[hi]Ils en avaient assez d’attendre.[/hi]. They had enough of waiting.

Breakdown:

- Ils[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun for “they” in the masculine plural form.

- en[/hi] – This is a pronoun meaning “of it” or “enough of it.” It refers to the waiting that is mentioned later in the sentence.

- avaient[/hi] – This is the third person plural form of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the imperfect tense. It indicates an ongoing action in the past.

- assez[/hi] – This means “enough.”

- d’attendre[/hi] – This is an infinitive phrase meaning “to wait.” The preposition [hi]d’[/hi] indicates that waiting is the object of having enough.

Key concepts:

- The use of the pronoun [hi]en[/hi] to avoid repetition of the noun “waiting.”

- The imperfect tense to describe a past action that continued for a period of time.

- The infinitive phrase [hi]d’attendre[/hi] as the object of the verb [hi]avaient[/hi].

[hi]Tom semblait un peu inquiet.[/hi]. Tom seemed a little worried.

The sentence uses the verb “[hi]sembler[/hi]” which means “to seem”. It’s conjugated in the imperfect tense, “[hi]semblait[/hi]”, which indicates a past action that was ongoing or repeated. “[hi]un peu[/hi]” is a common French phrase meaning “a little”. The adjective “[hi]inquiet[/hi]” meaning “worried” describes Tom.

[hi]Je suis payée à la semaine.[/hi]. I am paid weekly.

This sentence uses the present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) conjugated in the first person singular, “je suis”. It is followed by the past participle of the verb [hi]payer[/hi] (to pay), which is “payée”.

The phrase “à la semaine” means “weekly”. It is a prepositional phrase that tells us the frequency of payment.

The sentence literally translates to: “I am paid at the week”.

[hi]Je suis content qu’il pleuve.[/hi]. I am happy that it is raining.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- suis[/hi] – This is the verb “to be” in the present tense, first person singular, conjugated to agree with the subject “je”.

- content[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “happy” or “pleased”. It modifies the subject “je”.

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that” and introduces a subordinate clause.

- il[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “it” in the third person singular, referring to the rain.

- pleuve[/hi] – This is the verb “to rain” in the present tense, third person singular, conjugated to agree with the subject “il”.

Key concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb “suis” agrees in number and person with the subject “je” and the verb “pleuve” agrees with the subject “il”.

- Subordinate clause: The clause “qu’il pleuve” is a subordinate clause introduced by the conjunction “que” and modifies the main clause “Je suis content”.

- Use of “il” for impersonal verbs: The verb “pleuvoir” is an impersonal verb, meaning it does not have a direct object. In such cases, we use the pronoun “il” as the grammatical subject.

[hi]La viande s’est avariée.[/hi]. The meat has gone bad.

Breakdown:

- La[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the feminine singular form. It agrees in gender and number with the noun “[hi]viande[/hi]” which is feminine.

- viande[/hi] – This is the noun “meat”.

- s’est[/hi] – This is the third-person singular form of the reflexive verb “se” in the past tense. The reflexive pronoun “se” reflects back to the subject “[hi]viande[/hi]”.

- avariée[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “[hi]avarier[/hi]” (to spoil, to go bad). It is in the feminine singular form to agree with “[hi]viande[/hi]”.

Key concepts:

- Gender agreement: In French, adjectives and past participles agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

- Reflexive verbs: Reflexive verbs are verbs that have a reflexive pronoun that refers back to the subject of the verb.

- Past tense: The past tense in French is formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” (to have) and the past participle of the main verb.

[hi]Elle a détourné le regard.[/hi]. She looked away.

The sentence uses the [hi]passé composé[/hi], a common French verb tense that describes a completed action in the past. The structure is [hi]avoir[/hi] + [hi]participe passé[/hi] of the verb. In this case, [hi]avoir[/hi] is conjugated to agree with the subject, [hi]elle[/hi] (she), so we have [hi]a[/hi]. The [hi]participe passé[/hi] of [hi]détourner[/hi] (to turn away) is [hi]détourné[/hi].

The [hi]le regard[/hi] is the direct object of the verb [hi]détourner[/hi]. [hi]Le[/hi] is the masculine definite article, and [hi]regard[/hi] means “look” or “gaze.”

The sentence is straightforward and simply describes a past action.

[hi]Envoyez-nous un message.[/hi]. Send us a message.

This sentence is in the [hi]impératif[/hi] (imperative) mood, which is used to give commands or instructions.

- Envoyez[/hi] is the [hi]impératif[/hi] form of the verb [hi]envoyer[/hi] (to send) in the [hi]vous[/hi] form, which is used for both singular and plural “you”.

- nous[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, meaning “us”.

- un message[/hi] is the direct object, meaning “a message”.

So, the sentence is literally “Send us a message”.

[hi]Je pense qu’il est l’heure de faire mes devoirs.[/hi]. I think it is time to do my homework.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- pense[/hi] – This is the verb “to think” in the present tense. It is conjugated in the first person singular form, which means it agrees with the subject “I.”

- qu’[/hi] – This is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause. It is a contraction of “que” (that) and “il” (it).

- il[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “it.”

- est[/hi] – This is the verb “to be” in the present tense, conjugated in the third person singular form to agree with the subject “it.”

- l’heure[/hi] – This is the noun “hour” or “time,” and it is preceded by the definite article “l’” which is a contraction of “le” and “la” (the).

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- faire[/hi] – This is the verb “to do” in the infinitive form.

- mes[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “my.”

- devoirs[/hi] – This is the noun “homework.”

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verbs [hi]pense[/hi] and [hi]est[/hi] are conjugated to agree with their respective subjects [hi]je[/hi] and [hi]il[/hi].

- Conjunctions and Subordinate Clauses: The conjunction [hi]qu’[/hi] introduces a subordinate clause, which is a dependent clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

- Prepositions and Articles: The preposition [hi]de[/hi] and the definite article [hi]l’[/hi] work together to show a relationship between the noun [hi]heure[/hi] and the verb [hi]faire[/hi].

- Possessive Adjectives: The possessive adjective [hi]mes[/hi] shows that the homework belongs to the speaker.

[hi]Sans toi, je suis triste.[/hi]. Without you, I am sad.

This sentence uses the preposition [hi]sans[/hi], which means “without.” It is followed by the pronoun [hi]toi[/hi], meaning “you.” The verb [hi]suis[/hi] is the first person singular form of the verb [hi]être[/hi], meaning “to be.” The adjective [hi]triste[/hi], meaning “sad,” describes the speaker’s emotional state.

The sentence structure is straightforward: prepositional phrase followed by subject and predicate. It expresses a simple but powerful sentiment.

[hi]Je me sens un peu fatigué.[/hi]. I feel a little tired.

This sentence uses the reflexive verb [hi]se sentir[/hi] which means “to feel”. The reflexive pronoun [hi]me[/hi] means “myself” and indicates that the subject is feeling the emotion.

[hi]Un peu[/hi] means “a little” and modifies the adjective [hi]fatigué[/hi] which means “tired”.

[hi]Il ne pouvait faire la différence entre les jumeaux.[/hi]. He couldn’t tell the difference between the twins.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – He (subject pronoun)

- ne[/hi] – Not (negation)

- pouvait[/hi] – could (verb pouvoir in the imperfect tense)

- faire[/hi] – to make (verb faire in the infinitive)

- la[/hi] – the (definite article feminine singular)

- différence[/hi] – difference (noun feminine singular)

- entre[/hi] – between (preposition)

- les[/hi] – the (definite article plural masculine)

- jumeaux[/hi] – twins (noun masculine plural)

Key concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative construction ne…pas to indicate that the subject il could not do something.

- Imperfect Tense: The verb pouvoir is in the imperfect tense, which describes an action that was ongoing or habitual in the past.

- Definite articles: The sentence uses the definite articles la and les to refer to specific nouns that have already been introduced.

- Preposition: The preposition entre is used to indicate the relationship between the twins.

[hi]Dormir est essentiel à la santé.[/hi]. Sleeping is essential to health.

Here is a breakdown of the sentence:

- Dormir[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “to sleep” in French. The infinitive is the base form of the verb.

- est[/hi] – This is the third person singular form of the verb “to be” in the present tense. It means “is” in English. We are using the verb “to be” because the phrase “essential to health” is a predicate adjective.

- essentiel[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “essential” or “crucial” in English.

- à[/hi] – This is a preposition that means “to” or “for” in English.

- la[/hi] – This is the feminine singular definite article meaning “the” in English.

- santé[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “health” in English.

The sentence structure follows the typical subject-verb-predicate pattern of French. In this case, the subject is the infinitive “dormir,” which is acting as a noun. The predicate is “essentiel à la santé.”

[hi]Je ne suis pas médecin, mais instituteur.[/hi]. I am not a doctor, but a teacher.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation “not”. It is used before the verb to negate it.

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense form of the verb “to be” in the first person singular, meaning “I am”.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb “not”. It is used after the verb to emphasize the negation.

- médecin[/hi] – This is the noun “doctor”.

- mais[/hi] – This is the conjunction “but”, introducing a contrasting statement.

- instituteur[/hi] – This is the noun “teacher”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The use of [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to negate the verb “to be”.

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “[hi]suis[/hi]” agrees in number and person with the subject “[hi]Je[/hi]”.

- Conjunction: The conjunction “[hi]mais[/hi]” connects two contrasting clauses.

[hi]Ton hypothèse est complètement à côté de la plaque.[/hi]. Your hypothesis is completely off the mark.

Breakdown:

- Ton[/hi] – This is the masculine singular possessive adjective meaning “your”.

- hypothèse[/hi] – This is the noun “hypothesis”.

- est[/hi] – This is the third-person singular form of the verb “être” (to be) in the present tense.

- complètement[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “completely”.

- à côté de la plaque[/hi] – This is a French idiom meaning “off the mark” or “wrong”.

This sentence is in the present tense and uses a simple subject-verb-object structure. The idiom à côté de la plaque[/hi] is a common expression used to indicate that something is incorrect or irrelevant.

[hi]Je voulais vous souhaiter mes bons vœux.[/hi]. I wanted to wish you my best wishes.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- voulais[/hi] – wanted (past imperfect of [hi]vouloir[/hi] – to want)

- vous[/hi] – you (formal object pronoun)

- souhaiter[/hi] – to wish (infinitive verb)

- mes[/hi] – my (possessive adjective)

- bons[/hi] – good (masculine plural adjective)

- vœux[/hi] – wishes (masculine plural noun)

Key Concepts:

- Past Imperfect Tense: The [hi]voulais[/hi] verb is in the past imperfect tense, which describes an ongoing action or state in the past. It is used to describe actions that were happening at a particular time in the past.

- Formal Pronoun: The formal pronoun [hi]vous[/hi] is used when speaking to someone you don’t know well or in a formal setting.

- Possessive Adjective: The possessive adjective [hi]mes[/hi] shows that the wishes belong to the speaker.

[hi]Tom et Mary ont beaucoup en commun.[/hi]. Tom and Mary have a lot in common.

Breakdown:

- Tom[/hi]: This is the masculine proper noun “Tom”.

- et[/hi]: This is the conjunction “and”.

- Mary[/hi]: This is the feminine proper noun “Mary”.

- ont[/hi]: This is the third-person plural present tense form of the verb “avoir” (to have). In this context, it signifies possession or shared characteristics.

- beaucoup[/hi]: This means “a lot” or “many”.

- en commun[/hi]: This phrase literally means “in common” and indicates shared characteristics or interests.

Key Concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb “ont” agrees in number and person with the plural subject “Tom et Mary”.

- Preposition “en”: The preposition “[hi]en[/hi]” is used with the noun “[hi]commun[/hi]” to express the idea of shared elements.

- Idiom: “[hi]en commun[/hi]” is a common idiom in French meaning “in common”.

[hi]Rien ne pourrait l’arrêter.[/hi]. Nothing could stop him/her.

This sentence uses the negative construction “rien ne” which is the equivalent of “nothing” in English.

[hi]Rien[/hi] is the subject of the sentence and [hi]ne[/hi] is the negation, which is obligatory with the verb [hi]pourrait[/hi] in this context.

[hi]Pourrait[/hi] is the conditional form of the verb [hi]pouvoir[/hi] (to be able to) and indicates that the action of stopping is hypothetical or possible.

[hi]L’[/hi] is a contracted form of [hi]le[/hi] (the) and agrees in gender and number with the direct object pronoun [hi]l’/hi] which refers to the person who is being stopped.

The sentence structure is straightforward and follows the common subject-verb-object order.

[hi]Pour ne rien arranger, il se mit à neiger.[/hi]. To make matters worse, it started snowing.

Breakdown:

- Pour ne rien arranger[/hi] – This is a common French expression that means “to make matters worse”. It literally translates to “to arrange nothing”, but it is used idiomatically.

- il se mit[/hi] – This is the past tense of the reflexive verb [hi]se mettre[/hi], which means “to start” or “to begin”.

- à neiger[/hi] – This is an infinitive phrase, meaning “to snow”.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verbs: In this sentence, [hi]se mettre[/hi] is a reflexive verb, meaning the action is performed by and affects the subject. It is conjugated with the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] in front of the verb.

- Infinitive Phrases: Infinitive phrases are used after certain verbs like [hi]se mettre[/hi] to indicate the action that is beginning.

- Idioms: The phrase [hi]Pour ne rien arranger[/hi] is a common idiom, meaning “to make matters worse”.

[hi]Il passe tout son temps à discuter en ligne sur Jabber.[/hi]. He spends all his time chatting online on Jabber.

This sentence is in the present tense and uses the verb [hi]passer[/hi] which means “to spend” in this context. It also uses the pronoun [hi]son[/hi] which means “his” and the noun [hi]temps[/hi] which means “time.” The phrase [hi]tout son temps[/hi] means “all his time.” The preposition [hi]à[/hi] means “to” and the verb [hi]discuter[/hi] means “to chat.” The phrase [hi]en ligne[/hi] means “online.”

The sentence follows the typical structure of a French sentence, subject-verb-object. The subject is [hi]il[/hi] which means “he.” The verb is [hi]passe[/hi] which is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]passer[/hi]. The object is [hi]tout son temps[/hi]. The prepositional phrase [hi]à discuter en ligne sur Jabber[/hi] modifies the verb.

[hi]Ils ne les font plus ainsi qu’ils les faisaient.[/hi]. They don’t make them like they used to.

Breakdown:

- Ils: [hi]Ils[/hi] is the third person plural pronoun meaning “they”.

- ne… plus: [hi]ne… plus[/hi] is a negative construction that means “no longer”.

- les: [hi]les[/hi] is the direct object pronoun referring to the objects being discussed.

- font: [hi]font[/hi] is the third person plural present tense of the verb “faire” which means “to make”.

- ainsi que: [hi]ainsi que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “as well as” or “in the same way as”.

- ils: [hi]ils[/hi] is the third person plural pronoun meaning “they”.

- les: [hi]les[/hi] is the direct object pronoun referring to the objects being discussed.

- faisaient: [hi]faisaient[/hi] is the third person plural imperfect tense of the verb “faire” which means “to make”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative construction [hi]ne… plus[/hi] to indicate that something is no longer happening.

- Direct Object Pronouns: The sentence uses the direct object pronouns [hi]les[/hi] to avoid repeating the noun phrase referring to the objects.

- Tense: The sentence uses the present tense [hi]font[/hi] and the imperfect tense [hi]faisaient[/hi] to contrast current and past actions.

- Conjunction: The conjunction [hi]ainsi que[/hi] connects the two parts of the sentence and indicates a comparison.

[hi]Je sais conduire une voiture.[/hi]. I know how to drive a car.

This sentence is in the present tense and uses the verb [hi]savoir[/hi] which means “to know.” [hi]Savoir[/hi] is used to express knowledge, ability, or facts. [hi]Conduire[/hi] means “to drive” and it is a verb that requires an object. In this case, the object is [hi]une voiture[/hi], which means “a car”. The sentence structure is very basic: subject ([hi]je[/hi], I) + verb ([hi]sais[/hi], know) + object ([hi]conduire une voiture[/hi], to drive a car).

[hi]Je suis une personne très prudente.[/hi]. I am a very cautious person.

- Je[/hi] – This is the first person singular pronoun, meaning “I.”

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense form of the verb “être” (to be), conjugated for the first person singular.

- une[/hi] – This is the feminine singular definite article, meaning “a” or “an.”

- personne[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “person.”

- très[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “very.”

- prudente[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “cautious,” in the feminine singular form to agree with the noun “personne.”

[hi]Nous devons tirer le meilleur parti de la situation.[/hi]. We must make the best of the situation.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the pronoun “we,” the subject of the verb.

- devons[/hi] – This is the verb “to have to” conjugated in the first person plural present tense. It signifies an obligation.

- tirer[/hi] – This is the verb “to pull” or “to draw” in the infinitive form.

- le meilleur[/hi] – This is the superlative adjective meaning “the best.” It modifies the noun “parti,” making it “the best part.”

- parti[/hi] – This is the noun “part,” referring to the situation at hand.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of,” indicating possession or belonging.

- la situation[/hi] – This is the noun “situation,” the object of the preposition “de.”

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “[hi]devons[/hi]” is conjugated to agree with the plural subject “[hi]Nous[/hi]”.

- Infinitive with “de”: The verb “[hi]tirer[/hi]” is used in its infinitive form after the preposition “[hi]de[/hi]”. This is a common structure in French.

- Superlative Adjective: “[hi]le meilleur[/hi]” is a superlative adjective, indicating the best possible outcome.

Translation: We must pull the best part of the situation.

[hi]Laisse-moi partir ![/hi]. Let me leave!

This sentence is a simple imperative sentence, meaning it’s a command or request.

- Laisse [hi]Laisse[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb [hi]laisser[/hi], which means “to let” or “to allow.” In this context, it’s in the second person singular form, meaning it’s directed at one person: “you.”

- -moi [hi]-moi[/hi] is a pronoun object that means “me” and is used to clarify who is being let go.

- partir [hi]partir[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to leave.” It functions as the direct object of the verb [hi]laisser[/hi].

The whole sentence translates to “Let me leave!”

[hi]Vous avez mes lunettes de soleil et je veux que vous me les rendiez.[/hi]. You have my sunglasses and I want you to give them back to me.

Breakdown:

- Vous[/hi] – You (formal, plural) avez[/hi] – have (present tense, conjugated for you) mes[/hi] – my lunettes de soleil[/hi] – sunglasses et[/hi] – and je veux[/hi] – I want que[/hi] – that vous[/hi] – you me[/hi] – me les[/hi] – them rendiez[/hi] – give back (subjunctive mood, imperative form)

Key Concepts:

- Formal Pronouns: [hi]Vous[/hi] is the formal pronoun for “you” in French.

- Direct Object Pronouns: [hi]Les[/hi] (them) is a direct object pronoun referring to the sunglasses.

- Subjunctive Mood: The verb [hi]rendiez[/hi] is in the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is used to express a wish, a command, or a feeling. In this case, it is used to express the speaker’s desire for the other person to return the sunglasses.

[hi]« Je vous en prie, soyez à l’heure. » « Je le suis toujours, n’est-ce pas ? »[/hi]. “Please be on time.” “I always am, am I not?”

Breakdown:

- Je vous en prie[/hi] – This is a polite way to make a request, similar to “please.”

* Je[/hi] – “I” * vous[/hi] – “you” (formal) * en[/hi] – Here it indicates a general request or pleading. * prie[/hi] – “pray” or “beg” (in this context, it’s softened to mean “please”)

- soyez[/hi] – “be” (imperative form of the verb “être,” which means “to be”)

- à l’heure[/hi] – “on time”

* à[/hi] – “at” * l’heure[/hi] – “the hour” (time)

- Je le suis toujours[/hi] – “I always am”

* Je[/hi] – “I” * le[/hi] – Pronoun referring back to “being on time” (the object of the verb “être”) * suis[/hi] – “am” (first-person singular form of the verb “être”) * toujours[/hi] – “always”

- n’est-ce pas[/hi] – “am I not?”

* n’est[/hi] – “is not” (third-person singular negative form of “être”) * ce[/hi] – “this” * pas[/hi] – “not”

Key Concepts:

- Formal address: [hi]vous[/hi] is the formal form of “you” in French, used when addressing someone you don’t know well or someone you want to show respect.

- Imperative mood: The verb [hi]soyez[/hi] is in the imperative mood, which is used for commands or requests.

- Pronoun agreement: The pronoun [hi]le[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the noun phrase “being on time.”

- Tag question: [hi]n’est-ce pas[/hi] is a tag question, used to seek confirmation or agreement.

[hi]Tu dois t’arrêter de fumer.[/hi]. You must stop smoking.

- Tu [hi]tu[/hi] is the informal pronoun “you”

- dois is the present tense form of the verb “devoir” [hi]devoir[/hi] which means “to have to” or “must”

- t’ is the contracted form of “te” [hi]te[/hi] which is the object pronoun “you”

- arrêter [hi]arrêter[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to stop”

- de [hi]de[/hi] is the preposition “of”

- fumer [hi]fumer[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to smoke”

Key Concepts

- This sentence uses the imperative mood which gives a command or instruction.

- “Devoir” is a modal verb that is used to express obligation or necessity.

- “T’” is a common contraction in French, particularly with the object pronoun “te”.

- The use of the infinitive “fumer” after the preposition “de” is common in French and indicates the object of the verb “arrêter”.

[hi]Ce boulot n’est pas aussi facile qu’il n’y paraît.[/hi]. This job isn’t as easy as it seems.

- Ce[/hi] is the masculine singular form of the demonstrative adjective “this” or “that” referring to the noun “[hi]boulot[/hi]”.

- boulot[/hi] is a slang term for “job” or “work”.

- n’est pas[/hi] is the negative form of the verb “to be” in the present tense, meaning “is not”.

- aussi[/hi] means “as” or “so”.

- facile[/hi] is an adjective meaning “easy”.

- qu’il[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “that” followed by the pronoun “he” referring to the job.

- n’y[/hi] is a contracted form of “ne” and “y”, which is a pronoun meaning “there”. Here, “[hi]y[/hi]” refers to “the job”.

- paraît[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb “to seem”. Here, “[hi]paraît[/hi]” means “seems”.

This sentence uses the common French construction “[hi]aussi…que[/hi]” which is used to compare two things. Here, the sentence is comparing the job to how easy it appears.

The sentence also uses the negative form “[hi]n’y[/hi]” before the verb “paraît” to emphasize that the job is not as easy as it appears.

[hi]Qui t’a forcée à le faire ?[/hi]. Who forced you to do it?

This sentence is in the interrogative form, meaning it asks a question. Let’s break it down:

- Qui[/hi] is the interrogative pronoun meaning “who”. It acts as the subject of the sentence.

- t’a[/hi] is a contraction of “[hi]te a[/hi]” which is the third-person singular form of the verb “[hi]avoir[/hi]” (“to have”) conjugated in the past tense, followed by the object pronoun “[hi]te[/hi]” which stands for “you” (informal).

- forcée[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “[hi]forcer[/hi]” (“to force”). It is used in the past tense with the auxiliary verb “[hi]avoir[/hi]”.

- à[/hi] is the preposition “to”.

- le[/hi] is the direct object pronoun “it”.

- faire[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to do”.

The sentence literally translates to “Who has forced you to do it?”. The subject of the sentence is the person who forced the other person to do something.

[hi]J’ai été en quelque sorte surpris de voir Tom là.[/hi]. I was kind of surprised to see Tom there.

This sentence uses the past participle [hi]été[/hi] of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) to form the past tense of the verb [hi]surprendre[/hi] (to surprise). The phrase “[hi]en quelque sorte[/hi]” means “kind of” or “somewhat.” The structure of the sentence is: Subject + past participle of être + past participle of verb + prepositional phrase.

Here’s a breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]je[/hi] (I).

- ai[/hi] is the present tense conjugation of [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) for the first person singular. This verb is used as an auxiliary verb in the past participle.

- été[/hi] is the past participle of [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- en quelque sorte[/hi] means “kind of” or “somewhat.”

- surpris[/hi] is the past participle of [hi]surprendre[/hi] (to surprise).

- de voir[/hi] is the infinitive phrase “to see.”

- Tom[/hi] is the proper noun “Tom.”

- là[/hi] means “there.”

[hi]Je me sentais bien.[/hi]. I felt good.

The sentence is constructed as follows:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- me[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “myself” and is used in conjunction with the verb “sentir” (to feel) to emphasize that the feeling is internal to the subject.

- sentais[/hi] – This is the imperfect tense of the verb “sentir”, indicating a continuous action in the past. It is conjugated in the first person singular form.

- bien[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “good” or “well”. It modifies the verb “sentir”, describing the nature of the feeling.

The reflexive pronoun [hi]me[/hi] emphasizes that the feeling is a personal experience of the speaker. The imperfect tense [hi]sentais[/hi] indicates a state of being, rather than a completed action. This suggests that the feeling of being good was ongoing or lasted for some time.

[hi]Son entreprise n’a pas survécu à la crise.[/hi]. His company did not survive the crisis.

Breakdown:

- Son[/hi] – This is the masculine singular possessive adjective meaning “his”.

- entreprise[/hi] – This is the feminine noun meaning “company”.

- n’a pas[/hi] – This is the negation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the present tense. The negative particle “ne” is often contracted with the following pronoun or article, “n’a”.

- survécu[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “survivre” (to survive). This verb is conjugated with the auxiliary “avoir”.

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to” or “at” and is used to indicate a point in time.

- la crise[/hi] – This is the feminine noun meaning “crisis”.

Key Concepts:

- Possessive Adjectives: These words indicate possession and agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

- Negation: The negative particle “ne” is used before the verb and “pas” is placed after the verb in most cases.

- Past Participle: The past participle of a verb is used with the auxiliary “avoir” or “être” to form compound tenses. It also acts as an adjective in some cases.

- Prepositions: These words connect nouns or pronouns to other words in the sentence.

[hi]Attends juste un instant ![/hi]. Wait just a moment!

Breakdown:

- Attends is the imperative form of the verb attendre [hi]attendre[/hi] (to wait). This is a command, telling someone to wait.

- juste [hi]juste[/hi] means “just” or “only” and modifies the duration of the wait.

- un instant [hi]un instant[/hi] means “a moment” and specifies the time frame of the wait.

Key concepts:

- Imperative mood: This sentence uses the imperative mood, which is used to give commands or instructions.

- Adverbs: The adverb juste [hi]juste[/hi] modifies the verb attendre [hi]attendre[/hi], telling us how long to wait.

- Noun phrase:
Un instant [hi]un instant[/hi] is a noun phrase that specifies the time frame of the wait.

[hi]Je te donne un jour pour y penser.[/hi]. I give you one day to think about it.

- Je [hi]je[/hi] is the first person singular pronoun, meaning “I”.

- te [hi]te[/hi] is the second person singular pronoun, meaning “you”, but used in the informal “tu” form.

- donne [hi]donne[/hi] is the third person singular present indicative form of the verb “donner” [hi]donner[/hi], meaning “to give”.

- un jour [hi]un jour[/hi] is a noun phrase meaning “one day”.

- pour [hi]pour[/hi] is a preposition meaning “for”.

- y [hi]y[/hi] is a pronoun that refers to the idea previously mentioned, in this case, thinking.

- penser [hi]penser[/hi] is an infinitive verb meaning “to think”.

Key Concepts:

- Direct Object Pronoun: “te” [hi]te[/hi] acts as a direct object pronoun, receiving the action of the verb “donner” [hi]donner[/hi].

- Infinitive with Preposition: “pour y penser” [hi]pour y penser[/hi] uses the preposition “pour” [hi]pour[/hi] followed by the infinitive verb “penser” [hi]penser[/hi]. This structure indicates the purpose or reason for the action.

[hi]Je suis en train de penser à cette affaire.[/hi]. I am thinking about this matter.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun, meaning “I.”

- suis[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “être” (to be), in the first person singular. The present tense is used to describe an ongoing action, so in this case, it means “I am.”

- en train de[/hi] – This is a common French idiom that literally translates to “in the process of.” It’s used to describe an action that’s happening right now.

- penser[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to think.”

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to” or “about.”

- cette[/hi] – This is the definite article “this” in the feminine singular form. Since “affaire” is feminine, the article takes on the feminine form. “This” refers to something that has already been mentioned or is understood by both the speaker and listener.

- affaire[/hi] – This is the noun “matter.” It can also mean “business” or “affair” in a more literal sense. “Affaire” is a feminine noun. It’s singular in this sentence.

Key Concepts:

- Present Tense: The present tense of the verb “être” is used to describe the ongoing action of thinking.

- en train de[/hi]: This idiom is essential for describing an action that’s happening right now.

- Definite Articles: The use of the definite article “[hi]cette[/hi]” is important because it indicates that the “matter” being referred to is already known to both the speaker and listener.

[hi]Les gens de la campagne sont traditionnellement soupçonneux envers les étrangers.[/hi]. People from the countryside are traditionally suspicious of strangers.

Breakdown:

- Les[/hi] – “The” (plural, masculine)

- gens[/hi] – “people” (plural)

- de[/hi] – “of” (preposition)

- la[/hi] – “the” (singular, feminine)

- campagne[/hi] – “countryside”

- sont[/hi] – “are” (plural, present tense of [hi]être[/hi] “to be”)

- traditionnellement[/hi] – “traditionally” (adverb)

- soupçonneux[/hi] – “suspicious” (adjective, masculine plural)

- envers[/hi] – “towards” (preposition)

- les[/hi] – “the” (plural, masculine)

- étrangers[/hi] – “strangers” (plural)

Key Concepts:

- Gender Agreement: Nouns and adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural).

- Prepositions: French uses prepositions like [hi]de[/hi] and [hi]envers[/hi] to show relationships between words.

- Adverbs: Adverbs like [hi]traditionnellement[/hi] modify verbs or adjectives.

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]sont[/hi] agrees in number and person with the plural subject [hi]les gens[/hi].

[hi]Tom est rentré chez lui.[/hi]. Tom went home.

The sentence is in the [hi]passé composé[/hi], which is the most common past tense in French. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the appropriate form followed by the past participle of the main verb. Here, [hi]être[/hi] is conjugated in the third person singular [hi]est[/hi] and the past participle of the verb [hi]rentrer[/hi] (to go back) is [hi]rentré[/hi].

The pronoun [hi]lui[/hi] (him) is used in the phrase [hi]chez lui[/hi] (his home/at his place). The preposition [hi]chez[/hi] (at the home of) is used with a noun or pronoun that indicates the person’s home.

[hi]Que me conseillez-vous de faire ?[/hi]. What do you advise me to do?

- Que[/hi] is the interrogative pronoun “what” in this context.

- me[/hi] is the object pronoun “me”. It is used as the indirect object of the verb [hi]conseiller[/hi]

- conseillez[/hi] is the second person plural form of the verb [hi]conseiller[/hi] (to advise). It is conjugated in the present tense.

- vous[/hi] is the subject pronoun “you” but it is used for the formal “you”.

- de faire[/hi] is the infinitive “to do” which acts as the object of the verb [hi]conseiller[/hi]. The infinitive is introduced by the preposition [hi]de[/hi].

- ?[/hi]** is the interrogative mark.

Key Concepts:

- Interrogative pronouns

- Object pronouns

- Verb conjugation in the present tense

- Infinitive constructions with [hi]de[/hi]

[hi]Je vous ai menés précisément où je voulais.[/hi]. I have led you precisely where I wanted.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first-person singular.

- vous[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “you” in the second-person plural, but can also be used formally to address one person.

- ai[/hi] – This is the first-person singular present tense of the auxiliary verb “avoir” (to have) used to form the passé composé (past perfect) tense.

- menés[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “mener” (to lead). It is in the masculine plural form to agree with the object pronoun [hi]vous[/hi].

- précisément[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “precisely” or “exactly”.

- où[/hi] – This is the relative pronoun “where” indicating the place.

- je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first-person singular.

- voulais[/hi] – This is the first-person singular imperfect tense of the verb “vouloir” (to want).

Key Concepts:

- Passé composé – This is a compound tense used to express actions that happened in the past. It is formed by using the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] or [hi]être[/hi] (to be) and the past participle of the main verb.

- Agreement of the past participle – When the direct object of a verb is before the verb, the past participle must agree in gender and number with the direct object. Here, the direct object is [hi]vous[/hi] (you), so the past participle [hi]menés[/hi] is in the masculine plural form.

- Relative pronouns – Relative pronouns (such as [hi]où[/hi]) connect a relative clause to a main clause, providing more information about something mentioned in the main clause.

Translation for espeak-ng: [hi]Je[/hi] [hi]vous[/hi] [hi]ai[/hi] [hi]menés[/hi] [hi]précisément[/hi] [hi]où[/hi] [hi]je[/hi] [hi]voulais[/hi].

[hi]Je comprends complètement.[/hi]. I understand completely.

This sentence is very simple and straightforward.

- Je[/hi] means “I”. This is the subject pronoun.

- comprends[/hi] means “understand”. This is the present tense of the verb comprendre.

- complètement[/hi] means “completely”. This is an adverb modifying the verb comprendre.

The sentence structure is: subject + verb + adverb. This is a common structure in French.

[hi]Ce livre est trop difficile à lire pour toi.[/hi]. This book is too difficult to read for you.

- Ce[/hi] means “this” and is a demonstrative adjective. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, which is [hi]livre[/hi] (book).

- livre[/hi] means “book” and is a masculine singular noun.

- est[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb “to be” [hi]être[/hi].

- trop[/hi] means “too” and is an adverb.

- difficile[/hi] means “difficult” and is an adjective. It is used as an adjective here because it modifies the noun [hi]livre[/hi].

- à lire[/hi] is an infinitive phrase that functions as an adjective. The preposition [hi]à[/hi] means “to” and connects the verb [hi]lire[/hi] (to read) to the adjective [hi]difficile[/hi]. This phrase is telling us what kind of book it is – a difficult one to read.

- pour[/hi] means “for” and is a preposition.

- toi[/hi] means “you” and is a personal pronoun.

The sentence structure is straightforward and follows the subject-verb-object order typical of French.

[hi]Il y a un arrêt de bus à proximité de notre école.[/hi]. There is a bus stop near our school.

- Il y a [hi]il y a[/hi] is a common French phrase meaning “there is” or “there are”.

- un arrêt de bus [hi]un arrêt de bus[/hi] literally translates to “a stop of bus” but is used to mean “a bus stop”. [hi]un[/hi] is the masculine singular definite article, [hi]arrêt[/hi] is a noun meaning stop and [hi]de bus[/hi] is a prepositional phrase indicating it is a bus stop.

- à proximité de [hi]à proximité de[/hi] is a prepositional phrase meaning “near” or “in the vicinity of”

- notre école [hi]notre école[/hi] is a noun phrase meaning “our school”. [hi]notre[/hi] is the possessive adjective meaning “our” and [hi]école[/hi] is the noun meaning “school”.

[hi]Bien que ce fût une nuit étouffante, elle est allée au lit avec toutes les fenêtres fermées.[/hi]. Although it was a suffocating night, she went to bed with all the windows closed.

Breakdown:

- Bien que [hi]Bien que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “although,” introducing a subordinate clause.

- ce fût [hi]ce fût[/hi] is a past subjunctive form of the verb “être” [hi]être[/hi] (to be), used to express a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact situation. Here, it refers to the fact that the night was suffocating.

- une nuit étouffante [hi]une nuit étouffante[/hi] translates to “a suffocating night,” describing the weather conditions.

- elle est allée [hi]elle est allée[/hi] is the past participle form of the verb “aller” [hi]aller[/hi] (to go), used with “être” [hi]être[/hi] to form a compound past tense. This is the main verb of the sentence, describing the woman’s action.

- au lit [hi]au lit[/hi] means “to bed,” indicating where she went.

- avec toutes les fenêtres fermées [hi]avec toutes les fenêtres fermées[/hi] means “with all the windows closed,” describing the state of the windows.

Key Concepts:

- Subjunctive mood: The past subjunctive [hi]fût[/hi] is used to express a hypothetical situation.

- Compound past tense: The verb “aller” [hi]aller[/hi] is conjugated in the compound past tense, which is formed with the auxiliary verb “être” [hi]être[/hi] and the past participle.

- Prepositional phrase: The phrase “avec toutes les fenêtres fermées” [hi]avec toutes les fenêtres fermées[/hi] functions as a prepositional phrase, modifying the verb “allée” [hi]allée[/hi].

[hi]J’en ai fait mon affaire.[/hi]. I made it my business.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contracted form of je[/hi] (I) and ai[/hi] (have).

- en[/hi] is a pronoun that replaces a previously mentioned noun, in this case, it refers to something that was previously discussed.

- fait[/hi] is the past participle of the verb faire[/hi] (to do, to make).

- mon[/hi] is the masculine singular possessive adjective meaning “my”.

- affaire[/hi] is a noun meaning “business, matter, affair”.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: The contraction of je[/hi] and ai[/hi] is a common occurrence in French.

- Pronoun [hi]en[/hi]: The pronoun en[/hi] is used to avoid repetition and refers to a previously mentioned noun.

- Past Participle: The past participle fait[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the direct object of the verb, which is implied in this sentence.

- Possessive Adjectives: The possessive adjective mon[/hi] indicates that the speaker is claiming ownership of the “business”.

[hi]Je ne suis pas sûre que vous soyez prête.[/hi]. I’m not sure you are ready.

This sentence is in the negative form and uses the subjunctive mood.

Breakdown:

- Je [hi]Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- ne [hi]ne[/hi] – negation particle (always precedes the verb in negative sentences)

- suis [hi]suis[/hi] – am (present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] – to be)

- pas [hi]pas[/hi] – not (negation particle)

- sûre [hi]sûre[/hi] – sure (feminine adjective, agrees in gender with the subject [hi]je[/hi])

- que [hi]que[/hi] – that (conjunction introducing a subordinate clause)

- vous [hi]vous[/hi] – you (subject pronoun, plural or formal singular)

- soyez [hi]soyez[/hi] – be (present subjunctive of the verb [hi]être[/hi] – to be)

- prête [hi]prête[/hi] – ready (feminine adjective, agrees in gender with the subject [hi]vous[/hi])

Key concepts:

- Subjunctive mood: Used to express doubt, uncertainty, possibility, or opinion. In this case, the speaker expresses uncertainty about the other person’s readiness.

- Negation in French: The negative particles [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi] are always used together, and the verb is placed between them.

- Agreement in French: Adjectives in French must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Here, the adjectives [hi]sûre[/hi] and [hi]prête[/hi] agree with the subject pronouns [hi]je[/hi] and [hi]vous[/hi] respectively.

[hi]Ils vivent en paix.[/hi]. They live in peace.

The sentence is in the present tense and uses the third person plural form of the verb “[hi]vivre[/hi]” (to live), which is “[hi]vivent[/hi]”.

“[hi]En[/hi]” is a preposition meaning “in” and “[hi]paix[/hi]” is a noun meaning “peace”.

[hi]Nous n’avons pas besoin de lui.[/hi]. We don’t need him.

- Nous [hi]Nous[/hi] is the subject pronoun “we”.

- n’avons pas [hi]n’avons pas[/hi] is the negative form of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the present tense, conjugated for the subject “nous”. The “n’” is the negative particle and “avons” is the conjugated verb.

- besoin [hi]besoin[/hi] is the noun “need”.

- de [hi]de[/hi] is the preposition “of”.

- lui [hi]lui[/hi] is the pronoun “him”, referring to a male person previously mentioned.

The sentence is in the negative form, using the negative particle “n’” followed by the conjugated verb “avons”. The verb “avoir” is used with “besoin” to express the idea of needing something or someone.

[hi]Il semble évident qu’il est malade.[/hi]. It seems obvious that he is sick.

Breakdown:

- Il [hi]semble[/hi] évident – This is a complex subject-verb agreement structure.

“[hi]Il[/hi]” is the subject pronoun meaning “he”. “[hi]semble[/hi]” is the third person singular form of the verb “[hi]sembler[/hi]” which means “to seem”. * “[hi]évident[/hi]” is an adjective meaning “obvious” which is modifying the noun phrase “[hi]qu’il est malade[/hi]”

- qu’il est malade – This is a subordinate clause.

* “[hi]qu’[/hi]” is a conjunction meaning “that”. “[hi]il[/hi]” is the subject pronoun “he” “[hi]est[/hi]” is the third person singular form of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” meaning “to be” * “[hi]malade[/hi]” is an adjective meaning “sick” which is modifying the subject pronoun “[hi]il[/hi]”.

[hi]J’espère que la météo sera bonne.[/hi]. I hope that the weather will be good.

The sentence is in the present tense, and it uses the verb [hi]espérer[/hi] which means “to hope”.

The subject is “I” and it is implicit in the verb [hi]j’espère[/hi].

[hi]que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause.

The subordinate clause “[hi]la météo sera bonne[/hi]” is in the future tense.

[hi]la météo[/hi] is the subject of the subordinate clause and it means “the weather”.

[hi]sera[/hi] is the third person singular future tense form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] which means “to be”.

[hi]bonne[/hi] is an adjective meaning “good”.

[hi]Tu devrais t’excuser auprès d’elle, pour ta distance.[/hi]. You should apologize to her for your distance.

This sentence is in the tu form, which is the informal you in French. It is a formal command.

- Tu [hi]tu[/hi] is the subject pronoun for you in the informal, familiar form.

- devrais [hi]devrais[/hi] is the second person singular form of the conditional tense of the verb devoir, which means to have to or to should. devrais means should.

- t’excuser [hi]t’excuser[/hi] is the infinitive s’excuser [hi]s’excuser[/hi] to apologize. The t’ is a contraction of te [hi]te[/hi] (the object pronoun you) and à [hi]à[/hi] (to) and is the direct object pronoun placed before the verb.

- auprès d’elle [hi]auprès d’elle[/hi] means near her, but in this context means to her. It literally means near her, and it is used to express nearness to a person or thing.

- pour ta distance [hi]pour ta distance[/hi] is a prepositional phrase meaning for your distance. pour [hi]pour[/hi] means for. ta [hi]ta[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the possessive adjective your. distance [hi]distance[/hi] means distance.

The complete breakdown of the sentence is: You should apologize to her for your distance.

[hi]Je connais quelques trucs.[/hi]. I know a few things.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”

- connais[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “connaître” (to know) conjugated in the first person singular.

- quelques[/hi] – This is an indefinite adjective meaning “a few.” It modifies the noun that follows.

- trucs[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “things” or “tricks” in an informal way.

Key concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb “[hi]connais[/hi]” is conjugated in the first person singular to agree with the subject “[hi]Je[/hi]”.

- Indefinite adjective: “[hi]quelques[/hi]” provides information about the quantity of the noun “[hi]trucs[/hi]”.

- Informal language: “[hi]trucs[/hi]” is a more informal way to say “things” and adds a slightly casual tone to the sentence.

[hi]Elles savent nager.[/hi]. They know how to swim.

The sentence is in the [hi]présent[/hi] (present) tense and uses the [hi]verbe savoir[/hi] (verb to know).

[hi]Elles[/hi] is the plural feminine form of the subject pronoun [hi]elle[/hi] (she), meaning “they.”

[hi]savent[/hi] is the third-person plural form of the verb [hi]savoir[/hi] (to know) in the [hi]présent[/hi] tense.

[hi]nager[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb [hi]nager[/hi] (to swim).

This sentence demonstrates the use of the verb [hi]savoir[/hi] (to know) to express ability or knowledge. The phrase [hi]savoir + infinitive[/hi] is a common way to express this.

[hi]Quand nous étions enfants, nous jouions ensemble tous les jours.[/hi]. When we were children, we played together every day.

- Quand[/hi] – When (conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause of time)

- nous[/hi] – we (subject pronoun, plural)

- étions[/hi] – were (past imperfect of the verb [hi]être[/hi] – to be)

- enfants[/hi] – children (noun, plural)

- nous[/hi] – we (subject pronoun, plural)

- jouions[/hi] – played (past imperfect of the verb [hi]jouer[/hi] – to play)

- ensemble[/hi] – together (adverb)

- tous[/hi] – all (determiner, plural masculine)

- les[/hi] – the (definite article, plural masculine)

- jours[/hi] – days (noun, plural)

Key Concepts:

- Past Imperfect Tense: The past imperfect tense in French is used to describe actions that were happening continuously in the past. Here, it describes the state of being children and the regular activity of playing together.

- Subject Pronoun Agreement: In French, verbs must agree with their subjects in number and person. Notice that the subject pronouns [hi]nous[/hi] are used consistently throughout the sentence, and the verbs [hi]étions[/hi] and [hi]jouions[/hi] are both in the first person plural.

- Direct Object Pronoun Placement: In French, direct object pronouns (like [hi]nous[/hi]) usually come before the verb in compound tenses (past imperfect).

[hi]Nous sommes concurrentes, pas partenaires.[/hi]. We are competitors, not partners.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we” in the first person plural.

- sommes[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “être” (to be) conjugated in the first person plural.

- concurrentes[/hi] – This is the feminine plural form of the noun “concurrent” (competitor), which is used to describe the relationship between two individuals or entities.

- pas[/hi] – This is the French word for “not.”

- partenaires[/hi] – This is the feminine plural form of the noun “partenaire” (partner), which is used to describe the relationship between two individuals or entities working together.

Key Concepts:

- Agreement: The adjectives “concurrentes” and “partenaires” agree in gender and number with the subject pronoun “nous.”

- Negation: The negation “pas” is used to negate the second part of the sentence.

- Opposition: The sentence expresses an opposition between two concepts: “concurrentes” and “partenaires.”

[hi]Tu n’écoutes pas.[/hi]. You are not listening.

Breakdown:

- Tu: [hi]Tu[/hi] is the informal second-person singular pronoun, meaning “you.”

- n’écoutes: [hi]n’écoutes[/hi] is the negative form of the verb [hi]écouter[/hi] (“to listen”). The [hi]n’[/hi] is the negative particle, and [hi]écoutes[/hi] is the second-person singular form of the present tense.

- pas: [hi]pas[/hi] is an adverb that means “not.”

Key Concepts:

- Negation in French: French uses a negative particle [hi]ne[/hi] or [hi]n’[/hi] before the verb and another negative word like [hi]pas[/hi] after the verb.

- Present Tense in French: The present tense in French is used for actions happening now, habitual actions, and general truths.

[hi]Est-ce que je te rends nerveuse ?[/hi]. Do I make you nervous?

This is an interrogative sentence, meaning it asks a question. Let’s break it down:

- Est-ce que[/hi] – This is a common way to introduce questions in French. It literally translates to “is it that,” but it functions like the English “do” or “does”.

- je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun meaning “I.”

- te[/hi] – This is the object pronoun meaning “you” in a familiar, informal context.

- rends[/hi] – This is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “rendre”, meaning “to make, to render, to return”. Here it is conjugated to agree with the subject “je”.

- nerveuse[/hi] – This is the feminine adjective meaning “nervous.” It agrees in gender and number with the object pronoun “te”.

So the sentence is literally: “Is it that I make you nervous?” But in English, we would translate this as: “Do I make you nervous?” This is a common way to ask if someone is feeling anxious or uneasy.

[hi]Il fait plus chaud ici dans la vallée que dans les montagnes.[/hi]. It is hotter here in the valley than in the mountains.

This sentence compares the temperature in the valley to the temperature in the mountains.

- Il[/hi] is the third person singular pronoun, meaning “he” or “it”. In this case, it refers to the weather.

- fait[/hi] is the third person singular present tense of the verb “faire”, meaning “to make” or “to do”. Here, it means “it is”.

- plus[/hi] means “more” and is used to compare the temperatures.

- chaud[/hi] is an adjective meaning “hot”.

- ici[/hi] is an adverb meaning “here”.

- dans[/hi] is a preposition meaning “in”.

- la vallée[/hi] is the definite article “the” and the noun “valley”.

- que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “than”.

- dans[/hi] is the preposition “in”.

- les montagnes[/hi] is the definite article “the” and the noun “mountains”.

Key Concept: This sentence demonstrates the use of comparative adjectives in French. The structure is “plus” + adjective + “que”. This structure is used to compare two things, in this case, the temperatures of the valley and the mountains.

[hi]Nous avons besoin de faire ceci.[/hi]. We need to do this.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we”.

- avons[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the first person plural.

- besoin[/hi] – This is the noun “need”.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of”.

- faire[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to do”.

- ceci[/hi] – This is the demonstrative pronoun “this”.

Key concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb [hi]avons[/hi] is conjugated in the first person plural to agree with the subject pronoun [hi]Nous[/hi].

- Prepositional phrase: The phrase [hi]de faire ceci[/hi] functions as a prepositional phrase modifying the noun [hi]besoin[/hi].

- Infinitive verb: The verb [hi]faire[/hi] is used in its infinitive form after the preposition [hi]de[/hi].

[hi]Nous ne sommes pas en sécurité.[/hi]. We are not safe.

This sentence is in the negative form and uses the present tense of the verb “être” (to be).

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we”.

- ne…pas[/hi] – This is the negative construction in French. It’s a bit more complex than in English, as it requires two parts, “ne” before the verb and “pas” after it.

- sommes[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “être” (to be) for the subject pronoun “nous”.

- en[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “in” or “at”, but it can have various meanings depending on the context. In this case, it indicates a state or condition.

- sécurité[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “safety”.

So, the full sentence literally translates to “We not are in safety”. The meaning is clear though: “We are not safe”.

[hi]Je n’ai pas joué au tennis hier.[/hi]. I did not play tennis yesterday.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the pronoun “I” in the subject form.

- n’ai[/hi] – This is the negative form of the verb “avoir” (to have) conjugated in the present tense. It’s used here in the present tense with “pas” to form the past tense in the negative (“did not have”).

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb “not”.

- joué[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “jouer” (to play). It’s used here to form the past tense with the auxiliary verb “avoir”.

- au[/hi] – This is the contraction of “à” (to) and “le” (the). It’s used here to indicate the direction of the action.

- tennis[/hi] – This is the noun “tennis”.

- hier[/hi] – This is the adverb “yesterday”.

[hi]J’adore cette partie.[/hi]. I love this part.

- J’adore is the first-person singular present tense of the verb adorer which means to love or adore. The ‘ after the J is a liaison. This is a common French grammatical phenomenon where a vowel sound at the end of a word is linked to a vowel sound at the beginning of the next word.

- cette is the feminine singular form of the demonstrative adjective ce which means this.

- partie is the feminine singular form of the noun partie which means part.

[hi]Tom n’a pas accepté l’invitation.[/hi]. Tom did not accept the invitation.

The sentence uses the negative construction with “ne” and “pas”.

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence.

- n’a[/hi] is the contracted form of ne a[/hi], the **third-person singular of the verb avoir[/hi], meaning “to have”. This is used with the past participle to form the passé composé tense.

- pas[/hi] is the negative adverb used with ne[/hi].

- accepté[/hi] is the past participle of the verb accepter[/hi], meaning “to accept”. It agrees in gender and number with the direct object, which is l’invitation[/hi].

- l’invitation[/hi] is the definite article l’[/hi] contracted with the feminine noun invitation[/hi], meaning “the invitation”.

Therefore, the sentence translates to: “Tom did not accept the invitation”.

[hi]Il me faut découvrir qui il était.[/hi]. I need to find out who he was.

Breakdown:

- Il me faut – This is a common expression in French that means “I need.” The literal translation is “It is necessary for me.”

- découvrir – This is the infinitive form of the verb “to discover.” Here it is used in the infinitive form to create the sense of “to find out.”

- qui – This is the interrogative pronoun meaning “who” and introduces a relative clause.

- il était – This is a past tense conjugation of the verb “to be.” It is in the third-person singular, meaning “he was.”

Key Concepts:

- Relative Clauses: The phrase “qui il était” is a relative clause that modifies the noun “qui” (who).

- Infinitive of Purpose: The infinitive “découvrir” is used after “il me faut” to express the purpose or goal.

- Past Tense: The past tense of the verb “to be” is used to describe a past state of being.

[hi]J’ai eu l’impression que c’était nécessaire alors je l’ai fait.[/hi]. I had the impression that it was necessary so I did it.

Breakdown:

- J’ai[/hi] – “I have” This is the contracted form of “je ai” – the first person singular of the verb “avoir” (to have).

- eu[/hi] – “had” This is the past participle of the verb “avoir” (to have) and it is used to form the “passé composé” (past tense) of the verb “avoir.”

- l’impression[/hi] – “the impression” This is the feminine singular form of the noun “[hi]l’impression[/hi]” (impression). The definite article “[hi]l’[/hi]” is used because it refers to a specific impression.

- que[/hi] – “that” This is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause.

- c’était[/hi] – “it was” This is the contracted form of “ce était” – the third person singular of the verb “être” (to be).

- nécessaire[/hi] – “necessary” This is an adjective modifying the pronoun “[hi]ce[/hi]” (it).

- alors[/hi] – “so” This is a conjunction that introduces a consequence.

- je[/hi] – “I” This is the first person singular subject pronoun.

- l’ai[/hi] – “I did” This is the contracted form of “je ai” – the first person singular of the verb “avoir” (to have) and the past participle “[hi]fait[/hi]” (done).

- fait[/hi] – “done” This is the past participle of the verb “[hi]faire[/hi]” (to do).

[hi]J’ai été renvoyée pour avoir fait cela.[/hi]. I was fired for doing that.

- J’ai été renvoyée is in the passé composé, which is used to describe a completed action in the past.

- J’ai is the first person singular of the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have), which is the auxiliary verb used to form the passé composé with the past participle renvoyée.

- été is the past participle of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- renvoyée is the past participle of the verb [hi]renvoyer[/hi] (to fire). This is in the feminine form because the subject of the sentence is [hi]j’[/hi] (I), which is feminine.

- pour avoir fait cela is a prepositional phrase that indicates the reason for being fired.

- pour is a preposition meaning “for” or “because of”.

- avoir fait is the passé composé of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (to do).

- cela is a pronoun meaning “that”.

[hi]Je dois me rendre à l’hôpital.[/hi]. I must go to the hospital.

This sentence is a simple sentence in the present tense.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- dois[/hi] – This is the present tense form of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi] (to have to, to must). It is conjugated in the first person singular.

- me[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “myself,” which is used here to emphasize the action of going.

- rendre[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to go,” but it is used here in the reflexive form.

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to,” which is used to indicate the destination.

- **[hi]l’[/hi] hôpital[/hi] – This is the noun “hospital,” and [hi]l’[/hi] is the definite article “the” before a noun beginning with a vowel sound.

Key concepts:

- Reflexive verbs: In this sentence, the verb [hi]rendre[/hi] is used in the reflexive form ([hi]me rendre[/hi]). This is common in French when the action is performed on oneself.

- Prepositions: The preposition [hi]à[/hi] is used to indicate the direction of the action (going to the hospital).

- Definite article: The definite article [hi]l’[/hi] is used before the noun [hi]hôpital[/hi] because it is a specific hospital.

[hi]Tom sera bientôt là.[/hi]. Tom will be here soon.

This sentence is in the future tense, indicated by the use of “[hi]sera[/hi]”. “[hi]sera[/hi]” is the future tense conjugation of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” (to be) in the third person singular form. The subject is “[hi]Tom[/hi]”, so the full verb form is “[hi]sera[/hi]”. “[hi]bientôt[/hi]” means “soon” and “[hi]là[/hi]” means “here”.

[hi]Je n’ai pas pensé qu’il t’en fallait un.[/hi]. I didn’t think you needed one.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”

- n’ai[/hi] – This is the negative conjugation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the present tense. It is “I have not”.

- pas[/hi] – This is a negation adverb, meaning “not”

- pensé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “penser” (to think).

- qu’[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that”

- il[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “he”

- t’en[/hi] – This is a contraction of “te” (you) and “en” (of it/some/any)

- fallait[/hi] – This is the imperfect tense conjugation of the verb “falloir” (to be necessary)

- un[/hi] – This is the indefinite article “a” or “one”.

[hi]Qu’avez-vous promis de faire ?[/hi]. What did you promise to do?

This sentence uses the interrogative pronoun [hi]qu’[/hi] which is a contraction of [hi]que[/hi] and [hi]est-ce[/hi]. The literal translation is “What is it that you promised to do?”

[hi]avez-vous[/hi] is the second person plural (formal) of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have), conjugated in the present tense.

[hi]promis[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]promettre[/hi] (to promise) and is used in the past participle because of the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have).

[hi]de faire[/hi] is the infinitive phrase [hi]faire[/hi] (to do), and is used to complete the verb [hi]promettre[/hi] (to promise).

The sentence structure is interrogative, and requires an inversion of the subject and verb. The [hi]vous[/hi] (you) is placed at the end of the sentence.

[hi]J’ignorais que Tom allait le faire.[/hi]. I didn’t know that Tom was going to do it.

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ne[/hi] (not)

- ignorais[/hi] is the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]ignorer[/hi] (to ignore) and signifies an action that was happening in the past. It’s important to note that in this context, it refers to a lack of knowledge about a future event, so it’s best translated as “didn’t know” or “was unaware.”

- que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause, in this case, the clause explaining what the speaker was unaware of.

- Tom[/hi] is the proper noun for Tom, the subject of the following verb.

- allait[/hi] is the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]aller[/hi] (to go), but in this context, it’s used in the expression [hi]aller + infinitive[/hi] which means “to be going to” or “to be about to.”

- le[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, referring to something previously understood.

- faire[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to do.”

So, the whole sentence means that the speaker was unaware that Tom was about to do something.

[hi]Elle est membre d’une société d’étudiantes.[/hi]. She is a member of a student society.

The sentence uses the [hi]être[/hi] verb conjugated in the third person singular feminine present tense “est[/hi]“. This is followed by a noun “membre[/hi]” meaning “member”. The preposition “de[/hi]” indicates the belonging or ownership of the noun “membre[/hi]” to the noun phrase “société d’étudiantes[/hi]“. “société[/hi]” is feminine and means “society”, “d’[/hi]” is the contracted form of “de le[/hi]” and it is used to form a feminine possessive noun phrase, and “étudiantes[/hi]” means “students”. The entire phrase “société d’étudiantes[/hi]” translates as “student society” because the “d’[/hi]” indicates possession.

[hi]Je ne suis pas sûre que ça soit possible.[/hi]. I am not sure that this is possible.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the first-person singular pronoun, meaning “I”.

- ne[/hi] – This is a negative particle, meaning “not”.

- suis[/hi] – This is the first-person singular form of the verb “être” (to be) in the present tense.

- pas[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “not”. It is used to negate the verb.

- sûre[/hi] – This is the feminine singular form of the adjective “sûr” (sure), meaning “certain” or “confident”.

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that”. It introduces a subordinate clause.

- ça[/hi] – This is a pronoun meaning “this” or “it”. In this case, it refers to the preceding statement or idea.

- soit[/hi] – This is the subjunctive form of the verb “être” (to be). The subjunctive mood is used to express uncertainty, possibility, or desire.

- possible[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “possible”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative particle [hi]ne[/hi] and the adverb [hi]pas[/hi] to negate the verb [hi]suis[/hi].

- Subjunctive Mood: The subjunctive mood is used in the subordinate clause introduced by [hi]que[/hi]. This reflects the speaker’s uncertainty about the possibility.

- Agreement: The adjective [hi]sûre[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the pronoun [hi]Je[/hi].

[hi]À la fin, Tom a parlé.[/hi]. At the end, Tom spoke.

Breakdown:

- À la fin[/hi] – This phrase means “at the end”. It is a prepositional phrase using the preposition [hi]à[/hi] which means “to” or “at”, and the noun phrase [hi]la fin[/hi] which means “the end”.

- Tom[/hi] – This is the proper noun for “Tom”.

- a parlé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]parler[/hi] which means “to speak”. The [hi]a[/hi] is the past participle agreement marker for the masculine singular subject [hi]Tom[/hi].

This sentence demonstrates the use of a past participle in French to indicate a completed action in the past. The verb conjugation changes depending on the gender and number of the subject.

[hi]J’aime vraiment skier.[/hi]. I really like to ski.

This sentence uses the verb [hi]aimer[/hi], which means “to like” in the present tense. The [hi]j’[/hi] at the beginning is a contraction of [hi]je[/hi], which means “I.” [hi]aime[/hi] is the first-person singular form of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi]. [hi]vraiment[/hi] means “really” and acts as an adverb modifying the verb [hi]aimer[/hi]. [hi]skier[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to ski.” Since it follows the preposition [hi]à[/hi] (which is implied by the construction “to [verb]”), it takes on the infinitive form.

The literal translation would be “I like really to ski,” but the word order in English allows for the more natural translation of “I really like to ski.”

[hi]Sa chambre était couverte de poussière.[/hi]. His/Her room was covered in dust.

Breakdown:

- Sa[/hi] – This is the feminine singular possessive adjective, meaning “his” or “her”. Since the noun [hi]chambre[/hi] (room) is feminine, we use the feminine form of the adjective.

- chambre[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “room.”

- était[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- couverte[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]couvrir[/hi] (to cover). It agrees in gender and number with the noun [hi]chambre[/hi] (room).

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition meaning “of” or “with”.

- poussière[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “dust”.

[hi]« Qui viendra à la fête ? » « Quelques amis et quatre ou cinq collègues. »[/hi]. “Who will come to the party?” “A few friends and four or five colleagues.”

This dialogue is a simple exchange about party guests. Let’s break down the grammar:

- Qui[/hi] means “who” and is the subject of the sentence.

- viendra[/hi] means “will come” and is the verb in the future tense. It is conjugated in the third person singular because the subject is “[hi]qui[/hi]” which is singular.

- à la fête[/hi] means “to the party.” “[hi]à[/hi]” is the preposition “to” and “[hi]la fête[/hi]” is the feminine noun “party.”

- Quelques[/hi] means “a few” and is a quantifier, modifying the noun “[hi]amis[/hi]” (friends).

- amis[/hi] means “friends” and is a plural noun.

- et[/hi] means “and” and is a conjunction connecting the phrases “[hi]quelques amis[/hi]” and “[hi]quatre ou cinq collègues[/hi]”.

- quatre ou cinq[/hi] means “four or five” and is a quantifier, modifying the noun “[hi]collègues[/hi]” (colleagues).

- collègues[/hi] means “colleagues” and is a plural noun.

Key concepts:

- Future tense: The verb “[hi]viendra[/hi]” is in the future tense.

- Quantifiers: “[hi]Quelques[/hi]” and “[hi]quatre ou cinq[/hi]” are quantifiers, indicating the amount of the nouns they modify.

- Prepositions: “[hi]à[/hi]” is a preposition showing the relationship between the verb and the noun “[hi]la fête[/hi].”

- Agreement: The verb “[hi]viendra[/hi]” agrees in number and person with the subject “[hi]qui[/hi]”.

[hi]Je ne vais pas te mentir.[/hi]. I’m not going to lie to you.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation “not”. It is paired with the verb [hi]vais[/hi] to make the negative future tense.

- vais[/hi] – This is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb “to go” in the future tense. The future tense is used to describe something that will happen in the future.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negation “not”, it is used to make the negation strong.

- te[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “you”. It is used to indicate that the speaker is talking to the listener directly.

- mentir[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “to lie”. In this sentence, it is in the infinitive form because it is the direct object of the verb “to go”.

Key concepts:

- Negation: The use of [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi] to create a negative statement.

- Future tense: The use of the future tense [hi]vais[/hi] to indicate that the action will happen in the future.

- Direct object: The infinitive verb [hi]mentir[/hi] is the direct object of the verb [hi]vais[/hi].

[hi]Tom conduit beaucoup plus vite que Mary.[/hi]. Tom drives much faster than Mary.

This sentence is a comparative sentence using the comparative form of the adjective [hi]vite[/hi] (fast).

- [hi]conduit[/hi] is the third person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]conduire[/hi] (to drive).

- [hi]plus vite[/hi] literally means “more fast” and is the comparative form of [hi]vite[/hi].

- [hi]que[/hi] means “than” and introduces the comparison.

- The sentence follows the standard comparative structure: Subject + Verb + Comparative Adjective + than + Other Subject.

[hi]J’aimerais que tu remettes ton voyage.[/hi]. I would like you to reschedule your trip.

- J’aimerais – This is the [hi]je[/hi] form of the conditional tense of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi] (to like). It expresses a polite desire or preference.

- que – This is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause. Here, it indicates the object of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi] and introduces the request.

- tu – This is the familiar pronoun for “you.”

- remettes – This is the [hi]tu[/hi] form of the present subjunctive tense of the verb [hi]remettre[/hi] (to reschedule). The subjunctive is used here because the clause expresses a wish or desire.

- ton voyage – This is the masculine singular possessive adjective [hi]ton[/hi] (your) followed by the noun [hi]voyage[/hi] (trip).

[hi]Où avez-vous déniché tout ça ?[/hi]. Where did you find all of this?

Breakdown:

- Où[/hi] – This is the interrogative pronoun for “where,” asking about a location.

- avez[/hi] – This is the second-person plural form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (“to have”). It’s conjugated in the present tense, which means the action is happening now.

- vous[/hi] – This is the second-person plural pronoun, meaning “you” (plural).

- déniché[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]dénicher[/hi] (“to unearth,” “to find”). It’s used here in the past participle form, which means that the action of finding has already happened.

- tout[/hi] – This is the pronoun “all,” referring to something that’s been previously mentioned.

- ça[/hi] – This is a pronoun referring to the thing that was found, “this” or “all of this.”

Key concepts:

- Interrogative pronouns: These pronouns are used to ask questions.

- Verb conjugation: The verb [hi]avoir[/hi] is conjugated differently depending on the person, tense, and number of the subject.

- Past participle: This form of the verb is used to indicate that an action has already happened.

- Pronouns: Pronouns are used to replace nouns, avoiding repetition.

[hi]Nous partons immédiatement.[/hi]. We are leaving immediately.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we” in French.

- partons[/hi] – This is the verb “to leave” in the present tense, first person plural. It’s conjugated with the “-ons” ending for “we” in the present tense.

- immédiatement[/hi] – This is the adverb meaning “immediately”. It modifies the verb “partons” to indicate that the action is happening right away.

[hi]On n’a pas fait ça depuis un moment.[/hi]. We haven’t done that in a while.

Breakdown:

- On[/hi] – This is the third person plural pronoun, meaning “we” or “one”.

- n’a[/hi] – This is the contraction of “ne” (not) and “a” (has). It is a negation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the present tense.

- pas[/hi] – This word means “not” and serves to reinforce the negation.

- fait[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “faire” (to do) in the masculine singular form.

- ça[/hi] – This is a pronoun meaning “that” or “it”.

- depuis[/hi] – This preposition means “since” or “for”.

- un moment[/hi] – This phrase means “a while”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negation “ne…pas” to indicate that something has not been done.

- Past Participle: The verb “faire” is in the past participle form, which is used to form the passé composé (past perfect) tense.

- Time Expression: The phrase “[hi]depuis un moment[/hi]” indicates a period of time that has passed.

[hi]Fumer n’est pas autorisé ici.[/hi]. Smoking is not allowed here.

This sentence uses the [hi]ne…pas[/hi] structure which is the negative form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the present tense. This makes the sentence a negative statement.

Here is a breakdown of the sentence:

- Fumer[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb [hi]fumer[/hi] (to smoke).

- n’est[/hi] – This is the negative form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the present tense, conjugated for the third person singular.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb that goes after the verb in a negative sentence.

- autorisé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]autoriser[/hi] (to authorize). It is used here as an adjective to describe the noun [hi]fumer[/hi] (smoking).

- ici[/hi] – This is the adverb of place meaning “here”.

The sentence can be translated literally as: “To smoke is not authorized here”. However, in English it is more common to say “Smoking is not allowed here.”

[hi]Elle lui permit d’y aller seul.[/hi]. She allowed him to go there alone.

This sentence is in the passé simple tense, which is used for past actions that are completed.

Breakdown:

- Elle [hi]Elle[/hi] – She – Subject pronoun

- lui [hi]lui[/hi] – him – Indirect object pronoun

- permit [hi]permit[/hi] – to allow – Verb in the passé simple tense, third person singular

- d’y [hi]d’y[/hi] – to there – Contraction of de and y, which means “to it” or “there”

- aller [hi]aller[/hi] – to go – Infinitive verb

- seul [hi]seul[/hi] – alone – Adjective

Key Concepts:

- Indirect Object Pronouns: [hi]lui[/hi] is an indirect object pronoun, meaning it receives the action of the verb indirectly. In this case, the action of allowing is directed towards him.

- Past Tense (Passé Simple): The verb permit is conjugated in the passé simple tense, which is a literary past tense used for past actions that are completed.

- Contractions: [hi]d’y[/hi] is a contraction of the preposition de and the pronoun y.

[hi]Je pense que nous savons toutes ce qui arrive.[/hi]. I think we all know what’s going to happen.

- Je[/hi] is the pronoun “I.”

- pense[/hi] is the verb “to think” in the present tense, conjugated for the first person singular (“I think”).

- que[/hi] is the conjunction “that.”

- nous[/hi] is the pronoun “we.”

- savons[/hi] is the verb “to know” in the present tense, conjugated for the first person plural (“we know”).

- toutes[/hi] is the feminine plural form of the adjective “all.”

- ce[/hi] is the pronoun “what,” used here to refer to the following clause.

- qui[/hi] is the relative pronoun “that” or “who,” used to introduce a relative clause that provides more information about “ce” (what).

- arrive[/hi] is the verb “to happen” in the present tense, conjugated for the third person singular (“it happens”).

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb conjugations ([hi]pense[/hi], [hi]savons[/hi], [hi]arrive[/hi]) agree in number and person with their respective subjects ([hi]je[/hi], [hi]nous[/hi], [hi]ce[/hi]).

- Relative Pronoun: The relative pronoun [hi]qui[/hi] connects the relative clause (“[hi]qui arrive[/hi]” – “what happens”) to the pronoun [hi]ce[/hi].

- Conjunction: The conjunction [hi]que[/hi] introduces the subordinate clause (“[hi]nous savons toutes ce qui arrive[/hi]”) and connects it to the main clause (“[hi]Je pense[/hi]”).

[hi]Vous rappelez-vous quoi faire ?[/hi]. You remember what to do?

This sentence is in the [hi]vous[/hi] form, which is the formal “you” in French. It’s used when addressing someone you don’t know well, or someone older than you.

- [hi]rappelez[/hi] is the verb “to remember” in the present tense, conjugated for the [hi]vous[/hi] form.

- [hi]vous[/hi] is the subject pronoun, meaning “you”.

- [hi]rappelez-vous[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb “to remember”, meaning “remember!”.

- [hi]quoi[/hi] means “what”.

- [hi]faire[/hi] means “to do”.

So the sentence translates to “You remember what to do?”. It is an imperative sentence, so it is a command or instruction.

[hi]Voulez-vous poser une question à d’autres ?[/hi]. Would you like to ask a question to others?

The sentence is constructed with the following grammar:

- Voulez-vous[/hi] is the formal form of “do you want” in the present tense of the verb [hi]vouloir[/hi] (to want).

- poser[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb to ask.

- une question[/hi] means “a question”.

- à d’autres[/hi] means “to others”. This is a contraction of [hi]à[/hi] (to) and [hi]d’autres[/hi] (others).

Therefore, the sentence translates to, “Would you like to ask a question to others?”

[hi]Comment payerons-nous nos dettes, désormais ?[/hi]. How will we pay our debts, now?

This sentence is in the future tense, which is indicated by the use of the future simple tense in the verb “payerons” [hi]payerons[/hi].

The future simple tense in French is formed by taking the infinitive form of the verb and adding the appropriate ending for the subject pronoun. In this case, the subject is “nous” [hi]nous[/hi] (we), so the ending is “-ons”. The verb “payer” [hi]payer[/hi] means “to pay”.

The word “nos” [hi]nos[/hi] means “our” and is used to modify the noun “dettes” [hi]dettes[/hi], which means “debts”.

The adverb “désormais” [hi]désormais[/hi] means “from now on” or “henceforth” and adds a sense of urgency or finality to the sentence.

[hi]Pouvez-vous le prouver ?[/hi]. Can you prove it?

Breakdown:

- Pouvez-vous[/hi] – “Can you” This is the polite form of “can” and is the standard way to ask a question to someone you don’t know well or someone who is older than you.

- le[/hi] – “it” This is the masculine singular direct object pronoun, referring to something previously mentioned or understood.

- prouver[/hi] – “to prove” This is a regular -er verb in the infinitive form.

- [hi] ?[/hi] – This is the question mark.

Key Concepts:

- Formal politeness in French is important, especially when addressing someone you don’t know well.

- Direct object pronouns like [hi]le[/hi] are used to avoid repeating nouns.

- Infinitive verbs like [hi]prouver[/hi] are used after modal verbs like [hi]pouvez[/hi].

[hi]Nous débattîmes du problème.[/hi]. We debated the problem.

The sentence is in the [hi]passé simple[/hi], the simple past tense, which is used for completed actions in the past, often in narratives or formal writing.

The verb [hi]débattre[/hi] means “to debate” and is conjugated in the [hi]passé simple[/hi] for the plural “nous” (we). The ending [-îmes] indicates the [hi]passé simple[/hi] form for the first-person plural.

[hi]Du[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]de le[/hi] and signifies “of the”.

[hi]Problème[/hi] means “problem” and is the direct object of the verb [hi]débattre[/hi].

[hi]N’avez-vous pas sommeil ?[/hi]. This sentence translates to, “Don’t you have sleep?” but it is a question and so it is really asking, “Aren’t you sleepy?”

Here is the breakdown of the grammar:

- N’[hi]avez[/hi]-vous pas [hi]sommeil[/hi] ?

* N’[hi] is the negative contraction of [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi] which means “not.” * avez[/hi] is the second person plural form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] meaning “to have.” * vous[/hi] is the second person plural pronoun meaning “you.” * pas[/hi] means “not” and is combined with [hi]ne[/hi] to form the negative “n’[hi]pas[/hi]” * sommeil[/hi] means “sleep” and in this case, it means “sleepy”. * ? is the question mark.

The key concepts here are:

- The use of the negative contraction “n’[hi]pas[/hi]”

- The use of the second person plural form of the verb “avoir”

- The use of the noun [hi]sommeil[/hi] as a synonym for “sleepy”

The sentence is a question which means that the word order is reversed to make it a question.

[hi]Trouve-toi un siège.[/hi]. Find yourself a seat.

The phrase “Trouve-toi un siège” is an imperative sentence in French, meaning it’s a command or instruction. Let’s break it down:

- Trouve-toi: This is the verb “[hi]trouver[/hi]” (to find) conjugated in the imperative form, second person singular (meaning it’s directed at one person). The reflexive pronoun “[hi]toi[/hi]” (yourself) is attached to the verb, which emphasizes that the action is being done by the person being addressed.

- un siège: This means “a seat.”

Therefore, the full translation is “Find yourself a seat.” This is a polite way of telling someone to sit down.

[hi]Il est dans le frigo.[/hi]. He is in the refrigerator.

The sentence [hi]Il est dans le frigo[/hi] is a simple sentence with the following breakdown:

- Il [hi]Il[/hi] is the subject pronoun, meaning “he”.

- est [hi]est[/hi] is the third person singular present tense form of the verb “être” (to be).

- dans [hi]dans[/hi] is a preposition meaning “in”.

- le [hi]le[/hi] is the definite article meaning “the”.

- frigo [hi]frigo[/hi] is a shortened form of [hi]réfrigérateur[/hi] (refrigerator).

The sentence literally translates to “He is in the refrigerator”. This is a very common and natural way to express that someone or something is located inside a refrigerator in French.

[hi]Les filles pensent beaucoup aux garçons.[/hi]. The girls think a lot about the boys.

Breakdown:

- Les[/hi] – This is the plural definite article for feminine nouns, meaning “the”

- filles[/hi] – This is the plural noun for “girl”, meaning “girls”

- pensent[/hi] – This is the third person plural present tense of the verb “penser”, meaning “think”

- beaucoup[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “a lot”

- aux[/hi] – This is a contraction of “à” + “les”, meaning “to the”

- garçons[/hi] – This is the plural noun for “boy”, meaning “boys”

Key concepts:

- Gender Agreement: The definite article [hi]les[/hi] agrees in gender with the noun [hi]filles[/hi] which is feminine. The verb [hi]pensent[/hi] agrees in number and person with the subject [hi]filles[/hi].

- Prepositional Phrases: The phrase [hi]aux garçons[/hi] is a prepositional phrase, functioning as an indirect object of the verb [hi]pensent[/hi], indicating the object of their thoughts.

[hi]Mon client est accusé de meurtre.[/hi]. My client is accused of murder.

This sentence is in the present tense and uses the passive voice.

- Mon[/hi] is the possessive adjective “my” and agrees in gender and number with the noun “client”.

- client[/hi] means “client”.

- est[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb “être” (to be) in the present tense. It acts as the auxiliary verb in the passive voice.

- accusé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “accuser” (to accuse). It is used as an adjective in the passive voice.

- de[/hi] means “of” and introduces the noun phrase “meurtre”.

- meurtre[/hi] means “murder”.

The passive voice is used to emphasize the action rather than the actor. In this case, the focus is on the client being accused, not on who is accusing him.

[hi]Tom ne voulait pas faire croire aux gens qu’il flirtait avec Marie.[/hi]. Tom did not want to make people believe that he was flirting with Marie.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negative particle in French, meaning “not.” It is used before the verb in a negative sentence.

- voulait[/hi] – This is the third-person singular imperfect tense of the verb [hi]vouloir[/hi] (to want). The imperfect tense describes a continuous or ongoing action in the past.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb meaning “not.” It is used with the negative particle [hi]ne[/hi] to form a negative sentence.

- faire croire[/hi] – This is a verb phrase meaning “to make someone believe.” It is composed of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (to do) and the infinitive [hi]croire[/hi] (to believe).

- aux gens[/hi] – This is the indirect object pronoun meaning “to the people.” The plural form of [hi]gens[/hi] is used in this case.

- qu’il[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that” and is used to introduce a subordinate clause. [hi]il[/hi] is the subject pronoun “he”.

- flirtait[/hi] – This is the third-person singular imperfect tense of the verb [hi]flirter[/hi] (to flirt). The imperfect tense describes an ongoing action in the past.

- avec[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “with.”

- Marie[/hi] – This is the proper noun for the name “Marie.”

[hi]Aurais-tu une agrafeuse à me prêter ?[/hi]. Would you happen to have a stapler that you could lend me?

This is a polite question asking for the loan of a stapler.

- Aurais-tu is a polite way of asking “do you have?”. It’s the conditional tense of the verb avoir (to have).

- une agrafeuse is a [hi]féminin[/hi] noun meaning “stapler”.

- à me prêter is a [hi]infinitif[/hi] phrase meaning “to lend me”. It’s made up of the verb prêter (to lend) and the [hi]pronom personnel[/hi] (personal pronoun) me (me).

The question is formed with the conditional tense because it implies a certain level of uncertainty about the listener having a stapler and their willingness to lend it.

[hi]Il faut que je regarde les règles.[/hi]. It is necessary that I look at the rules.

This sentence is a complex sentence with a subjunctive mood in the dependent clause.

- Il faut[/hi] means “it is necessary” or “one must” and is followed by the subjunctive mood.

- que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces the subjunctive clause.

- je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- regarde[/hi] is the present subjunctive form of the verb “regarder” (to look at).

- les règles[/hi] means “the rules”.

In English, we would typically use the infinitive form of the verb (“to look”) in this type of sentence, but the subjunctive mood in French is used to express necessity, obligation, or a suggestion.

[hi]Je pense que nous devrions sortir d’ici.[/hi]. I think we should leave here.

- Je[/hi] is the pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- pense[/hi] is the verb “to think” in the present tense, first person singular. It is conjugated in the present tense because it is describing a current action or thought.

- que[/hi] is a conjunction that means “that” and introduces a subordinate clause.

- nous[/hi] is the pronoun “we” in the first person plural.

- devrions[/hi] is the verb “to have to” in the conditional mood, first person plural. It is in the conditional mood because it is expressing a suggestion or desire. It is conjugated in the conditional mood because it is expressing a suggestion or desire.

- sortir[/hi] is the verb “to leave” in the infinitive form.

- d’ici[/hi] is a prepositional phrase meaning “from here.”

This sentence is an example of a complex sentence, meaning it includes a main clause and a subordinate clause. The main clause is “I think,” and the subordinate clause is “that we should leave here.” The subordinate clause is introduced by the conjunction “que.”

[hi]Allonge-toi et mets-toi à l’aise.[/hi]. Lie down and get comfortable.

- Allonge-toi is the imperative form of the verb [hi]allonger[/hi] (to lie down, to stretch out). It is in the tu form, meaning it is addressed to “you” (singular, informal). The verb is conjugated in the imperative mood, which is used to give commands or make requests.

- mets-toi is the imperative form of the verb [hi]mettre[/hi] (to put, to place). It is in the tu form, and is also conjugated in the imperative mood.

- à l’aise is a common phrase meaning “comfortable”.

[hi]Tom veut être aimé.[/hi]. Tom wants to be loved.

This sentence uses the verb [hi]vouloir[/hi], which means “to want”. [hi]Vouloir[/hi] is followed by an infinitive, in this case [hi]être[/hi], meaning “to be”. The past participle [hi]aimé[/hi] acts as the object of the verb [hi]être[/hi], meaning “loved”.

The structure is a simple subject-verb-object sentence with the addition of the infinitive [hi]être[/hi] after the verb [hi]vouloir[/hi]. This structure is common in French when expressing a desire or intention.

[hi]Quelle est votre taille ?[/hi]. What is your height?

This sentence is asking for the person’s height.

- Quelle[/hi] – This is the interrogative pronoun meaning “what”. It is used to ask a question.

- est[/hi] – This is the third-person singular form of the verb “être” (to be). It is used in the present tense.

- votre[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective meaning “your”. It agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, which is “taille” (height).

- taille[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “height”. It is feminine in gender.

The sentence structure is a simple question with the subject, “taille” (height), following the verb “est” (is).

[hi]À quelle fréquence utilises-tu ton téléphone ?[/hi]. How often do you use your phone?

This sentence uses the [hi]interrogative pronoun[/hi] [hi]quelle[/hi] meaning “what” or “which” to ask about the frequency of an action. [hi]Fréquence[/hi] means frequency. The verb [hi]utiliser[/hi] means “to use” and is conjugated in the present tense to agree with the [hi]pronoun[/hi] [hi]tu[/hi] meaning “you.”

The [hi]definite article[/hi] [hi]ton[/hi] means “your” and modifies [hi]téléphone[/hi], meaning “phone”.

[hi]Si vous voulez la moindre aide, appelez-moi simplement ![/hi]. If you need any help at all, just call me!

Breakdown:

- Si[/hi] – This is a conjunction that means “if.”

- vous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “you” in the formal form. It is used when addressing someone formally, such as a professor or someone in a position of authority.

- voulez[/hi] – This is the present tense verb “to want” conjugated in the formal second-person singular form.

- la moindre aide[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “the least help.” [hi]la moindre[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the adjective “least.”

- appelez-moi[/hi] – This is the imperative form of the verb “to call.” The “-moi” ending is a direct object pronoun meaning “me.”

- simplement[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “simply.”

Key Concepts:

- Formal French: Note the use of the formal pronoun [hi]vous[/hi] and the formal verb conjugation [hi]voulez[/hi]. This is important to remember when addressing someone formally in French.

- Imperative Form: The imperative form is used to give commands or make requests.

- Direct Object Pronoun: The direct object pronoun [hi]moi[/hi] is used to indicate that the person being addressed is the direct object of the verb [hi]appelez[/hi].

[hi]Ils veulent dire la même chose.[/hi]. They want to say the same thing.

This sentence is a simple statement in the present tense.

- Ils[/hi] – This is the third-person plural pronoun meaning “they”. It agrees with the subject of the verb, which is plural.

- veulent[/hi] – This is the third-person plural form of the verb “vouloir” which means “to want”.

- dire[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “dire” which means “to say”.

- la même chose[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “the same thing”.

The verb “vouloir” is used to express intention or desire. The phrase “[hi]la même chose[/hi]” is the object of the verb.

The sentence literally translates to “They want to say the same thing”, indicating that the individuals in question share the same message or idea they wish to convey.

[hi]Il vous faut une permission écrite.[/hi]. You need written permission.

This sentence uses the formal “vous” form, which is used when addressing someone with whom you are not on a familiar basis.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the third-person singular masculine pronoun, meaning “he,” but in this case, it’s used impersonally to mean “it.”

- vous[/hi] – This is the formal second-person plural pronoun, meaning “you” (formal).

- faut[/hi] – This is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “falloir,” meaning “to be necessary” or “to need.”

- une[/hi] – This is the feminine singular indefinite article, meaning “a” or “an.”

- permission[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “permission.”

- écrite[/hi] – This is the feminine singular past participle of the verb “écrire,” meaning “to write.” It is used as an adjective here, meaning “written.”

Key Concepts:

- Formal “vous”: This is an important concept in French grammar. It’s essential to use the correct form of “vous” when addressing someone formally.

- Impersonal “il”: The use of “il” in this sentence indicates that it is not referring to a specific person, but rather to a general concept.

- Past participle as adjective: The past participle “écrite” is used as an adjective to modify the noun “permission.”

[hi]Rappelle-moi de poster le rapport demain s’il te plait.[/hi]. This sentence translates to: “Please remind me to post the report tomorrow.”

Breakdown:

- Rappelle-moi[/hi] – This is the imperative form of the verb “rappeler” (to remind). In this context, it means “remind me”. The “-moi” ending is a direct object pronoun, meaning “me.”

- de poster[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “poster” (to post), and “de” is a preposition used with the infinitive. This combination translates to “to post”.

- le rapport[/hi] – This is the masculine noun “rapport” (report). [hi]le[/hi] is the definite article meaning “the”.

- demain[/hi] – This is the adverb “tomorrow”.

- s’il te plaît[/hi] – This is a polite phrase meaning “please”. It is made up of “si” (if), “[hi]te[/hi]” (you), and “[hi]plaît[/hi]” (pleases).

Key Concepts:

- Imperative: This sentence is in the imperative mood, which is used to give commands or make requests.

- Infinitive: The infinitive form of the verb “poster” is used with the preposition “de” to create the construction “[hi]de poster[/hi]”, meaning “to post.”

- Direct Object Pronoun: The direct object pronoun “[hi]moi[/hi]” is used to clarify that the speaker is the person to be reminded.

- Polite Phrase: The phrase “[hi]s’il te plaît[/hi]” is used to make the request polite.

[hi]Tom et Mary ont trois enfants.[/hi]. Tom and Mary have three children.

Here’s a breakdown:

- Tom[/hi] and [hi]Mary[/hi] are the subjects of the sentence. These are proper nouns and are not changed based on the number of children they have.

- ont[/hi] is the third-person plural form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have). Since the subject is plural ([hi]Tom et Mary[/hi]), the verb is conjugated accordingly.

- trois[/hi] is the number “three.” It is used before the noun [hi]enfants[/hi] to indicate the quantity.

- enfants[/hi] is the plural form of the noun [hi]enfant[/hi] (child). Since there are multiple children, the noun is pluralized.

The sentence structure is a simple subject-verb-object structure. The subject ([hi]Tom et Mary[/hi]) performs the action of having ([hi]ont[/hi]), and the object ([hi]trois enfants[/hi]) is what they have.

[hi]Tom a bu mon jus de pomme.[/hi]. Tom drank my apple juice.

Breakdown:

- Tom – This is the subject of the sentence, the person who performed the action.

- a bu – This is the verb “to drink” in the past tense. [hi]bu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]boire[/hi] (to drink). The auxiliary verb “avoir” (to have) is implied and is used to form the past tense with the past participle.

- mon – This is the possessive adjective “my,” indicating that the apple juice belongs to the speaker.

- jus de pomme – This is a noun phrase referring to “apple juice.” [hi]jus[/hi] means juice and [hi]pomme[/hi] means apple. [hi]de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of” in this case.

Key Concepts:

- Past Tense: The sentence is in the past tense, indicating that the action of drinking took place in the past.

- Possessive Adjectives: The possessive adjective “[hi]mon[/hi]” is used to show ownership of the apple juice.

- Noun Phrases: The noun phrase “jus de pomme” functions as the object of the verb “a bu.”

[hi]Est-ce qu’on peut parler maintenant ?[/hi]. Can we speak now?

This sentence uses the [hi]inversion[/hi] structure, which is common in French when asking questions.

- Est-ce que[/hi] is a common way to introduce a question in French. It literally translates to “Is it that”. It is used to make the question more polite and formal. It is an interrogative phrase.

- on[/hi] is the pronoun “we” and is the subject of the verb [hi]parler[/hi]

- peut[/hi] is the verb “can” in the third person singular form, which agrees with the subject “on”.

- parler[/hi] is the verb “to speak”, in the infinitive form.

- maintenant[/hi] is the adverb “now”. It tells us when we can speak.

The sentence could be rephrased in a more informal way as: [hi]Peut-on parler maintenant?[/hi]

[hi]Êtes-vous jalouse ?[/hi]. Are you jealous?

This sentence uses the formal “vous” which means “you” in the plural or the formal singular “you.”

[hi]Êtes-vous[/hi] is the formal conjugation of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the present tense, second person plural or formal singular, and it functions as the auxiliary verb of the verb [hi]jalouse[/hi].

[hi]jalouse[/hi] is the feminine form of the adjective [hi]jaloux[/hi] (jealous). The adjective is used here as a predicate adjective, meaning it describes the subject [hi]vous[/hi].

This sentence is a simple question in the present tense, and the word order is subject-verb-adjective.

[hi]Je ne peux pas tenir plus longtemps.[/hi]. I can’t hold on any longer.

This sentence uses the verb “tenir” [hi]tenir[/hi], which means “to hold” or “to keep”. Here, it’s used in the negative form “ne…pas” [hi]ne…pas[/hi] and is conjugated in the present tense, “ne peux pas” [hi]ne peux pas[/hi], meaning “cannot”.

“Plus longtemps” [hi]plus longtemps[/hi] translates to “any longer” and indicates that the speaker is at their limit.

[hi]Vous plaisantez, j’espère.[/hi]. You’re kidding, I hope.

Breakdown:

- Vous[/hi] – This is the formal “you” in French. It is used when addressing someone you don’t know well, someone older than you, or someone in a position of authority.

- plaisantez[/hi] – This is the third person plural of the verb [hi]plaisanter[/hi], which means “to joke.” The ending “-ez” marks the present tense and the plural form.

- j’espère[/hi] – This is the first person singular of the verb [hi]espérer[/hi], which means “to hope.” The “j” is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and the ending “-e” marks the present tense.

Key Concepts:

- Formal address: In French, it’s important to use the correct level of formality. [hi]Vous[/hi] is the formal “you” while [hi]tu[/hi] is the informal “you.”

- Verb conjugation: French verbs are conjugated differently depending on the tense, person, and number. The ending “-ez” on [hi]plaisantez[/hi] indicates the present tense and plural form.

- Contractions: French uses contractions like “j’” for “je” and “l’” for “le.”

[hi]Qu’y a-t-il dans ce placard ?[/hi]. What is in this closet?

This sentence uses the interrogative pronoun [hi]qu’[/hi] which means “what” and is contracted from [hi]que[/hi] and [hi]il[/hi].

The verb [hi]y a[/hi] is a common way to express “there is/are” in French. It literally translates to “there has.”

[hi]t-il[/hi] is the third-person singular form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have), used in interrogative sentences.

[hi]dans[/hi] means “in” and [hi]ce[/hi] means “this” so [hi]ce placard[/hi] means “this closet.”

[hi]Où est la Croix Rouge ?[/hi]. Where is the Red Cross?

This sentence is asking for the location of the Red Cross. Let’s break it down:

- Où[/hi] is an interrogative adverb meaning “where.” It is used at the beginning of an interrogative sentence.

- est[/hi] is the third person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] meaning “to be.”

- la[/hi] is the definite article meaning “the.”

- Croix Rouge[/hi] is a proper noun referring to the Red Cross.

So, this sentence is asking: “Where is the Red Cross located?”

[hi]C’est juste ce dont tu as besoin maintenant.[/hi]. This is just what you need now.

This sentence is a simple declarative sentence in the present tense. Let’s break it down:

- C’est[/hi]: This is the contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]est[/hi] (is). It is the subject-verb agreement for the third person singular in the present tense.

- juste[/hi]: This means “just” or “exactly”. It is an adjective modifying the noun phrase “what you need”.

- ce[/hi]: This is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “this”. It refers to the noun phrase “what you need”, which is implied but not stated.

- dont[/hi]: This is a contraction of [hi]de[/hi] (of) and [hi]ont[/hi] (they have). It is a relative pronoun meaning “of which” or “that” and it connects the relative clause “what you need” to the main clause.

- tu[/hi]: This is the pronoun “you” in the informal, singular form.

- as[/hi]: This is the present tense conjugation of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) in the second person singular.

- besoin[/hi]: This means “need” and is a noun.

- maintenant[/hi]: This means “now” and is an adverb of time.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: French often uses contractions, which combine words for fluency.

- Demonstrative Pronouns: [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]cet[/hi] (this) are demonstrative pronouns that point to something already mentioned or understood.

- Relative Pronouns: [hi]dont[/hi] is a relative pronoun that connects a relative clause to a main clause.

- Subject-Verb Agreement: In French, the verb must agree in number and person with the subject.

[hi]On se voit où, demain ?[/hi]. Where are we meeting tomorrow?

This sentence is a question using the [hi]on[/hi] pronoun which is used for both singular and plural. [hi]Se voir[/hi] is the reflexive verb “to see each other”, and the [hi]où[/hi] is the interrogative pronoun “where”. The [hi]demain[/hi] is the adverb for tomorrow.

[hi]Nous devons tout essayer.[/hi]. We must try everything.

- Nous [hi]nous[/hi] is the subject pronoun “we”.

- devons [hi]devons[/hi] is the first-person plural form of the verb “devoir” [hi]devoir[/hi] (to have to, must), conjugated in the present tense.

- tout [hi]tout[/hi] is the masculine singular form of the adjective “all” or “everything”, functioning as a noun here.

- essayer [hi]essayer[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to try”.

[hi]Je dois aller travailler.[/hi]. I have to go to work.

This sentence is in the present tense, and the verb [hi]devoir[/hi] is conjugated in the first person singular to express obligation. The word [hi]aller[/hi] is used to describe going to work, which is the goal. [hi]Travailler[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to work” but can function as a noun when discussing a job.

[hi]Tom est marrant.[/hi]. Tom is funny.

This sentence is very simple.

[hi]Tom[/hi] is the subject and is a proper noun.

[hi]est[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the present tense, third person singular. It agrees in number and person with the subject.

[hi]marrant[/hi] is an adjective meaning “funny” and modifies the subject.

[hi]C’est évidemment faux.[/hi]. That is obviously false.

- C’est[/hi] – This is a contraction of the phrase “[hi]ce est[/hi]” which means “this is”.

- évidemment[/hi] – This means “obviously”.

- faux[/hi] – This means “false”.

The sentence uses a simple grammatical structure, with the subject ([hi]C’est[/hi]) followed by the adjective ([hi]faux[/hi]). [hi]Évidemment[/hi] serves as an adverb, modifying the adjective.

[hi]Levons-nous.[/hi]. Let’s get up.

This sentence uses the [hi]impératif[/hi] (imperative) form of the verb [hi]lever[/hi] (to rise, to get up), which is [hi]levons[/hi] in the [hi]nous[/hi] (we) form.

[hi]Levons-nous[/hi] is a compound verb form using the [hi]impératif[/hi] and the [hi]pronoun[/hi] [hi]nous[/hi] attached with a hyphen.

[hi]Combien de frères et sœurs avez-vous ?[/hi]. This sentence asks “How many brothers and sisters do you have?”

Breakdown:

- Combien[/hi] means “how many” and is used to ask about quantity.

- de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of”.

- frères[/hi] means “brothers” and is plural.

- et[/hi] means “and”.

- sœurs[/hi] means “sisters” and is plural.

- avez-vous[/hi] is the formal conjugation of the verb “to have” in the present tense, second person plural (you). It is a polite way to ask the question.

Key Concepts:

- Interrogative words: [hi]Combien[/hi] is an interrogative word used to ask about quantity.

- Plural nouns: [hi]frères[/hi] and [hi]sœurs[/hi] are both plural nouns.

- Formal address: [hi]avez-vous[/hi] is a formal way to ask a question in French.

[hi]J’ai enflammé l’allumette.[/hi]. I lit the match.

Here’s a breakdown:

- J’ai[/hi] – This is the contracted form of “je + ai” which means “I have”. It’s in the “passé composé” (past tense) which uses the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) and the past participle.

- enflammé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “enflammer” (to light or ignite).

- l’allumette[/hi] – This is the definite article “le” (the) contracted with “allumette” (match). This is a feminine noun.

So, the entire sentence is in the “passé composé” (past tense) and describes the action of lighting the match. The verb “enflammer” is used in its past participle form, agreeing in gender and number with the direct object “allumette”.

[hi]Je ne possède pas de guitare.[/hi]. I do not own a guitar.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation particle “not.”

- possède[/hi] – This is the verb “to possess” in the present tense, conjugated in the first person singular.

- pas[/hi] – This is a negation particle that reinforces the negative meaning.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of” which is used here to introduce the object of possession.

- guitare[/hi] – This is the noun “guitar.”

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses two negation particles, [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi], to express the negative meaning.

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]possède[/hi] is conjugated in the first person singular to agree with the subject pronoun [hi]Je[/hi].

- Preposition “de”: The preposition [hi]de[/hi] is essential for expressing possession in French. It is followed by the noun denoting the thing possessed, in this case, the [hi]guitare[/hi].

[hi]Nous devons préparer l’avenir.[/hi]. We must prepare for the future.

The sentence is in the [hi]nous[/hi] form of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi], which means “to have to” or “to must”. [hi]Nous[/hi] is the first person plural pronoun, meaning “we”. The verb is conjugated in the present tense, indicating that the action is happening now. [hi]Préparer[/hi] means “to prepare”. The [hi]l’[/hi] before [hi]avenir[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]le[/hi] (the masculine definite article) and [hi]l’[/hi] (the definite article). The word [hi]avenir[/hi] means “future”.

[hi]Je me suis enquis de son nom.[/hi]. I inquired about his name.

- Je[/hi] – This is the pronoun “I” in the subject form.

- me[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “myself”. It is used here to indicate that the action of “inquiring” is done by the speaker themselves.

- suis[/hi] – This is the verb “to be” in the present tense, conjugated in the first person singular. It is used here to indicate the past participle of the verb “enquérir” (to inquire).

- enquis[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “enquérir”. It is used here to indicate the action of inquiring.

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of” or “about”. It is used here to introduce the object of the inquiry, which is the person’s name.

- son[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “his” or “her”. It is used here to indicate that the name being inquired about is the name of the person mentioned in the sentence.

- nom[/hi] – This is the noun “name”. It is used here to indicate the object of the inquiry.

[hi]Je vous présente de plates excuses.[/hi]. I offer you my sincere apologies.

- Je [hi]Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- vous [hi]vous[/hi] is the formal object pronoun “you”.

- présente [hi]présente[/hi] is the present tense of the verb “présenter” [hi]présenter[/hi] meaning “to present”.

- de [hi]de[/hi] is the preposition “of”.

- plates [hi]plates[/hi] is the adjective “flat” modifying the noun “excuses”.

- excuses [hi]excuses[/hi] is the noun “apologies”

This sentence uses the formal “vous” [hi]vous[/hi] which indicates a polite and respectful tone. The verb “présenter” [hi]présenter[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense, implying that the speaker is offering the apology at the moment of speaking. The phrase “plates excuses” [hi]plates excuses[/hi] emphasizes the sincerity and depth of the apology.

[hi]Ils avaient l’air très heureux.[/hi]. They looked very happy.

Breakdown:

- Ils[/hi] – This is the masculine plural pronoun “they”.

- avaient[/hi] – This is the past imperfect of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (“to have”), which means “had” in this context.

- l’air[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “the look” or “the appearance”. It is often used with the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] to express someone’s appearance, similar to the English phrase “look” or “seem”.

- très[/hi] – This is the French word for “very”.

- heureux[/hi] – This is the masculine plural adjective “happy”.

Key Concepts:

- Past Imperfect: The past imperfect tense describes an action that was ongoing in the past, suggesting a continuing state or a series of repeated actions. It is similar to the English “was” or “were” for continuous actions.

- Adjective Agreement: In French, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Since the noun [hi]l’air[/hi] is masculine singular, the adjective [hi]heureux[/hi] is also masculine singular.

[hi]« Qu’avez-vous pensé du film ? » « Pas trop mal, je suppose. »[/hi]. “What did you think of the movie?” “Not bad, I guess.”

This conversation is a simple exchange of opinions.

- Qu’avez-vous pensé du film ?[/hi]

– This is a question meaning “What did you think of the movie?”. – Qu’[/hi] is a contraction of Que[/hi] (that) and **[hi]avez[/hi] (have) is the second person plural of **[hi]avoir[/hi] (to have). **[hi]vous[/hi] is the pronoun for you, plural. **[hi]pensé[/hi] is the past participle of **[hi]penser[/hi] (to think) and **[hi]du[/hi] is a contraction of **[hi]de[/hi] (of) and **[hi]le[/hi] (the). – In English, you would translate this phrase as “What did you think of the movie?”.

- Pas trop mal[/hi]

– Pas[/hi] means “not” and trop[/hi] means “too” and mal[/hi] means “bad”. – So, Pas trop mal[/hi] means “not too bad”

- Je suppose[/hi]

– This translates to “I guess”. – Je[/hi] is the pronoun for “I”, suppose[/hi] is the first person singular of supposer[/hi] which means “to suppose”.

The sentence Pas trop mal, je suppose[/hi] is a colloquial way of saying “I thought it was okay” or “It wasn’t that bad.” It’s a rather neutral and non-committal response.

[hi]L’enseignant a distribué les prospectus.[/hi]. The teacher distributed the flyers.

This sentence uses the past tense in French, indicated by the verb ending “-é.”

Breakdown:

- L’[/hi] is the definite article “the” in front of a masculine noun.

- enseignant[/hi] means “teacher” and is masculine.

- a[/hi] is the auxiliary verb “to have” in the third person singular of the present tense.

- distribué[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “distribuer” (to distribute) and is conjugated with the auxiliary “avoir” (to have) in the past tense.

- les[/hi] is the definite article “the” in front of a plural noun.

- prospectus[/hi] means “flyers” and is a masculine noun.

[hi]Je lui parlerai seule.[/hi]. I will speak to her alone.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – “I” (subject pronoun)

- lui[/hi] – “her” (indirect object pronoun)

- parlerai[/hi] – “will speak” (future tense of the verb [hi]parler[/hi] – to speak)

- seule[/hi] – “alone” (adjective)

Key concepts:

- Future tense: The future tense in French is formed by adding the endings [hi]-ai[/hi], [hi]-as[/hi], [hi]-a[/hi], [hi]-ons[/hi], [hi]-ez[/hi], [hi]-ont[/hi] to the infinitive stem of the verb.

- Indirect object pronoun: The indirect object pronoun [hi]lui[/hi] is used to indicate the person or thing to whom or for whom something is done.

- Adjective placement: Adjectives in French generally come after the noun they modify. Here, [hi]seule[/hi] is placed after the verb [hi]parlerai[/hi].

Translation: “I will speak to her alone.”

[hi]Je ne peux pas le confirmer.[/hi]. I cannot confirm it.

Breakdown:

- Je [hi]Je[/hi]: This is the subject pronoun for “I”.

- ne…pas: This is the negation in French, meaning “not”. It is used with verbs in French to create a negative statement.

- peux [hi]peux[/hi]: This is the first-person singular form of the verb “pouvoir” [hi]pouvoir[/hi] which means “to be able to” or “can”.

- le [hi]le[/hi]: This is the direct object pronoun, meaning “it” or “him”. It refers to the object that the speaker cannot confirm.

- confirmer [hi]confirmer[/hi]: This is the infinitive form of the verb “to confirm”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation in French: The negation “ne…pas” is used with verbs to make a negative statement.

- Direct object pronouns: Direct object pronouns like “le” [hi]le[/hi] replace a noun and are placed before the conjugated verb.

- Verb conjugation: The verb “pouvoir” [hi]pouvoir[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense to agree with the subject “je” [hi]Je[/hi].

[hi]Ça serait trop facile.[/hi]. That would be too easy.

Breakdown:

- Ça[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]la[/hi] (the) referring to the situation at hand.

- serait[/hi] is the conditional form of [hi]être[/hi] (to be), indicating a hypothetical situation.

- trop[/hi] means “too” and modifies [hi]facile[/hi].

- facile[/hi] means “easy.”

Key concepts:

- Conditional tense: [hi]serait[/hi] is in the conditional tense, which is used to express hypothetical situations.

- Contraction: [hi]Ça[/hi] is a common contraction in French, often used for informal speech.

[hi]J’ignorais que tu avais un petit ami.[/hi]. I didn’t know that you had a boyfriend.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]j’[/hi] (I).

- ignorais[/hi] is the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]ignorer[/hi] (to ignore) and means “I didn’t know”.

- que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause.

- tu[/hi] is the subject pronoun “you”.

- avais[/hi] is the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have).

- un[/hi] is the indefinite article “a”.

- petit[/hi] is the adjective “little”, but here it means “boyfriend”, similar to “boyfriend”.

- ami[/hi] is the noun “friend”, but here it means “boyfriend”, similar to “boyfriend”.

Key Concepts:

- Imperfect Tense: The imperfect tense is used to describe past actions or states that were ongoing or habitual.

- Contractions: French uses contractions to combine certain pronouns with verbs.

- Word Order: French word order is generally subject-verb-object, but there are exceptions, particularly when using subordinate clauses.

[hi]Tout le monde a ignoré Tom.[/hi]. Everyone ignored Tom.

Breakdown:

- Tout[/hi] means “all” or “every”. It is an indefinite pronoun that modifies [hi]le monde[/hi].

- le monde[/hi] means “the world” but here it means “everyone”. It is a noun phrase that acts as the subject of the sentence.

- a[/hi] means “has” and is the third person plural form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the present tense.

- ignoré[/hi] means “ignored”. It is the past participle of the verb [hi]ignorer[/hi] and is used with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] to form the passé composé tense.

- Tom[/hi] is a proper noun and the direct object of the verb [hi]ignoré[/hi].

Key concepts:

- Indefinite pronoun: [hi]Tout[/hi] is an indefinite pronoun as it refers to an unspecified group of people.

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb [hi]a[/hi] is in the third person plural form to agree with the plural subject [hi]le monde[/hi].

- Passé composé tense: The sentence uses the passé composé tense to describe an action that happened in the past.

[hi]Je suis habituée à manger seule.[/hi]. I am used to eating alone.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the pronoun “I” in the subject form.

- suis[/hi] – This is the verb “to be” in the present tense, conjugated in the first person singular.

- habituée[/hi] – This is the feminine past participle of the verb “[hi]habituer[/hi]” (to be used to, to get used to). It agrees in gender with the subject “[hi]je[/hi]” (“I”).

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to” or “in” (depending on the context), used to introduce the object of the verb “[hi]habituée[/hi]”.

- manger[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to eat”.

- seule[/hi] – This is the feminine adjective “alone,” modifying the pronoun “[hi]je[/hi]”.

Key concepts:

- Past participle agreement: The past participle “[hi]habituée[/hi]” agrees in gender with the subject “[hi]je[/hi]”, making it “[hi]habituée[/hi]” instead of “[hi]habitué[/hi]”.

- Prepositional phrases: The prepositional phrase “[hi]à manger seule[/hi]” expresses the object of the verb “[hi]habituée[/hi]”.

- Literal meaning: The literal translation of this sentence is “I am accustomed to eating alone.”

Translation: I am used to eating alone.

[hi]Je rentre à peine du boulot.[/hi]. I am just getting home from work.

The sentence uses the verb [hi]rentrer[/hi], which means “to return” or “to go back home.” [hi]À peine[/hi] is a phrase that means “barely” or “just.” The [hi]du[/hi] in front of [hi]boulot[/hi] indicates that it is a noun used in a general sense rather than a specific one. [hi]Boulot[/hi] is a slang word for “work,” and the sentence could also be written as “Je rentre à peine du travail.”

[hi]Tu es punie de sortie pendant un mois.[/hi]. You are punished from going out for a month.

Breakdown:

- Tu [hi]tu[/hi] is the informal pronoun for “you”. It is used in this context because the speaker is likely addressing someone they know well, like a child.

- es [hi]es[/hi] is the third person singular present indicative form of the verb “être” [hi]être[/hi], which means “to be”.

- punie [hi]punie[/hi] is the feminine past participle of the verb “punir” [hi]punir[/hi], which means “to punish”. It is used in this context as an adjective to describe the person who is being punished.

- de [hi]de[/hi] is a preposition that indicates the object of the punishment. It can also be translated as “from” in this context.

- sortie [hi]sortie[/hi] is the feminine noun form of the verb “sortir” [hi]sortir[/hi], which means “to go out”.

- pendant [hi]pendant[/hi] is a preposition that means “for” or “during”.

- un mois [hi]un mois[/hi] is a noun phrase that means “a month”.

Key concepts:

- Past participle used as an adjective: [hi]punie[/hi] acts as an adjective describing the subject “you”.

- Prepositional phrase: [hi]de sortie[/hi] is a prepositional phrase functioning as the object of the punishment.

- Time expression: [hi]pendant un mois[/hi] indicates the duration of the punishment.

The sentence implies that the person addressed is being punished for an unspecified reason and is forbidden from going out for a month.

[hi]J’ai besoin de l’avis d’un expert.[/hi]. I need the opinion of an expert.

Breakdown:

- J’ai [hi]j’ai[/hi] is the contracted form of je + ai, meaning “I have”. It’s a common way to express possession in French.

- besoin [hi]besoin[/hi] is the noun meaning “need” or “requirement”.

- de [hi]de[/hi] is the preposition “of” or “from”, used here to link the need to the following noun.

- l’ [hi]l’[/hi] is the contracted form of le + la and is a definite article meaning “the”.

- avis [hi]avis[/hi] is the noun meaning “opinion”, “advice”, or “judgment”.

- d’un [hi]d’un[/hi] is the contracted form of de + un meaning “of a” or “from a”.

- expert [hi]expert[/hi] is the noun meaning “expert”.

This sentence is a simple declarative sentence in the present tense. The subject is “I” and the verb is “need”. The object of the verb is “the opinion of an expert”.

[hi]Personne n’est assis ici.[/hi]. No one is sitting here.

This sentence uses the negative construction with ne…pas. The ne is placed before the verb est, and the pas comes after the verb.

The verb est is in the third-person singular form of the verb être (to be) and is conjugated to agree with the subject personne (no one).

The word ici (here) functions as an adverb of place.

[hi]Comment se répand la maladie ?[/hi]. How does the disease spread?

Breakdown:

- Comment[/hi] – This is an interrogative adverb, meaning “how” or “in what way.” It introduces the question.

- se répand[/hi] – This is the third-person singular present tense of the reflexive verb “[hi]se répandre[/hi],” which means “to spread” or “to disseminate.”

- la maladie[/hi] – This is the feminine singular noun meaning “the disease.”

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verb: [hi]se répandre[/hi] is a reflexive verb, meaning that the action of spreading is performed by and upon the subject (the disease).

- Present Tense: The use of the present tense indicates a general truth or a fact.

[hi]Vous avez déjà pris le petit déjeuner ?[/hi]. You have already had breakfast?

- Vous [hi]vous[/hi] is the formal “you” in French.

- avez [hi]avez[/hi] is the third-person plural form of the verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have), conjugated in the present tense. It agrees with the subject “vous”.

- déjà [hi]déjà[/hi] means “already” and is an adverb. It emphasizes that the action of having breakfast happened before the present moment.

- pris [hi]pris[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “prendre” [hi]prendre[/hi] (to take). It is in the masculine singular form to agree with the masculine singular noun “le petit déjeuner” [hi]le petit déjeuner[/hi].

- le [hi]le[/hi] is the masculine definite article.

- petit déjeuner [hi]petit déjeuner[/hi] means “breakfast”. This is a noun phrase.

This sentence is a question in the present perfect tense. The present perfect tense is used to talk about actions that have happened in the past, but are still relevant to the present. In this case, the speaker is asking if the listener has already had breakfast, implying that the time for breakfast has passed, and that perhaps it’s time to do something else.

[hi]C’est un type assez connu.[/hi]. He is a rather well-known guy.

Breakdown:

- [hi]C’est[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]est[/hi] (is). It’s the equivalent of “it is” or “he/she/it is”.

- [hi]un[/hi] is the masculine singular indefinite article, meaning “a” or “an”.

- [hi]type[/hi] is a noun meaning “type” or “guy”

- [hi]assez[/hi] is an adverb meaning “rather” or “quite”

- [hi]connu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]connaître[/hi] meaning “to know”. When used after [hi]être[/hi] (to be) it acts as an adjective meaning “known”.

The sentence uses the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) with a past participle to form a passive construction, which is used to indicate that someone is known by others.

[hi]Je connais pas du tout cette femme.[/hi]. I don’t know this woman at all.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I.”

- connais[/hi] is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb “connaître,” meaning “to know” or “to be acquainted with.” Note that it is conjugated differently than the verb “savoir” (“to know” in the sense of “to have knowledge of”).

- pas[/hi] is the negative adverb “not.”

- du tout[/hi] is an intensifier meaning “at all.”

- cette[/hi] is the feminine singular definite article meaning “this.”

- femme[/hi] is the noun “woman.”

This sentence employs a negative construction with the adverb “pas” and the intensifier “[hi]du tout[/hi]” to emphasize that the speaker has no knowledge of the woman.

[hi]Tom est dans un état critique.[/hi]. Tom is in critical condition.

This sentence is straightforward in structure.

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence, a proper noun representing a person.

- est[/hi] is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- dans[/hi] is a preposition meaning “in.”

- un[/hi] is an indefinite article meaning “a.”

- état[/hi] is a noun meaning “state” or “condition.”

- critique[/hi] is an adjective meaning “critical.”

Together, the sentence means that Tom is currently in a serious medical condition.

[hi]Je pense que c’est un problème sérieux.[/hi]. I think that it’s a serious problem.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”

- pense[/hi] is the present tense verb “to think”

- que[/hi] is the conjunction “that”

- c’est[/hi] is the contraction of “ce” (this/it) and “est” (is)

- un[/hi] is the indefinite article “a”

- problème[/hi] is the noun “problem”

- sérieux[/hi] is the adjective “serious”

Key concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb “[hi]pense[/hi]” is conjugated in the first person singular to agree with the subject “[hi]Je[/hi]”.

- Use of “que”: The conjunction “[hi]que[/hi]” introduces a subordinate clause that explains what the speaker thinks.

- Contraction “c’est”: The contraction “[hi]c’est[/hi]” is a common way to express “it is” in French.

[hi]Il me faut lire certaines choses.[/hi]. I need to read some things.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the pronoun “he” or “it,” but here it is used in the impersonal form “it” to refer to a general need.

- me[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “me.” It is used after [hi]il[/hi] to indicate that the need is the speaker’s.

- faut[/hi] – This is a verb meaning “to be necessary” or “to need.” It is used in the impersonal form, meaning “one needs,” or “it is necessary.”

- lire[/hi] – This is the verb “to read” in the infinitive form.

- certaines[/hi] – This is the plural feminine form of the adjective “certain.”

- choses[/hi] – This is the plural noun “things.”

Key Concepts:

- Impersonal “il” – The impersonal “il” is a grammatical construction that indicates that the action is not performed by a specific person.

- Infinitive – The infinitive form of a verb is the basic form of the verb without any conjugation.

- Plural Adjective Agreement – The adjective “[hi]certaines[/hi]” agrees in number and gender with the noun “[hi]choses[/hi]” it modifies.

[hi]Les fantômes sont-ils réels ?[/hi]. Are ghosts real?

This sentence uses the [hi]être[/hi] verb in the interrogative form, meaning it is asking a question.

The word order is: [hi]Les fantômes[/hi] – the ghosts (plural) [hi]sont[/hi] – are (third-person plural, present tense) [hi]ils[/hi] – they [hi]réels[/hi] – real (masculine plural adjective) The question is asking about the reality of ghosts, a topic of debate and speculation.

[hi]Je pensais t’avoir dit de ne jamais m’appeler.[/hi]. I thought I told you never to call me.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- pensais[/hi] – This is the past imperfect tense of the verb “penser” (to think). It indicates a continuous action in the past.

- t’[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “you,” contracted with the preposition “à” (to), so it becomes “à toi” (to you).

- avoir[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to have” which is used as an auxiliary verb in this sentence.

- dit[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “dire” (to say).

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of” or “to.”

- ne[/hi] – This is the negative adverb “not.”

- jamais[/hi] – This is the adverb “never.”

- m’[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “me,” contracted with the preposition “à” (to), so it becomes “à moi” (to me).

- appeler[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to call.”

Key concepts:

- Past imperfect tense: Used to describe an action that was ongoing in the past.

- Infinitive verbs: Used as a noun or adjective in this sentence.

- Object pronouns: Replace nouns and objects to avoid redundancy.

- Contractions: Combine prepositions and pronouns for brevity and ease of pronunciation.

[hi]S’il le faut, je vendrai une de mes voitures.[/hi]. If necessary, I will sell one of my cars.

Breakdown:

- **[hi]S’il[/hi] ** is a contraction of [hi]si il[/hi], meaning “if he” or “if it” in this case.

- le faut[/hi] is an impersonal expression meaning “it is necessary” or “it is required.”

- je vendrai[/hi] is the future tense of the verb [hi]vendre[/hi], meaning “to sell.”

- une[/hi] is the indefinite article meaning “a” or “one.”

- de mes voitures[/hi] is a partitive phrase meaning “one of my cars.”

Key concepts:

- Impersonal expressions: [hi]il faut[/hi] is an impersonal expression, meaning it does not refer to a specific subject. It is used to express necessity or obligation.

- Future tense: The use of the future tense ([hi]vendrai[/hi]) indicates that the action of selling the car will happen in the future, contingent upon the condition “if necessary.”

- Partitive articles: The partitive article [hi]de[/hi] is used to express a part of a whole. In this case, it indicates that the speaker is willing to sell one of their cars, not all of them.

[hi]Son vieux chat est encore en vie.[/hi]. His old cat is still alive.

- Son[/hi] means “his.” It is a possessive adjective that agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, which is the cat.

- vieux[/hi] means “old.” It is an adjective that also agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

- chat[/hi] means “cat” and is a masculine noun.

- est[/hi] means “is” and is the third-person singular present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- encore[/hi] means “still” and indicates that the cat continues to be alive.

- en vie[/hi] means “alive” and is a literal translation of “in life.”

In this sentence, the key concept is the use of the present tense to describe a state of being that is ongoing. The cat is still alive, and this fact is presented as a present reality.

[hi]Je veux que vous et moi soyons heureux.[/hi]. I want you and me to be happy.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- veux[/hi] is the first-person singular present indicative of the verb “vouloir” (to want).

- que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause.

- vous[/hi] is the subject pronoun “you” (formal).

- et[/hi] is the conjunction “and”.

- moi[/hi] is the object pronoun “me”.

- soyons[/hi] is the first-person plural present subjunctive of the verb “être” (to be).

- heureux[/hi] is the masculine plural adjective “happy”.

This sentence uses the subjunctive mood after the verb “vouloir” to express a wish or desire. The subjunctive mood is used in French to express a subjective point of view, an opinion, or a wish. The subjunctive mood is often used after verbs like “vouloir”, “devoir”, “espérer”, “aimer”, “préférer”, “penser”, and “croire”.

In this sentence, the subjunctive mood expresses the speaker’s desire for happiness for both themself and the person they are addressing.

[hi]J’adore les éléphants.[/hi]. I love elephants.

This sentence is in the [hi]présent[/hi] (present) tense and uses the [hi]j’[/hi] (I) form of the verb [hi]adorer[/hi] (to love). [hi]Les[/hi] (the) is a definite article that is used before plural nouns. [hi]Éléphants[/hi] (elephants) is a plural noun.

[hi]Ne soyez pas si dure avec vous-même.[/hi]. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

Breakdown:

- Ne…pas is the negative construction in French.

- soyez is the second-person plural imperative form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be). It is used to tell or command someone to be something.

- dure is the feminine singular form of the adjective [hi]dur[/hi] (hard) and is used to describe how someone is being.

- avec vous-même means “with yourself.” The reflexive pronoun [hi]vous-même[/hi] emphasizes that the action is directed towards the person being addressed.

Key Concepts:

- Imperative mood: This sentence uses the imperative mood, which is used to give commands or instructions.

- Reflexive pronoun: The reflexive pronoun [hi]vous-même[/hi] emphasizes that the action is directed towards the person being addressed.

- Negative construction: The use of [hi]ne…pas[/hi] creates a negative sentence.

[hi]Je pense que ce n’est pas vrai.[/hi]. I think that’s not true.

Here’s a breakdown of the sentence:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- pense[/hi] – This is the verb “to think” in the present tense, conjugated for the first-person singular.

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that”, introducing a subordinate clause.

- ce[/hi] – This is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “this” or “that”.

- n’est[/hi] – This is the negative form of the verb “to be” in the present tense, conjugated for the third-person singular.

- pas[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “not”.

- vrai[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “true”.

Key concepts:

- Negation: The use of ne[/hi] and pas[/hi] to form a negative sentence.

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb pense[/hi] is conjugated to agree with the subject pronoun Je[/hi].

- Subordinate clause: The clause introduced by que[/hi] provides further information about the speaker’s thought.

[hi]J’aime aider mes grands-parents dans le jardin.[/hi]. I like to help my grandparents in the garden.

- J’aime [hi]J’aime[/hi] is the first person singular present tense of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi] (to like). It indicates that the speaker likes something.

- aider [hi]aider[/hi] means “to help”.

- mes [hi]mes[/hi] is the possessive adjective “my” in the plural form, and agrees with the noun [hi]grands-parents[/hi] (grandparents).

- grands-parents [hi]grands-parents[/hi] is the noun meaning “grandparents”.

- dans [hi]dans[/hi] is the preposition “in” or “in the”.

- le jardin [hi]le jardin[/hi] is the definite article “the” followed by the noun “garden”.

[hi]Les avocats de la défense en appelèrent à la pitié.[/hi]. The defense lawyers appealed to pity.

This sentence is in the passé composé, which is a past tense used to describe completed actions. It is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] and the past participle of the main verb. In this case, the auxiliary verb is in the third person plural form ([hi]eurent[/hi]) and the past participle is [hi]appelé[/hi].

The past participle [hi]appelé[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the direct object, which is la pitié. In this case, the direct object is feminine and singular.

Key concepts: - passé composé - auxiliary verb - past participle - gender and number agreement [hi]Ils étaient assis sur un banc dans le parc.[/hi]. They were sitting on a bench in the park.

Breakdown:

- Ils [hi]Ils[/hi]: This is the masculine plural pronoun for “they”. It is the subject of the sentence.

- étaient [hi]étaient[/hi]: This is the past imperfect tense of the verb “être” [hi]être[/hi] (to be). It indicates that the action was ongoing in the past.

- assis [hi]assis[/hi]: This is the past participle of the verb “s’asseoir” [hi]s’asseoir[/hi] (to sit down), and it is used here as an adjective modifying the pronoun “ils” [hi]ils[/hi]. It indicates that they were in a state of sitting.

- sur [hi]sur[/hi]: This is a preposition meaning “on” or “upon”.

- un [hi]un[/hi]: This is the masculine singular indefinite article meaning “a”.

- banc [hi]banc[/hi]: This is a noun meaning “bench”.

- dans [hi]dans[/hi]: This is a preposition meaning “in” or “inside”.

- le [hi]le[/hi]: This is the masculine singular definite article meaning “the”.

- parc [hi]parc[/hi]: This is a noun meaning “park”.

Key Concepts:

- Past Imperfect Tense: Used to describe an ongoing action in the past.

- Past Participle as Adjective: The past participle of “s’asseoir” [hi]s’asseoir[/hi] is used as an adjective to describe the state of the subjects.

- Prepositions: “Sur” [hi]sur[/hi] and “dans” [hi]dans[/hi] indicate location.

- Articles: “Un” [hi]un[/hi] (indefinite article) and “le” [hi]le[/hi] (definite article) specify the noun they modify.

[hi]Vous pouvez y aller.[/hi]. You can go there.

This is an informal, polite way to give someone permission to leave or to go to a specific location.

Breakdown:

- Vous[/hi] – You (formal/plural)

- pouvez[/hi] – can (from the verb [hi]pouvoir[/hi] – to be able to)

- y[/hi] – there (pronoun replacing a previously mentioned place)

- aller[/hi] – go (infinitive verb)

Key Concepts:

- Formal Pronoun: [hi]Vous[/hi] is used in formal situations or when addressing someone you don’t know well.

- Implied Subject: The subject of the sentence is implied because it’s a formal command.

- Pronoun [hi]y[/hi]: This pronoun is a place holder and replaces a previously mentioned location.

- Infinitive Verb: [hi]aller[/hi] is used as the infinitive verb to create the imperative form of the verb.

[hi]Déplacer le mobilier a nécessité beaucoup d’énergie.[/hi]. Moving the furniture required a lot of energy.

Here is a breakdown of the sentence:

- Déplacer[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to move” and in this sentence, it’s used as the subject of the sentence.

- le[/hi] is the definite article “the” referring to “furniture”

- mobilier[/hi] means “furniture” and it’s the object of the verb [hi]déplacer[/hi].

- a[/hi] is the auxiliary verb “to have” in the third person singular form, which is used in the past tense with the past participle.

- nécessité[/hi] is a noun meaning “necessity” and it’s the past participle of the verb “to necessitate”. It is used here as the object of the verb [hi]a[/hi].

- beaucoup[/hi] is an adverb meaning “a lot” or “much” and it modifies the noun [hi]énergie[/hi].

- d’[/hi] is the preposition “of” and it links the noun [hi]énergie[/hi] to the adverb [hi]beaucoup[/hi].

- énergie[/hi] is a noun meaning “energy” and it’s the object of the preposition [hi]d’[/hi].

In essence, the sentence is using the past tense “perfect” form of the verb “to necessitate”. This is a very common grammatical structure in French, and it uses the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) followed by the past participle of the main verb, in this case, [hi]nécessité[/hi] (necessitated).

[hi]Je pensais que je vous avais entendu.[/hi]. I thought I heard you.

This sentence is in the passé composé tense, which is used to describe actions that have been completed in the past.

- Je[/hi] means “I” and is the subject pronoun.

- pensais[/hi] is the past participle of the verb penser[/hi], which means “to think.” The ais[/hi] ending signifies the imperfect tense, which describes ongoing actions in the past.

- que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “that” and introduces the subordinate clause.

- je[/hi] is the subject pronoun again,

- vous[/hi] means “you” and is the direct object pronoun.

- avais[/hi] is the past participle of the verb avoir[/hi], which means “to have.” The ais[/hi] ending signifies the imperfect tense.

- entendu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb entendre[/hi], meaning “to hear.”

This sentence highlights the use of que[/hi] to introduce a subordinate clause, the passé composé tense, and the imperfect tense. It also demonstrates how the imperfect tense is used to describe an action that was happening in the past.

[hi]Elle est branchée mode.[/hi]. She is into fashion.

- Elle [hi]elle[/hi] is the feminine singular pronoun, meaning “she.”

- est [hi]est[/hi] is the third-person singular present tense of the verb “être” [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- branchée [hi]branchée[/hi] is the feminine past participle of the verb “brancher” [hi]brancher[/hi] (to connect, to plug in). In this context, it is used as an adjective meaning “interested in” or “into.”

- mode [hi]mode[/hi] is a noun meaning “fashion.”

The sentence literally translates to “She is connected to fashion,” but in English, we use the phrase “into fashion” to express the same idea.

[hi]Nous ne pouvons révéler des informations secrètes.[/hi]. We cannot reveal secret information.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – We (subject pronoun, plural)

- ne[/hi] – not (negation)

- pouvons[/hi] – can (present tense of the verb [hi]pouvoir[/hi], to be able to)

- révéler[/hi] – to reveal (infinitive verb)

- des[/hi] – some/any (partitive article)

- informations[/hi] – information (plural noun)

- secrètes[/hi] – secret (adjective, feminine plural)

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative construction “[hi]ne…pas[/hi]” (not…not), but the [hi]pas[/hi] is implied. This is a common way to negate verbs in French.

- Partitive Articles: The phrase “[hi]des informations[/hi]” uses the partitive article “[hi]des[/hi]” because it refers to an indefinite quantity of information.

- Agreement: The adjective “[hi]secrètes[/hi]” agrees in gender and number with the noun “[hi]informations[/hi]”.

[hi]Tom vous manque-t-il ?[/hi]. Do you miss Tom?

This is a question using the [hi]imperfect tense[/hi] with the verb [hi]manquer[/hi], meaning “to miss”.

The question [hi]vous manque-t-il[/hi] uses subject-verb inversion and is a grammatically correct and common way to ask the question in French.

[hi]Il fait beau aujourd’hui.[/hi]. It is beautiful today.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the pronoun “he” in French, but here it functions as a subject pronoun for the impersonal verb “faire.”

- fait[/hi] – This is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “faire,” meaning “to do” or “to make,” but in this context, it means “to be” as in weather. The pronoun “il” makes the verb agree in person and number.

- beau[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “beautiful” or “nice.” The adjective modifies the noun [hi]jour[/hi] (day) which is implied.

- aujourd’hui[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “today.”

Key concepts:

- Impersonal verbs

- Verb conjugation in the present tense

- Adjectives

- Adverbs

[hi]Pensez-vous que cette corde soit assez résistante ?[/hi]. Do you think that this rope is strong enough?

Breakdown:

- Pensez-vous[/hi] – This is the formal way to ask “Do you think?” in French. It’s made up of the verb “penser” (to think) conjugated in the second person plural (you all) and followed by the pronoun “vous” (you).

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that” and introduces a subordinate clause.

- cette corde[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “this rope.” “[hi]cette[/hi]” is a feminine demonstrative adjective that agrees in gender with “[hi]corde[/hi]”.

- soit[/hi] – This is the subjunctive form of the verb “être” (to be). It is used in this context to express an opinion or belief.

- assez[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “enough.”

- résistante[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “resistant” or “strong.” It agrees in gender with the noun “[hi]corde[/hi]”.

Key Concepts:

- The sentence uses the subjunctive mood after the verb “penser” (to think) to express an opinion or belief.

- The sentence demonstrates agreement between adjectives and nouns in gender.

- The sentence uses the adverb “[hi]assez[/hi]” to modify the adjective “[hi]résistante[/hi]”.

[hi]Avec le temps, les portes en bois peuvent gauchir ou gonfler, ce qui rend la porte difficile à fermer.[/hi]. Over time, wooden doors can warp or swell, which makes the door difficult to close.

Breakdown:

- Avec le temps[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase that means “over time”. [hi]Avec[/hi] is the preposition “with”, and [hi]le temps[/hi] means “time”.

- les portes en bois[/hi] – This is the subject of the sentence. [hi]les portes[/hi] means “the doors” and [hi]en bois[/hi] means “made of wood”.

- peuvent gauchir[/hi] – This means “can warp”. [hi]peuvent[/hi] is the verb “to be able to” in the third person plural and [hi]gauchir[/hi] means “to warp”.

- ou gonfler[/hi] – This means “or swell”. [hi]ou[/hi] means “or” and [hi]gonfler[/hi] means “to swell”.

- ce qui rend[/hi] – This is a relative clause that means “which makes”. [hi]ce qui[/hi] means “which” and [hi]rend[/hi] means “makes”.

- la porte[/hi] – This is the object of the verb “to make”. [hi]la porte[/hi] means “the door”.

- difficile[/hi] – This is an adjective that means “difficult”.

- à fermer[/hi] – This is an infinitive phrase that means “to close”. [hi]à[/hi] means “to” and [hi]fermer[/hi] means “to close”.

Key Concepts:

- Prepositional Phrase: A phrase that starts with a preposition and modifies a noun or pronoun.

- Relative Clause: A clause that modifies a noun or pronoun and begins with a relative pronoun (e.g., who, which, that).

- Infinitive Phrase: A phrase that consists of an infinitive verb (to + verb) and its modifiers.

[hi]Faisons-le ![/hi]. Let’s do it!

This sentence is an imperative phrase, meaning it is a command or request.

- Faisons[/hi] is the first-person plural form of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (to do, to make). It is conjugated in the present tense, indicating that the action is happening now.

- le[/hi] is a direct object pronoun, referring to an object that was previously mentioned or understood.

The sentence is short and direct, emphasizing the speaker’s desire to take action.

[hi]Contre toute attente, nous sommes devenus amis.[/hi]. Contrary to all expectations, we became friends.

- Contre[/hi] means “against” or “contrary to”. It is a preposition.

- toute[/hi] means “all” or “every”. It is a feminine singular adjective. It is used in this case because it modifies the feminine noun attente[/hi] (“expectation”).

- attente[/hi] means “expectation”. It is a feminine noun.

- nous[/hi] means “we”. It is a pronoun.

- sommes[/hi] is the first-person plural form of the verb “être” (to be). It is conjugated in the present tense.

- devenus[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “devenir” (to become). It is used here with the auxiliary verb “être” to form the passé composé (past compound tense).

- amis[/hi] means “friends”. It is a masculine plural noun.

[hi]Tom a ouvert l’eau.[/hi]. Tom turned on the water.

Breakdown:

- Tom is the subject of the sentence, a proper noun.

- a ouvert[/hi] is the verb “to open” in the past tense, conjugated in the third person singular to agree with the subject “Tom”.

- l’eau[/hi] is the direct object of the verb “to open”, meaning “the water”.

Key concepts:

- Direct object: The noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb.

- Past tense: Indicates an action that happened in the past.

- Agreement: The verb must agree in number and person with the subject.

- l’[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]le[/hi] + [hi]l’[/hi] meaning “the”, and is used before a word starting with a vowel.

[hi]Je suis prêt à tenter ça.[/hi]. I am ready to try that.

This sentence is in the present tense and uses the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” (to be) conjugated in the first person singular. The phrase “[hi]prêt[/hi]” (ready) is an adjective modifying the subject “[hi]je[/hi]” (I). The preposition “[hi]à[/hi]” (to) introduces the infinitive “[hi]tenter[/hi]” (to try) which is the object of the sentence.

The entire sentence is a statement of readiness to perform an action, in this case, “to try that.”

[hi]Vous êtes dépourvue d’ambition.[/hi]. You are lacking ambition.

The sentence structure is:

- Vous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun, meaning “you”. It agrees with the subject of the sentence, which is “you” (plural or formal singular).

- êtes[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “être” (to be). It’s in the third person plural form to agree with the subject “vous”.

- dépourvue[/hi] – This is the feminine singular form of the adjective “dépourvu”, meaning “lacking” or “deprived of”. It describes the noun “ambition” (which is implied).

- d’ambition[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase with the preposition “[hi]d’[/hi]” (of) and the noun “[hi]ambition[/hi]” (ambition). It specifies what the subject is lacking.

The meaning of the sentence is that the person addressed is lacking ambition.

[hi]Nous n’avons pas eu le choix.[/hi]. We had no choice.

This sentence uses the negative construction “n’avons pas” which is formed by: the negative marker [hi]ne[/hi] which is often contracted with the following verb (in this case, [hi]avons[/hi]) the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] conjugated in the past tense ([hi]avons[/hi] in the first person plural) * the past participle [hi]eu[/hi]

The sentence also features the direct object [hi]le choix[/hi] which is preceded by the preposition [hi]de[/hi] to indicate possession. This translates to “choice” in English.

The sentence structure subject + negative verb + direct object is a common structure in French and this example highlights that the negative form can be applied to any verb tense and is not limited to the present tense.

[hi]C’est une entreprise bien gérée.[/hi]. This is a well-managed company.

Breakdown:

- C’est: This is a contraction of “c’” [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and “est” (is).

- une: This is the feminine singular definite article, meaning “a” or “an”.

- entreprise: This is the noun, meaning “company”.

- bien: This is an adverb meaning “well”.

- gérée: This is the past participle of the verb “gérer” (to manage). In this sentence, it is acting as an adjective modifying “entreprise”.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: The contraction “c’est” is very common in French and demonstrates how the language uses contractions to create a more fluid and natural flow.

- Agreement: The past participle “gérée” agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies “entreprise”. This is a fundamental concept in French grammar that ensures the sentence is grammatically correct.

[hi]Tom avait un couteau.[/hi]. Tom had a knife.

This sentence uses the [hi]imparfait[/hi] tense, which is used to describe actions that were happening in the past. In this case, it’s used to describe Tom’s possession of a knife.

- Tom[/hi] – This is the subject of the sentence, referring to Tom.

- avait[/hi] – This is the [hi]imparfait[/hi] form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have). It indicates that Tom possessed the knife.

- un[/hi] – This is the indefinite article meaning “a.”

- couteau[/hi] – This is the noun meaning “knife.”

[hi]Tu l’as vraiment fait ?[/hi]. You really did it?

This sentence is in the [hi]tu[/hi] form of the verb, which means “you” in the singular, informal form.

The verb [hi]faire[/hi] is conjugated in the past tense, [hi]as fait[/hi], indicating that the action was completed in the past.

[hi]l’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]le[/hi] and [hi]la[/hi], the definite articles for masculine and feminine singular objects, respectively. It acts as a direct object pronoun in this sentence, referring to something that has already been mentioned.

[hi]vraiment[/hi] means “really” and adds emphasis to the question.

This sentence is a simple question expressing surprise or disbelief that the listener actually performed a previously mentioned action.

[hi]Il peignit son vélo en rouge.[/hi]. He painted his bicycle red.

This sentence is in the past tense and uses the past participle of the verb “peindre” (to paint) which is “peint”.

The phrase “en rouge” is used to indicate the color of the bicycle. “En” is a preposition that means “in” or “with” and “rouge” is the color red.

[hi]Il[/hi] – He [hi]peignit[/hi] – painted (past tense of “peindre”) [hi]son[/hi] – his [hi]vélo[/hi] – bicycle [hi]en[/hi] – with/in [hi]rouge[/hi] – red [hi]J’ai été choisi.[/hi]. I have been chosen.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- été[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- choisi[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]choisir[/hi] (to choose).

Key Concepts:

- The sentence is in the passive voice, meaning the subject is the receiver of the action.

- The verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) is used as an auxiliary verb to form the passive voice.

- The past participle [hi]choisi[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the subject [hi]je[/hi] (I).

[hi]Elle était très belle quand elle était jeune.[/hi]. She was very beautiful when she was young.

Breakdown:

- Elle[/hi] is the subject pronoun, meaning “she.”

- était[/hi] is the past imperfect tense of the verb “être” (to be), indicating a continuous action in the past.

- très[/hi] is an adverb meaning “very.”

- belle[/hi] is the feminine adjective “beautiful,” agreeing in gender with the subject pronoun “elle.”

- quand[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “when.”

- elle[/hi] is the subject pronoun, again referring to “she.”

- était[/hi] is the past imperfect tense of the verb “être” (to be), again indicating a continuous action in the past.

- jeune[/hi] is the adjective “young,” agreeing in gender with the subject pronoun “elle.”

Key concepts:

- Past imperfect tense: The past imperfect tense is used to describe actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past.

- Agreement: Adjectives in French must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb must agree with the subject in number and person.

[hi]Tom et Marie ont acheté un vélo à John pour Noël.[/hi]. Tom and Mary bought John a bicycle for Christmas.

This sentence uses the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense, which is a common way to describe actions that have already happened. The [hi]passé composé[/hi] is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] conjugated in the appropriate tense (in this case, [hi]ont[/hi], the third person plural of [hi]avoir[/hi] in the present tense) followed by the past participle of the main verb ([hi]acheté[/hi] in this case).

Let’s break down the sentence further:

- Tom et Marie are the subjects of the sentence. They are performing the action.

- ont acheté is the verb phrase in the [hi]passé composé[/hi]. It means “have bought” or “bought.”

- un vélo is the direct object of the sentence. It is what Tom and Mary bought.

- à John indicates the indirect object, who benefits from the purchase. This is expressed using the preposition [hi]à[/hi] followed by the recipient.

- pour Noël indicates the reason for the purchase. This is expressed using the preposition [hi]pour[/hi] followed by the reason.

[hi]Vous auriez dû apprendre à nager quand vous étiez jeunes.[/hi]. You should have learned to swim when you were young.

Breakdown:

- Vous auriez dû [hi]apprendre[/hi] à nager

* Vous – You (formal, plural or singular) * auriez – past conditional of the verb avoir (to have) * dû – past participle of the verb devoir (to have to, should) * apprendre[/hi] – infinitive of the verb apprendre (to learn) * à nager – infinitive of the verb nager (to swim) * This is a conditional sentence, expressing something that should have happened but didn’t. * The conditional auriez dû expresses a regret or missed opportunity.

- quand vous étiez jeunes

* quand – when * vous – you (formal, plural or singular) * étiez – past imperfect of the verb être (to be) * jeunes – young (adjective) * This is a time clause, indicating when the action should have occurred.

Key Concepts:

- Conditional tense:
auriez dû expresses a hypothetical situation in the past.

- Past Imperfect:
étiez is used to describe a state or action in the past, often over a period of time.

- Infinitive: The infinitives apprendre and nager are used in the context of apprendre à (to learn to), which is a common French idiom.

[hi]Je ne suis toujours pas impressionnée.[/hi]. I am still not impressed.

This sentence is in the negative form and uses the present tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- Je means I and is the subject pronoun of the sentence.

- ne…pas is the negative construction in French.

- suis is the present tense conjugation of the verb [hi]être[/hi] in the first person singular (I).

- toujours means still and expresses continuity of the action.

- impressionnée is the past participle of the verb [hi]impressionner[/hi] (to impress) and is used here as an adjective to describe the subject (I).

Therefore, the entire sentence translates to “I am still not impressed”.

[hi]Je veux un bateau qui m’emmènera loin d’ici.[/hi]. I want a boat that will take me far away from here.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- veux[/hi] – want (present tense of the verb [hi]vouloir[/hi])

- un[/hi] – a (indefinite article, masculine singular)

- bateau[/hi] – boat (masculine noun)

- qui[/hi] – that (relative pronoun, subject of the relative clause)

- m’emmènera[/hi] – will take me (future tense of the verb [hi]emmener[/hi], with the object pronoun [hi]me[/hi] placed before the verb)

- loin[/hi] – far (adverb)

- d’ici[/hi] – from here (prepositional phrase, indicating location)

Key Concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb [hi]veux[/hi] agrees with the subject pronoun [hi]Je[/hi].

- Object pronoun placement: The object pronoun [hi]me[/hi] is placed before the verb [hi]emmènera[/hi] in the future tense.

- Relative clause: The clause [hi]qui m’emmènera loin d’ici[/hi] modifies the noun [hi]bateau[/hi].

- Prepositional phrase: The phrase [hi]d’ici[/hi] modifies the adverb [hi]loin[/hi].

[hi]Il me faut quelque chose d’autre.[/hi]. I need something else.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the masculine singular pronoun “he” or “it”. In this sentence, it functions as the subject of the verb “falloir”.

- me[/hi] – This is the indirect object pronoun meaning “me”. It indicates that the need is directed towards the speaker.

- faut[/hi] – This is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “[hi]falloir[/hi]” meaning “to be necessary” or “to need”. It is a special verb called an impersonal verb because it does not have a subject and only used in the third person.

- quelque chose[/hi] – This is a compound noun meaning “something”. It is a placeholder for a specific object.

- d’autre[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “other”. It describes the nature of the needed object.

Key concepts:

- Impersonal Verbs: “[hi]Falloir[/hi]” is an impersonal verb.

- Indirect Object Pronouns: “[hi]Me[/hi]” is an indirect object pronoun.

- Compound Noun: “[hi]Quelque chose[/hi]” is a compound noun.

[hi]Je pensais que tu avais faim.[/hi]. I thought you were hungry.

This sentence uses the [hi]imparfait[/hi] tense, which is used to describe past actions or states that were ongoing or habitual. In this case, “I thought” is referring to a past state of mind that was ongoing.

- [hi]Je[/hi] – I

- [hi]pensais[/hi] – thought (imparfait of [hi]penser[/hi])

- [hi]que[/hi] – that

- [hi]tu[/hi] – you

- [hi]avais[/hi] – had (imparfait of [hi]avoir[/hi])

- [hi]faim[/hi] – hunger

[hi]Nous avons attendu durant des heures.[/hi]. We waited for hours.

- Nous [hi]nous[/hi] is the subject pronoun for “we.”

- avons [hi]avons[/hi] is the present tense conjugation of the verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) for the first-person plural.

- attendu [hi]attendu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “attendre” [hi]attendre[/hi] (to wait).

- durant [hi]durant[/hi] is a preposition meaning “during.”

- des heures [hi]des heures[/hi] is a phrase meaning “for hours,” literally “of hours.”

This sentence is in the passé composé [hi]passé composé[/hi], a common past tense in French, formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] and the past participle of the main verb.

[hi]Personne ne le remarqua.[/hi]. No one noticed him.

Breakdown:

- Personne [hi]Personne[/hi] means “no one” and is a pronoun. It’s the subject of the sentence.

- ne… pas [hi]ne… pas[/hi] are negation markers in French. “Ne” comes before the verb, and “pas” comes after the verb in the sentence. They work together to negate the verb.

- le [hi]le[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, referring to the male person being discussed in the sentence.

- remarqua [hi]remarqua[/hi] is the past tense form of the verb [hi]remarquer[/hi], meaning “to notice” or “to observe”.

This sentence demonstrates the use of the negative construction in French with the subject pronoun personne[/hi] and the past tense verb remarqua[/hi].

[hi]J’ignore pourquoi vous êtes toutes tellement nerveuses.[/hi]. I don’t know why you are all so nervous.

This sentence uses the verb [hi]ignorer[/hi] which means “to ignore” in English, but in this context it means “to not know” or “to be unaware of.”

The phrase [hi]toutes tellement[/hi] means “all so” and emphasizes the degree of nervousness.

[hi]Ce ne sont que des on-dits.[/hi]. This is just hearsay.

Breakdown:

- Ce[/hi] is the masculine singular form of the demonstrative pronoun “this” and it is used as the subject of the sentence.

- ne[/hi] is a negative particle that negates the verb.

- sont[/hi] is the third-person plural form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- que[/hi] means “only” and is used to emphasize the limited nature of the information.

- des[/hi] is a plural definite article used before the noun “on-dits”.

- on-dits[/hi] is a noun meaning “rumors”, “hearsay”, or “gossip”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative particle [hi]ne[/hi] to express negation. This is a common way to express negation in French.

- Demonstrative pronoun: [hi]Ce[/hi] is a demonstrative pronoun that points to something specific, in this case, the rumors being discussed.

- Definite article: The definite article [hi]des[/hi] is used before the noun [hi]on-dits[/hi] to indicate that the rumors are specific and well-known.

[hi]Son anniversaire est le 21 août.[/hi]. His birthday is August 21st.

This sentence is straightforward and uses the simple present tense.

Breakdown:

- Son[/hi] – This means “his” and is a possessive adjective, indicating ownership.

- anniversaire[/hi] – This is the noun “birthday”

- est[/hi] – This is the verb “to be” conjugated in the third person singular present tense, indicating that the subject (his birthday) is in a specific state.

- le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the”

- 21[/hi] – This is the number “21″

- août[/hi] – This is the month “August”

[hi]J’étais incapable de quitter la maison samedi dernier, ma mère étant malade.[/hi]. I was unable to leave the house last Saturday, because my mother was sick.

Breakdown:

- J’étais[/hi] – This is the past imperfect tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) conjugated in the first person singular. It translates to “I was”.

- incapable[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “unable” or “incapable”.

- de quitter[/hi] – This is the infinitive of the verb [hi]quitter[/hi] (to leave) preceded by the preposition [hi]de[/hi], which here indicates purpose or necessity. It translates to “to leave”.

- la maison[/hi] – This is the definite article [hi]la[/hi] followed by the noun [hi]maison[/hi] (house). It translates to “the house”.

- samedi dernier[/hi] – This is a noun phrase indicating the day of the week: [hi]samedi[/hi] (Saturday) and [hi]dernier[/hi] (last). It translates to “last Saturday”.

- ma mère[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective [hi]ma[/hi] (my) followed by the noun [hi]mère[/hi] (mother). It translates to “my mother”.

- étant[/hi] – This is the present participle of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be), used here to indicate the reason for being unable to leave the house. It translates to “being”.

- malade[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning “sick”.

Key Concepts:

- Past Imperfect Tense: This tense is used to describe ongoing actions or states in the past.

- Present Participle: This form of the verb is used to express an ongoing action or state, particularly when describing a reason or cause.

- Preposition [hi]de[/hi]: This preposition can indicate purpose, necessity, or direction.

- Possessive Adjectives: These adjectives (e.g. [hi]ma[/hi]) indicate possession.

[hi]J’ai donné à mon père une cravate en soie.[/hi]. I gave my father a silk tie.

This sentence uses the passé composé, a common past tense in French.

Here’s a breakdown:

- J’ai – This is the first person singular form of the present tense of the verb avoir ([hi]avoir[/hi]) meaning “to have.” It acts as an auxiliary verb in this construction.

- donné – This is the past participle of the verb donner ([hi]donner[/hi]) meaning “to give.” It agrees in gender and number with the direct object, which is “une cravate” ([hi]une cravate[/hi]) (a tie), so it remains in its masculine form.

- à mon père – This is a prepositional phrase indicating the recipient of the gift.

* à ([hi]à[/hi]) is the preposition “to” * mon ([hi]mon[/hi]) is the masculine singular possessive adjective meaning “my” * père ([hi]père[/hi]) is the masculine noun meaning “father”

- une cravate en soie – This is the direct object of the sentence.

* une ([hi]une[/hi]) is the feminine singular definite article meaning “a” * cravate ([hi]cravate[/hi]) is the feminine noun meaning “tie” * en soie ([hi]en soie[/hi]) is a prepositional phrase acting as an adjective modifying the noun “cravate” ([hi]cravate[/hi]). * en ([hi]en[/hi]) is the preposition “of” or “made of” * soie ([hi]soie[/hi]) is the feminine noun meaning “silk”

[hi]Tom ne laissera Mary rien faire de ce dont elle a envie.[/hi]. Tom will not let Mary do anything she wants.

This sentence is in the future tense, which is indicated by the verb [hi]laisser[/hi] conjugated in the future tense, [hi]laissera[/hi].

The verb [hi]laisser[/hi] is followed by an infinitive, [hi]faire[/hi], which means “to do” and is the object of the verb [hi]laisser[/hi].

The pronoun [hi]rien[/hi] means “nothing” and is the direct object of the infinitive [hi]faire[/hi].

The preposition [hi]de[/hi] introduces a relative clause, which is a clause that modifies a noun. The relative clause is “ce dont elle a envie” and it modifies the noun [hi]rien[/hi].

The pronoun [hi]dont[/hi] is a relative pronoun that introduces the relative clause. It means “of which” and refers to [hi]rien[/hi].

The pronoun [hi]elle[/hi] refers to Mary and is the subject of the verb [hi]a[/hi].

The verb [hi]a[/hi] is the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi], meaning “to have”.

The noun [hi]envie[/hi] means “desire”.

The phrase [hi]a envie de[/hi] means “wants to” or “desires to”.

The phrase “[hi]ce dont elle a envie[/hi]” means “what she wants”.

[hi]Quoi de neuf dans ton coin ?[/hi]. What’s up in your neck of the woods?

This sentence is informal and friendly.

- Quoi[/hi] means “what”

- de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of”

- neuf[/hi] means “new”

- dans[/hi] means “in”

- ton[/hi] means “your”

- coin[/hi] means “corner” but here it’s used in the informal sense of “neck of the woods”

This sentence is a friendly way of asking someone what’s going on in their life. It is similar to asking “How are things?” or “What’s new?”

[hi]« Que fait Tom en ce moment ? » « Vous ne voulez pas savoir. »[/hi]. “What is Tom doing right now?” “You don’t want to know.”

Breakdown:

- Que[/hi] is the interrogative pronoun “what” in this case. It is used to ask a question about the nature or identity of something.

- fait[/hi] is the third person singular present tense form of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (to do, to make). It is used here in the interrogative context, asking about what Tom is doing.

- Tom[/hi] is the proper noun referring to the subject of the question.

- en ce moment[/hi] is a temporal phrase indicating “right now,” specifying the time frame of Tom’s action.

- Vous[/hi] is the formal pronoun, “you.” It is used here in a general sense, addressing the listener directly.

- ne… pas[/hi] is the negative construction, negating the verb that follows.

- voulez[/hi] is the second person plural present tense form of the verb [hi]vouloir[/hi] (to want). It is used here in a negative statement, expressing the speaker’s disinclination for the listener to know the answer.

- savoir[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to know.” It is used here to express the object of the desire, which is for the listener not to know something.

Key Concepts:

- Interrogative Sentences: The first sentence is an interrogative sentence, using the interrogative pronoun [hi]que[/hi] and the verb [hi]fait[/hi] in the present tense to ask a question.

- Negative Construction: The second sentence utilizes the negative construction [hi]ne… pas[/hi] to express a negative statement, indicating the speaker’s unwillingness for the listener to be informed.

- Formal Pronoun: The use of the formal pronoun [hi]vous[/hi] suggests a polite and distant tone in the exchange.

[hi]Nous sommes très excités à ce propos.[/hi]. We are very excited about this.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – “We” – This is the subject pronoun, meaning “we” in the plural form.

- sommes[/hi] – “are” – This is the present tense of the verb “être” (to be) conjugated in the first person plural.

- très[/hi] – “very” – This is an adverb of intensity, meaning “very”.

- excités[/hi] – “excited” – This is the past participle of the verb “exciter” (to excite). It is used in this case as an adjective to describe the subject. It is masculine plural in agreement with the subject “nous”.

- à[/hi] – “about” – This is a preposition meaning “about” or “concerning”.

- ce[/hi] – “this” – This is a demonstrative pronoun referring to something previously mentioned.

- propos[/hi] – “subject, matter” – This noun refers to the topic or subject being discussed.

Key Concepts:

- Agreement: The adjective “[hi]excités[/hi]” agrees in gender and number with the subject “nous”.

- Verb Conjugation: The verb “être” (to be) is conjugated in the present tense.

- Prepositions: The preposition “[hi]à[/hi]” is used to show a connection between “excités” and “ce propos”.

[hi]N’y prête pas attention.[/hi]. Don’t pay attention to it.

This sentence is in the imperative mood, which is used to give commands or make requests.

[hi]N’y[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]y[/hi]. [hi]Ne[/hi] is a negative particle used to make a verb negative. [hi]Y[/hi] is a pronoun that refers to a place or thing that was previously mentioned. In this case, it refers to the thing that the speaker does not want the listener to pay attention to.

[hi]Prête[/hi] is the second-person singular imperative form of the verb [hi]prêter[/hi], which means “to pay attention to”.

[hi]Pas[/hi] is an adverb that means “not”.

[hi]Attention[/hi] is a noun that means “attention”.

So, the sentence literally translates to “Do not pay attention to it.”

[hi]Nous n’oublierons pas votre gentillesse.[/hi]. We will not forget your kindness.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun for “we” in French. It is plural and subject, which means it is performing the action of the verb.

- n’oublierons[/hi] – This is the future tense conjugation of the verb “[hi]oublier[/hi]” (to forget). The “n’” is a negation, making it “will not forget”. The conjugation is specifically the “nous” form, meaning “we”.

- pas[/hi] – This is the negative particle used after a negation in French. It is almost always included after the negation to confirm that the verb is negated.

- votre[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective for “your” and it agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. In this case, it is modifying the noun “[hi]gentillesse[/hi]” which is feminine.

- gentillesse[/hi] – This noun means “kindness”. It is feminine.

Key Concepts:

- Future tense: The verb “[hi]n’oublierons[/hi]” is conjugated in the future tense. This indicates that the action will happen in the future.

- Negation: The sentence is negative, as it uses the negation “[hi]ne[/hi]” and “[hi]pas[/hi]”.

- Possessive adjectives: The possessive adjective “[hi]votre[/hi]” agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

[hi]La rencontre s’est terminée par un match nul.[/hi]. The meeting ended in a draw.

Breakdown:

- La[/hi] – This is the feminine definite article “the”.

- rencontre[/hi] – This word means “meeting” or “encounter”. It’s a noun.

- s’est[/hi] – This is the third person singular form of the reflexive verb “[hi]se terminer[/hi]” which means “to end”. It is a contracted form of “[hi]s’est[/hi]” meaning “itself has”.

- terminée[/hi] – The past participle of the verb “[hi]se terminer[/hi]”.

- par[/hi] – This is the preposition “by”.

- un[/hi] – This is the masculine singular indefinite article “a”.

- match[/hi] – This word means “match”, as in a sports game.

- nul[/hi] – This word means “draw”. It is an adjective in this case.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive verbs: “[hi]se terminer[/hi]” is a reflexive verb. Reflexive verbs indicate that the action of the verb is performed by the subject upon itself. The reflexive pronoun “[hi]se[/hi]” agrees in gender and number with the subject of the verb.

- Past Participle Agreement: The past participle of a reflexive verb agrees in gender and number with the direct object of the verb. In this sentence, the direct object is “[hi]la rencontre[/hi]” (the meeting), which is feminine singular, so the past participle “[hi]terminée[/hi]” is also feminine singular.

[hi]Elles sont toutes très heureuses.[/hi]. They are all very happy.

This sentence uses the [hi]feminine plural[/hi] form of the adjective [hi]heureuse[/hi] (happy), which is [hi]heureuses[/hi]. It also uses the [hi]feminine plural[/hi] form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be), which is [hi]sont[/hi].

The word [hi]toutes[/hi] is the [hi]feminine plural[/hi] form of [hi]tout[/hi] (all) and is used to emphasize that every one of the [hi]females[/hi] in the sentence is happy.

[hi]Je ne répéterai pas, alors écoute attentivement.[/hi]. I will not repeat myself, so listen carefully.

Breakdown:

- Je [hi]Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne [hi]ne[/hi] – This is the negative particle, used in conjunction with “pas” to create a negation.

- répéterai [hi]répéterai[/hi] – This is the future tense of the verb “répéter” (to repeat). It’s conjugated in the first person singular (“I will repeat”).

- pas [hi]pas[/hi] – This is the negative adverb, used with “ne” to create a negation.

- alors [hi]alors[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “so” or “then”. It connects the first clause (I will not repeat) to the second clause (listen carefully).

- écoute [hi]écoute[/hi] – This is the imperative form of the verb “écouter” (to listen), which means “listen” in this context.

- attentivement [hi]attentivement[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “carefully” or “attentively”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation – The phrase uses the standard French negative construction with “ne” and “pas” to create the negation “will not repeat”.

- Future Tense – The verb “répéterai” is conjugated in the future tense, indicating that the action will happen in the future.

- Imperative – The verb “écoute” is in the imperative mood, which is used to give a command or instruction.

[hi]Personne n’aime ça.[/hi]. No one likes that.

This sentence is a simple negative statement. Let’s break it down:

- Personne[/hi] means “no one” and is a pronoun that functions as the subject of the sentence.

- n’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi] meaning “not”.

- aime[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi] which means “to like”

- ça[/hi] is a pronoun that refers to something previously mentioned and means “that”.

The sentence structure is simple: subject (personne) + negation (n’) + verb (aime) + object (ça). The negative construction uses the contracted form of [hi]ne[/hi] and [hi]pas[/hi] which is common in spoken French and informal writing.

[hi]Saluez votre épouse de ma part.[/hi]. Please greet your wife from me.

This sentence is a polite request using the formal “vous” form.

- Saluez [hi]Saluez[/hi] – the imperative form of the verb “saluer” (to greet). It is used to make a polite request.

- votre [hi]votre[/hi] – your (formal)

- épouse [hi]épouse[/hi] – wife

- de ma part [hi]de ma part[/hi] – on my behalf

[hi]J’aime bien chez toi.[/hi]. I like it at your place.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]aime[/hi] (to like).

- aime[/hi] is the verb “to like” in the present tense, conjugated for the first person singular.

- bien[/hi] means “well” or “a lot”. This emphasizes the liking.

- chez[/hi] means “at the home of”. It is followed by a pronoun to indicate whose home it is.

- toi[/hi] is the pronoun “you”.

This sentence means that the speaker likes being at the person they are talking to’s place.

[hi]L’entraîneur de l’équipe a soudainement démissionné.[/hi]. The team’s coach suddenly resigned.

- L’[hi]entraîneur[/hi] – This is the subject of the sentence and means “the coach” in English. The [hi]entraîneur[/hi] is masculine singular, so the definite article [hi]l’[/hi] (contraction of [hi]le[/hi]) is used.

- de [hi]l’équipe[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase that modifies the noun [hi]entraîneur[/hi]. It means “of the team” in English. The [hi]équipe[/hi] is feminine singular, so the definite article [hi]l’[/hi] (contraction of [hi]la[/hi]) is used.

- a [hi]soudainement[/hi] – This is an adverb that modifies the verb [hi]démissionné[/hi]. It means “suddenly” in English.

- démissionné[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]démissionner[/hi], which means “to resign” in English. The past participle is used here to form the passé composé, a common verb tense in French.

Key Concepts:

- Gender Agreement: The definite articles [hi]le[/hi], [hi]la[/hi], [hi]l’[/hi] agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

- Past Participle: The past participle of verbs is often used to form different verb tenses, like the passé composé.

- Adverbs: Adverbs modify verbs and provide additional information about the action.

[hi]Il m’a donné du pain et du lait.[/hi]. He gave me bread and milk.

This sentence is in the past tense, and uses the direct object pronoun [hi]me[/hi] to indicate that the bread and milk were given to the speaker.

[hi]Il[/hi] means “he” and is the subject of the sentence.

[hi]m’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]me[/hi] and [hi]a[/hi], and is used to indicate that the bread and milk were given directly to the speaker.

[hi]a donné[/hi] is the past tense of the verb [hi]donner[/hi], which means “to give”.

[hi]du[/hi] is a partitive article, indicating that the speaker was given some, but not all, of the bread and milk.

[hi]pain[/hi] means “bread” and [hi]lait[/hi] means “milk”.

[hi]Quelque chose a effrayé Tom.[/hi]. Something scared Tom.

Here is a breakdown of the sentence:

- Quelque chose[/hi] means “something.” It is an indefinite pronoun meaning “some unspecified thing.”

- a[/hi] is the third person singular form of the verb “avoir” meaning “to have.” It is used as an auxiliary verb with the past participle “[hi]effrayé[/hi]” to form the past tense.

- effrayé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “[hi]effrayer[/hi]” meaning “to scare.”

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence.

The sentence uses the passé composé tense, which is used to describe completed actions in the past.

This sentence is a simple declarative sentence that states a fact. It uses the impersonal construction “something + verb” to emphasize the object of the action rather than the actor.

[hi]Nous prenons toujours le petit-déjeuner dans la cuisine.[/hi]. We always eat breakfast in the kitchen.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – We (subject pronoun, plural)

- prenons[/hi] – Take/eat (present tense, first person plural of the verb [hi]prendre[/hi], meaning “to take” or “to eat” in this context)

- toujours[/hi] – Always (adverb of time)

- le petit-déjeuner[/hi] – Breakfast (masculine noun)

- dans[/hi] – In (preposition)

- la cuisine[/hi] – The kitchen (feminine noun)

Key Concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb [hi]prenons[/hi] agrees in number and person with the subject [hi]nous[/hi].

- Direct object: [hi]le petit-déjeuner[/hi] is the direct object of the verb [hi]prenons[/hi].

- Prepositional phrase: [hi]dans la cuisine[/hi] is a prepositional phrase that modifies the verb [hi]prenons[/hi] and tells us where the action takes place.

- Adverb of time: [hi]toujours[/hi] modifies the verb [hi]prenons[/hi] and indicates the frequency of the action.

[hi]Le livre est ici.[/hi]. The book is here.

This sentence is a simple declarative sentence in the present tense.

- Le[/hi] is the definite article meaning “the” and is masculine singular.

- livre[/hi] is the noun meaning “book” and is masculine singular.

- est[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the third person singular present tense.

- ici[/hi] is the adverb meaning “here”.

Key Concepts:

- Gender and Number Agreement: In French, articles, adjectives and nouns must agree in gender and number.

- Basic Sentence Structure: Subject-verb-object is the basic sentence structure of French.

- Adverbs: Adverbs modify verbs and can be placed in different positions in a sentence.

[hi]Je ne sais pas comment vous l’avez fait mais vous l’avez fait.[/hi]. I don’t know how you did it, but you did it.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- ne[/hi] – not (negative particle)

- sais[/hi] – know (present tense of the verb [hi]savoir[/hi])

- pas[/hi] – not (negative particle)

- comment[/hi] – how (interrogative adverb)

- vous[/hi] – you (object pronoun)

- l’[/hi] – it (direct object pronoun)

- avez[/hi] – have (present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi])

- fait[/hi] – done (past participle of the verb [hi]faire[/hi])

- mais[/hi] – but (conjunction)

- vous[/hi] – you (subject pronoun)

- l’[/hi] – it (direct object pronoun)

- avez[/hi] – have (present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi])

- fait[/hi] – done (past participle of the verb [hi]faire[/hi])

Key concepts:

- Negative construction: The sentence uses the negative particle [hi]ne[/hi] followed by the verb [hi]sais[/hi] and then the negative particle [hi]pas[/hi].

- Object pronouns: The sentence uses the direct object pronoun [hi]l’[/hi] to refer to an unspecified object.

- Past participle agreement: The past participle [hi]fait[/hi] agrees with the object pronoun [hi]l’[/hi] in gender and number.

- Compound tense: The sentence uses the compound tense formed by the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] followed by the past participle [hi]fait[/hi].

[hi]C’est une bonne marque.[/hi]. This is a good brand.

Here’s a breakdown of the sentence:

- C’est[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce[/hi] (this) and [hi]est[/hi] (is). It’s the third-person singular form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be)

- une[/hi] is the feminine singular definite article meaning “a” or “one.”

- bonne[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the adjective [hi]bon[/hi] (good)

- marque[/hi] is the noun “brand”

Key concepts:

- Gender agreement: The adjective [hi]bonne[/hi] agrees in gender with the noun [hi]marque[/hi], which is feminine.

- Contractions: [hi]C’est[/hi] is a common contraction in French.

[hi]Pourquoi ne jouons-nous pas aux échecs ou à quelque chose d’autre ?[/hi]. Why don’t we play chess or something else?

Breakdown:

- Pourquoi[/hi] – Why? (This is an interrogative pronoun, which is used to ask questions.)

- ne[/hi] – not. This is a negative particle. It is used with the verb [hi]jouons[/hi] to form the negative.

- jouons[/hi] – let’s play. This is the first-person plural present tense of the verb [hi]jouer[/hi] (to play).

- nous[/hi] – we. (The pronoun is implied in the verb [hi]jouons[/hi])

- pas[/hi] – not. This is a negative particle. It is used with [hi]ne[/hi] to form the negative. (The phrase “ne…pas” together creates the negative in French)

- aux échecs[/hi] – chess. “[hi]aux[/hi]” is the preposition “to” and “[hi]échecs[/hi]” is the noun chess.

- ou[/hi] – or. This is a coordinating conjunction. It is used to connect two words or phrases.

- à quelque chose[/hi] – to something. “[hi]à[/hi]” is the preposition “to” and “[hi]quelque chose[/hi]” means something. This phrase is used to describe what else they might play.

- d’autre[/hi] – else. This is an adjective used to describe “[hi]quelque chose[/hi]”.

Key Concepts:

- Negative construction: “ne…pas” is used to form the negative in French.

- First-person plural present tense: “[hi]jouons[/hi]” is the first-person plural present tense of the verb “[hi]jouer[/hi]”.

- Prepositions: “[hi]aux[/hi]” and “[hi]à[/hi]” are prepositions that show the relationship between the verb and the noun.

- Interrogative pronoun: “[hi]Pourquoi[/hi]” is used to ask a question.

[hi]Ce n’est pas ton affaire.[/hi]. That’s none of your business.

This sentence is in the negative form, using the structure “ce n’est pas…” which translates literally to “it is not…” It is followed by the phrase “[hi]ton affaire[/hi]” which means “your business.”

- Ce[/hi] – This is a pronoun that means “this” or “it.” It’s used here as a placeholder for the idea of the matter at hand.

- n’est[/hi] – This is the negative form of the verb “être” (to be) in the third person singular.

- pas[/hi] – This is an adverb that means “not.”

- ton[/hi] – This is a possessive adjective that means “your.”

- affaire[/hi] – This is a noun that means “business” or “affair.”

The whole sentence implies that the speaker considers the situation to be personal and not something that the listener should be concerned with.

[hi]Qui l’a emporté ?[/hi]. Who won?

This sentence is asking a question about the winner of a competition or contest.

- Qui[/hi] means “who” and is the subject of the sentence, indicating that the question is about a person.

- l’[/hi] is a contraction of “[hi]le[/hi]” (the) and “[hi]a[/hi]” (has), meaning “has it”. This is the direct object, the thing that was won.

- emporté[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]emporter[/hi] (to take away, to win), making the sentence a past tense question.

Together, the sentence asks “Who took it away?” or, more naturally in English, “Who won?”.

[hi]Je suis reconnaissante pour toute aide que je puisse obtenir.[/hi]. I am grateful for any help that I can get.

This sentence uses the present tense of the verb être[/hi] (to be) in the first person singular, je suis[/hi]. It also uses the adjective reconnaissante[/hi] (grateful) which agrees with the subject in gender and number.

The preposition pour[/hi] (for) introduces the object of the preposition, which is toute aide[/hi] (any help).

The relative pronoun que[/hi] (that) introduces the relative clause, which modifies toute aide[/hi]. The verb puisse[/hi] (can) is in the subjunctive mood because it expresses a possibility or a desire.

The verb obtenir[/hi] (to obtain) is in the infinitive and completes the meaning of the subjunctive verb puisse[/hi].

[hi]Si vous n’y voyez pas d’inconvénient, j’aimerais être seule un moment.[/hi]. If you don’t mind, I would like to be alone for a moment.

Breakdown:

- Si vous n’y voyez pas d’inconvénient: This is a polite conditional phrase, similar to “if you don’t mind” or “if it’s okay with you”.

* Si[/hi]: If (conditional conjunction) * vous[/hi]: You (formal, plural, but can be used with singular “you”) * n’y[/hi]: There (contraction of “ne” and “y”) * voyez[/hi]: See (present tense verb “voir” – to see) * pas[/hi]: Not * d’inconvénient[/hi]: Inconvenience, objection

- j’aimerais: This is a polite way of saying “I would like”.

* j’[/hi]: I (contraction of “je”) * aimerais[/hi]: Would like (conditional form of “aimer” – to like)

- être seule: To be alone

* être[/hi]: To be (verb “être”) * seule[/hi]: Alone (feminine adjective, singular)

- un moment: For a moment

* un[/hi]: A/an (indefinite article, masculine singular) * moment[/hi]: Moment (noun) [hi]Le problème, c’est que tu n’es pas canadien.[/hi]. The problem is that you are not Canadian.

Breakdown:

- Le[/hi] – The (definite article, masculine singular)

- problème[/hi] – Problem (masculine noun)

- c’est[/hi] – It is (contraction of [hi]ce est[/hi])

- que[/hi] – that

- tu[/hi] – you

- n’es[/hi] – are not (negation of the verb [hi]être[/hi] – to be)

- pas[/hi] – not (negation particle)

- canadien[/hi] – Canadian (adjective)

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]es[/hi] agrees with the subject [hi]tu[/hi] (you) in the present tense.

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative construction [hi]ne…pas[/hi] to express the idea of “not being Canadian.”

- Definite Article: The definite article [hi]le[/hi] is used before the noun [hi]problème[/hi] because it is a specific problem that is being discussed.

[hi]Je prévois de sauter le déjeuner.[/hi]. I am planning to skip lunch.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I, the subject pronoun

- prévois[/hi] – verb “to foresee” or “to plan” in the present tense. It is conjugated in the first person singular ([hi]je[/hi]), indicating that the speaker is the one planning.

- de[/hi] – preposition “of” or “to” indicating the purpose of the action.

- sauter[/hi] – verb “to skip” or “to jump over” in the infinitive form.

- le[/hi] – definite article “the” referring to lunch.

- déjeuner[/hi] – noun “lunch”

Key Concepts:

- Infinitive after a preposition: The verb sauter[/hi] is in the infinitive form because it follows the preposition de[/hi]. This is a common grammatical structure in French.

- Present tense: The verb prévois[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense to indicate an action happening now or planned for the future.

- Definite article: The use of the definite article le[/hi] indicates that the speaker is referring to a specific lunch, which is understood to be the midday meal.

[hi]On se voit une fois par mois.[/hi]. We see each other once a month.

Breakdown:

- On[/hi] – This is a pronoun meaning “we” and is the subject of the sentence.

- se voit[/hi] – This is a reflexive verb meaning “to see each other.” The reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] is used to indicate that the action is reciprocal (both parties are involved).

- une fois[/hi] – This is a noun phrase meaning “once”. It is composed of the indefinite article [hi]une[/hi] (a/an) and the noun [hi]fois[/hi] (time).

- par mois[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase meaning “per month”. [hi]par[/hi] is the preposition “per” and [hi]mois[/hi] is the noun “month”.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verbs: These are verbs that require a reflexive pronoun (like [hi]se[/hi]) to indicate that the action is performed by the subject on themself.

- Prepositional Phrases: These are phrases that are made up of a preposition and its object. They modify nouns or verbs to provide additional information about them.

[hi]Qui est la personne suivante sur ta liste ?[/hi]. Who is the next person on your list?

This sentence uses the interrogative pronoun [hi]qui[/hi] (who) as the subject of the sentence. The verb [hi]est[/hi] (is) is in the third person singular, agreeing with the subject [hi]la personne[/hi] (the person). [hi]suivante[/hi] (next) is an adjective modifying [hi]personne[/hi] and [hi]sur[/hi] (on) is a preposition introducing the prepositional phrase [hi]sur ta liste[/hi] (on your list). [hi]ta[/hi] (your) is a possessive adjective agreeing with the pronoun [hi]tu[/hi] (you) which is implied in the phrase [hi]ta liste[/hi] (your list).

[hi]Avez-vous reçu la note ?[/hi]. Have you received the grade?

This sentence is a simple question in the [hi]passé composé[/hi] tense.

- Avez-vous[/hi] is the interrogative form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the [hi]vous[/hi] form. This means “have you” and sets up the question.

- reçu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]recevoir[/hi] meaning “to receive.”

- la note[/hi] is the direct object of the sentence and means “the grade.”

[hi]Je n’ai eu aucun problème à l’employer.[/hi]. I had no problem employing him.

Breakdown:

- Je [hi]Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- n’ai eu [hi]n’ai eu[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb “avoir” (to have) conjugated in the negative form with the subject pronoun “je”. The negation is formed using “ne” [hi]ne[/hi] before the verb and “pas” [hi]pas[/hi] after the verb. Since the verb is in the past tense, “ne” [hi]ne[/hi] is contracted with the verb to become “n’” [hi]n’[/hi].

- aucun [hi]aucun[/hi] – This is an indefinite adjective meaning “no” or “none”. It is used before a noun.

- problème [hi]problème[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “problem”.

- à [hi]à[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “to” or “at” that is used to indicate the purpose of the action.

- l’employer [hi]l’employer[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “employer” (to employ) preceded by the definite article “le” [hi]le[/hi] that has been contracted with the preposition “à” [hi]à[/hi] to form “l’” [hi]l’[/hi].

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The negative form of the verb “avoir” [hi]avoir[/hi] is used to express the absence of a problem.

- Indefinite Adjective: “Aucun” [hi]aucun[/hi] is used to emphasize the complete lack of problems.

- Prepositional Phrase: The prepositional phrase “à l’employer” [hi]à l’employer[/hi] clarifies the purpose of the action, which is to employ someone.

[hi]Tom semble perplexe.[/hi]. Tom appears perplexed.

This sentence is in the present tense and describes a state of being.

Breakdown:

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence.

- semble[/hi] means “appears” or “seems.” It’s a verb that indicates an impression or appearance.

- perplexe[/hi] means “perplexed” and is an adjective describing Tom’s state of mind.

Key concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: “[hi]Tom[/hi]” is singular, so the verb “[hi]semble[/hi]” is also singular.

- Adjective agreement: The adjective “[hi]perplexe[/hi]” agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies, which is “[hi]Tom[/hi]” (masculine, singular).

[hi]Les explorateurs se ménagèrent un passage à travers la forêt.[/hi]. The explorers carved a path through the forest.

Breakdown:

- Les[/hi] – This is the plural definite article meaning “the”.

- explorateurs[/hi] – This is the plural noun “explorers”.

- se[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “themselves”. It’s used here to show that the explorers were the ones who created the path.

- ménagèrent[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb “[hi]ménager[/hi]” meaning “to create, to make”. In this context, it means “to create a passage”.

- un[/hi] – This is the indefinite article meaning “a” or “one” in this context.

- passage[/hi] – This is the noun “passage” meaning a path or way through something.

- à travers[/hi] – This is the preposition meaning “through” or “across”.

- la[/hi] – This is the definite article meaning “the”.

- forêt[/hi] – This is the noun “forest”.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Pronoun: The use of “[hi]se[/hi]” emphasizes that the explorers were the ones who made the path.

- Past Tense: The sentence is in the past tense, indicating that the explorers already created the path.

- Preposition: The preposition “[hi]à travers[/hi]” clearly indicates that the path was created through the forest.

[hi]Ne soyez pas effrayé de rencontrer des gens nouveaux ![/hi]. Don’t be afraid to meet new people!

This sentence is a negative imperative, meaning it gives a command using the negative form of the verb.

- Ne[/hi] is the negative particle used to negate the verb.

- soyez[/hi] is the second-person plural form of the verb être (to be), conjugated in the imperative mood. It’s telling you “be”.

- pas[/hi] is the negative adverb, meaning “not”.

- effrayé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb effrayer (to frighten) acting as an adjective modifying the subject. It literally means “frightened”.

- de[/hi] is a preposition meaning “of” or “from”.

- rencontrer[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to meet”.

- des[/hi] is the plural definite article meaning “the”.

- gens[/hi] is the noun “people”.

- nouveaux[/hi] is the adjective “new”.

The sentence can be broken down as “Don’t be (not be) frightened (of) meeting new people”.

[hi]Pourquoi veux-tu arrêter ?[/hi]. Why do you want to stop?

This sentence is an interrogative sentence, meaning it asks a question. Let’s break it down:

- Pourquoi[/hi] – This is the French word for “why” and acts as an interrogative adverb, introducing the question.

- veux-tu[/hi] – This is the verb “to want” conjugated in the present tense. The form [hi]veux[/hi] is the first-person singular (I want), but here it is conjugated in the second-person singular (you want) with the ending -tu.

- arrêter[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to stop”. In this context, it acts as the object of the verb [hi]veux[/hi].

Therefore, the entire sentence is asking why the person wants to stop.

[hi]Un jour nous ferons du monde un meilleur endroit.[/hi]. One day we will make the world a better place.

Here is the breakdown:

- Un jour [hi]Un jour[/hi] – This is a phrase that means “one day”. It is a time expression that indicates that something will happen in the future.

- nous [hi]nous[/hi] – This is the pronoun for “we”. This indicates that the action of making the world a better place will be done by a group of people.

- ferons [hi]ferons[/hi] – This is the future tense of the verb “faire” [hi]faire[/hi] which means “to make” or “to do”. This tells us that the action of making the world a better place will happen in the future.

- du [hi]du[/hi] – This is a contraction of “de le” [hi]de le[/hi] which means “of the”. It is used before masculine singular nouns.

- monde [hi]monde[/hi] – This is the noun for “world”. This is the object that will be changed.

- un [hi]un[/hi] – This is the indefinite article for “a” or “an”. This indicates that the world will be changed into something specific, but not named.

- meilleur [hi]meilleur[/hi] – This is the masculine singular adjective for “better”. This describes the new state of the world after it is changed.

- endroit [hi]endroit[/hi] – This is the noun for “place”. This is what the world will become after it is changed.

Key concepts:

- Future tense [hi]ferons[/hi] – This indicates that the action will happen in the future.

- Indefinite article [hi]un[/hi] – This indicates that the world will be changed into something specific, but not named.

- Contraction [hi]du[/hi] – This is a common feature of the French language, where two words are combined into one.

[hi]Les chats sont plus malins que vous ne pensez.[/hi]. Cats are more clever than you think.

The sentence “Les chats sont plus malins que vous ne pensez” is a complex sentence with a comparative adjective.

Let’s break it down: Les[/hi] means “the” and is the plural definite article.

chats[/hi] means “cats” and is the plural noun.

sont[/hi] means “are” and is the present tense of the verb “être” (to be).

plus[/hi] means “more” and is an adverb of degree used to compare the intelligence of cats to what the listener thinks.

malins[/hi] means “clever” and is the masculine plural form of the adjective “malin” (clever).

que[/hi] means “than” and introduces the second part of the comparison.

vous[/hi] means “you” and is the subject pronoun.

ne[/hi] is a negative particle, used here to emphasize the comparison and negate the verb “pensez” (think).

pensez[/hi] means “think” and is the present tense of the verb “penser” (to think).

Key Concepts:

- Comparative Adjectives: The structure of the comparative sentence uses the adjective “[hi]plus malin[/hi]” (more clever) with the conjunction “[hi]que[/hi]” (than) to compare the intelligence of cats to what the listener thinks.

- Negative Particle: The use of the negative particle “[hi]ne[/hi]” with the verb “pensez” emphasizes the comparison and makes the sentence sound more emphatic. It suggests that cats are actually much cleverer than the listener may believe.

[hi]Vous avez bien entendu.[/hi]. You heard correctly.

This sentence is in the [hi]vous[/hi] form, which is the formal “you” in French. It is used when addressing someone with respect, such as a teacher, a boss, or an elder.

The verb [hi]avoir[/hi] is conjugated in the [hi]vous[/hi] form in the present tense, which is [hi]avez[/hi]. It means “to have.”

The [hi]bien[/hi] in this sentence is an adverb that means “well” or “correctly.”

The [hi]entendu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]entendre[/hi], which means “to hear.” It is used here in a past participle form to indicate that something has been heard, or understood.

Putting it all together, this sentence means “You heard correctly.” or “You understood correctly.”

[hi]Vous avez l’air heureuses, aujourd’hui ![/hi]. You look happy today!

Breakdown:

- Vous [hi]Vous[/hi] – “You” (plural, formal)

- avez [hi]avez[/hi] – “have” (conjugated form of the verb “avoir” in the present tense, 2nd person plural)

- l’air [hi]l’air[/hi] – “the air” (here, it means “the look” or “the appearance”)

- heureuses [hi]heureuses[/hi] – “happy” (feminine plural form of the adjective “heureux”)

- aujourd’hui [hi]aujourd’hui[/hi] – “today”

Key Concepts:

- Formal address: The use of “vous” instead of “tu” indicates a formal address, which is common in French.

- Agreement of adjectives: The adjective “heureuses” agrees in gender and number with the noun “vous” (which is understood to be feminine plural).

- Idiomatic expression: The phrase “avoir l’air” is an idiomatic expression meaning “to look like” or “to appear to be”.

[hi]Elle disait qu’elle avait été heureuse.[/hi]. She said that she had been happy.

Breakdown:

- Elle [hi]Elle[/hi] is the subject pronoun “she”

- disait [hi]disait[/hi] is the imperfect tense of the verb [hi]dire[/hi] “to say.” It indicates that the action was ongoing in the past.

- qu’elle [hi]qu’elle[/hi] is a conjunction (that) and subject pronoun (she).

- avait été [hi]avait été[/hi] is the pluperfect tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] “to be.” It indicates that the action of being happy occurred in the past before another past action.

- heureuse [hi]heureuse[/hi] is the feminine adjective meaning “happy”

Key Concepts:

- Imperfect Tense: Used to describe actions that were ongoing in the past

- Pluperfect Tense: Used to describe actions that occurred in the past before another past action.

- Subject Pronouns: Words that replace the noun in a sentence.

- Conjunctions: Words that connect clauses together.

[hi]Ce n’est pas une si grande affaire.[/hi]. This is not such a big deal.

- Ce[/hi] is the masculine singular form of the demonstrative adjective [hi]ce[/hi], which means “this.”

- n’est pas[/hi] is the negative form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) in the present tense, conjugated for the third person singular.

- une[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the indefinite article [hi]un[/hi], meaning “a” or “one.”

- si[/hi] is an adverb meaning “so” or “such.”

- grande[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the adjective [hi]grand[/hi], meaning “big” or “large.”

- affaire[/hi] is a noun meaning “deal” or “matter.”

The sentence conveys that the matter at hand is not as important or serious as it may seem. The use of [hi]si[/hi] emphasizes the relative lack of importance.

[hi]Quelqu’un a pris mes chaussures par erreur.[/hi]. Someone took my shoes by mistake.

Breakdown:

- Quelqu’un[/hi] – Someone. This is an indefinite pronoun, meaning it refers to an unspecified person.

- a[/hi] – has. This is the third person singular form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) in the present tense.

- pris[/hi] – taken. This is the past participle of the verb [hi]prendre[/hi] (to take). It is used here to form the compound past tense with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi].

- mes[/hi] – my. This is the possessive adjective agreeing with the plural noun [hi]chaussures[/hi] (shoes).

- chaussures[/hi] – shoes. This is a plural noun.

- par[/hi] – by. This preposition indicates the means or instrument.

- erreur[/hi] – mistake. This is a noun.

Key Concepts:

- Compound Past Tense: The sentence uses the compound past tense, which is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] and the past participle of the main verb.

- Possessive Adjectives: The possessive adjective [hi]mes[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the noun [hi]chaussures[/hi].

- Prepositions: The preposition [hi]par[/hi] indicates the means by which the shoes were taken.

[hi]Je vous ai vus hier.[/hi]. I saw you yesterday.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in French.

- vous[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “you” in French, used formally or when addressing multiple people.

- ai[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the first person singular, which is used with the past participle “vu” to form the past tense of “voir” (to see).

- vus[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “voir” (to see), which agrees in gender and number with the object “vous”.

- hier[/hi] – This is the French word for “yesterday”.

Key Concepts:

- Subject-verb agreement: The verb “[hi]ai[/hi]” agrees with the subject “[hi]Je[/hi]” in person and number.

- Past tense formation: The past tense in this sentence is formed using the auxiliary verb “avoir” and the past participle “vu”.

- Pronoun usage: The object pronoun “[hi]vous[/hi]” is used in a formal context or when addressing multiple people.

[hi]As-tu peur des rats ?[/hi]. Do you fear rats?

This sentence is a simple question in the [hi]tu[/hi] form, meaning “you” (informal). Let’s break it down:

- As-tu[/hi] is the verb “avoir” conjugated in the [hi]tu[/hi] form, meaning “have you”.

- peur[/hi] means “fear”

- des[/hi] is the contraction of “de” and “les” and means “of the”.

- rats[/hi] is the plural form of “rat”.

So the sentence literally translates to “Have you fear of the rats?”. However, it’s more natural to say “Do you fear rats?” in English.

[hi]J’ai vraiment adoré travailler ici.[/hi]. I really loved working here.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have). It’s the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) conjugated in the first person singular.

- vraiment[/hi] means “really” or “truly”. It’s an adverb that modifies the verb [hi]adoré[/hi].

- adoré[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]adorer[/hi] (to love, to adore). In this context, it’s used in the past tense with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi], meaning “loved”.

- travailler[/hi] means “to work”. It’s an infinitive verb, but it’s used here as a noun phrase, referring to the act of working.

- ici[/hi] means “here”. It’s an adverb of place that specifies the location of the working.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: [hi]J’[/hi] is a common contraction in French.

- Past Participle: [hi]adoré[/hi] is used in the past tense with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi].

- Infinitive as Noun: [hi]travailler[/hi] is used as a noun phrase, referring to the action of working.

- Adverbs: [hi]vraiment[/hi] and [hi]ici[/hi] are adverbs that modify the verb and specify the meaning of the sentence.

[hi]Tom demanda à Marie pourquoi elle était autant en retard.[/hi]. Tom asked Marie why she was so late.

This sentence features the following grammatical points:

- Demanda[/hi] is the past tense of the verb [hi]demander[/hi] (to ask).

- Pourquoi[/hi] is an interrogative pronoun, meaning “why.”

- Était[/hi] is the past tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be), conjugated in the imperfect tense. This tense is used to describe an ongoing action or state in the past.

- Autant[/hi] is an adverb meaning “so much.”

- En retard[/hi] is a phrase meaning “late.”

So, the sentence essentially breaks down as:

- Tom [hi]asked[/hi] Marie [hi]why[/hi] she was [hi]so much[/hi] [hi]late[/hi].

[hi]Vous vous habituerez bientôt à la nourriture japonaise.[/hi]. You will soon get used to Japanese food.

Breakdown:

- Vous[/hi] – You (formal plural, used as a polite form of address for one person)

- vous[/hi] – reflexive pronoun, meaning “yourself”

- habituerez[/hi] – future tense of the verb [hi]habituer[/hi] (to get used to)

- bientôt[/hi] – soon

- à[/hi] – to, at

- la[/hi] – the

- nourriture[/hi] – food

- japonaise[/hi] – Japanese

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive verbs: Verbs like [hi]habituer[/hi] that require a reflexive pronoun ([hi]vous[/hi]) to indicate that the action is done to oneself.

- Future tense: Used to express actions that will happen in the future.

- Articles: [hi]la[/hi] is the feminine singular definite article, used before feminine nouns like [hi]nourriture[/hi].

- Adjectives: [hi]japonaise[/hi] is a feminine adjective, modifying the noun [hi]nourriture[/hi].

[hi]Je ressentais un peu de peur.[/hi]. I felt a little bit of fear.

This sentence uses the [hi]imparfait[/hi] tense of the verb [hi]ressentir[/hi] which means “to feel” or “to sense”. The [hi]imparfait[/hi] is used to describe a past state or ongoing action in the past. It is often translated as “was feeling” or “used to feel”.

The [hi]imparfait[/hi] is formed by adding the following endings to the stem of the verb:

- [hi]-ais[/hi] for [hi]je[/hi]

- [hi]-ais[/hi] for [hi]tu[/hi]

- [hi]-ait[/hi] for [hi]il/elle/on[/hi]

- [hi]-ions[/hi] for [hi]nous[/hi]

- [hi]-iez[/hi] for [hi]vous[/hi]

- [hi]-aient[/hi] for [hi]ils/elles[/hi]

In this case, the stem of the verb [hi]ressentir[/hi] is [hi]ressent[/hi]. Therefore, the [hi]imparfait[/hi] form for [hi]je[/hi] is [hi]ressentais[/hi].

The phrase [hi]un peu de[/hi] means “a little bit of”. It is used to indicate a small quantity of something.

[hi]Aimeriez-vous quelque chose de plus petit ?[/hi]. Would you like something smaller?

Breakdown:

- Aimeriez-vous[/hi] – This is the formal, polite form of “would you like”. It’s made up of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi] (to like) in the conditional mood ([hi]-iez[/hi]) and the pronoun [hi]vous[/hi] (you).

- quelque chose[/hi] – This means “something”. It’s made up of the indefinite adjective [hi]quelque[/hi] (some) and the noun [hi]chose[/hi] (thing).

- de plus petit[/hi] – This means “smaller”. It is made up of the preposition [hi]de[/hi] (of) and the comparative adjective [hi]plus petit[/hi] (smaller). Notice that the comparative adjective [hi]plus[/hi] (more) is used with the adjective [hi]petit[/hi] (small) to create the comparative form.

Key concepts:

- Formal language: The sentence uses the formal pronoun [hi]vous[/hi] (you) and the conditional mood ([hi]-iez[/hi]) to be polite.

- Comparative adjective: The comparative adjective [hi]plus petit[/hi] (smaller) is used to compare the size of something.

[hi]Ça se voulait une blague.[/hi]. It was supposed to be a joke.

Breakdown:

- Ça[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]cela[/hi], which means “that” or “it”. In this case, it refers to the “blague” (joke).

- se voulait[/hi] is the imperfect tense of the reflexive verb [hi]se vouloir[/hi], which means “to want to be”. Here, it indicates that the joke intended to be something else, a joke in this case.

- une[/hi] is the feminine singular definite article, meaning “a” or “an”.

- blague[/hi] means “joke”.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Verbs: [hi]Se vouloir[/hi] is a reflexive verb, meaning that the action of the verb is reflected back on the subject. This is indicated by the use of the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi].

- Imperfect Tense: The imperfect tense is used to describe ongoing actions or states in the past. It is often used to set the scene or provide background information.

[hi]Ma mère est occupée à cuisiner le déjeuner.[/hi]. My mother is busy cooking lunch.

Breakdown:

- Ma[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “my” and agrees in gender with “mère”.

- mère[/hi] – This is the feminine noun “mother”.

- est[/hi] – This is the third-person singular form of the verb “être” (to be) in the present tense. It’s conjugated to agree with “mère”.

- occupée[/hi] – This is the feminine past participle of the verb “occuper” (to occupy). It’s used here as an adjective meaning “busy.”

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “to” or “at” indicating purpose in this context.

- cuisiner[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to cook”.

- le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” and agrees in gender with “déjeuner”.

- déjeuner[/hi] – This is the noun “lunch.”

Key Concepts:

- Possessive adjectives: [hi]Ma[/hi] agrees in gender with “mère”.

- Verb conjugation: The verb “être” is conjugated in the present tense to agree with the subject “mère”.

- Past participle as adjective: [hi]occupée[/hi] acts as an adjective describing “mère”.

- Preposition of purpose: [hi]à[/hi] indicates the purpose of “mère’s” activity.

[hi]Je ne sais plus quoi penser.[/hi]. I don’t know what to think anymore.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne[/hi] – This is the negation particle “not”. It is used in combination with the verb “sais” to create the negative form.

- sais[/hi] – This is the present tense form of the verb “savoir” meaning “to know”.

- plus[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “no longer” or “anymore”.

- quoi[/hi] – This is an interrogative pronoun meaning “what”.

- penser[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “penser” meaning “to think”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The use of “[hi]ne[/hi]” to form the negative.

- Present Tense: The verb “[hi]sais[/hi]” is in the present tense, indicating a current state of not knowing.

- Infinitive: The verb “[hi]penser[/hi]” is in the infinitive form, which is used after certain verbs like “[hi]savoir[/hi]”.

- Interrogative Pronoun: “[hi]quoi[/hi]” acts as the object of the verb “penser”.

[hi]L’auteur est brésilien.[/hi]. The author is Brazilian.

Breakdown:

- L’[hi]auteur[/hi] – The [hi]auteur[/hi] (author) is the subject of the sentence. The definite article “L’” is used before a masculine noun starting with a vowel.

- est[/hi] – This is the third person singular form of the verb “être” (to be) in the present tense. It agrees with the subject, “[hi]auteur[/hi]”.

- brésilien[/hi] – This is an adjective meaning Brazilian, which modifies the subject.

Key Concepts:

- Definite articles are used to indicate that the noun is specific and already known.

- Subject-verb agreement is crucial in French. The verb must agree with the subject in number and person.

- Adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify.

[hi]Mes jambes étaient douloureuses après la longue promenade.[/hi]. My legs were sore after the long walk.

The sentence uses the past tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be), which is [hi]étaient[/hi] in this case. [hi]Douloureuses[/hi] is the feminine plural form of the adjective [hi]douloureux[/hi] (sore, painful) and describes the noun [hi]jambes[/hi] (legs). The preposition [hi]après[/hi] (after) connects the action of the long walk to the state of the legs being sore.

[hi]Rejoins-moi au bar de l’hôtel ![/hi]. Join me at the hotel bar!

Breakdown:

- Rejoins-moi : [hi]Rejoins[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb [hi]rejoindre[/hi] (to join) conjugated in the second person singular, meaning “join” or “meet”. [hi]moi[/hi] is the pronoun “me”.

- au bar de l’hôtel: [hi]au[/hi] is the preposition “at”, [hi]bar[/hi] is “bar”, [hi]de l’hôtel[/hi] is “of the hotel”.

This sentence is a direct command or invitation, telling someone to meet the speaker at the hotel bar.

[hi]Je fus amèrement déçu.[/hi]. I was bitterly disappointed.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in the first person singular.

- fus[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” (to be) in the past simple tense, conjugated in the first person singular. It indicates an action that happened in the past.

- amèrement[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “bitterly” and modifies the verb “[hi]déçu[/hi]”. It emphasizes the intensity of the disappointment.

- déçu[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “[hi]décevoir[/hi]” (to disappoint) used as an adjective in the masculine singular form. It describes the state of being disappointed.

Key Concepts:

- Past Simple Tense: The past simple tense is used to describe actions that happened in the past.

- Adverbs: Adverbs modify verbs and provide more information about how, when, or where something happened.

- Past Participle as Adjective: Past participles can function as adjectives describing the state of something.

[hi]Il me rappelle son père quand il parle.[/hi]. He reminds me of his father when he speaks.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the pronoun “he”. It is the subject of the verb.

- me[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “me”. It is the indirect object of the verb.

- rappelle[/hi] – This is the third person singular form of the verb [hi]rappeler[/hi], meaning “to remind”. In this sentence, it is used in the present tense.

- son[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “his”. It modifies the noun “father”.

- père[/hi] – This is the noun “father”.

- quand[/hi] – This is the conjunction “when”. It introduces the subordinate clause.

- il[/hi] – This is the pronoun “he”. It is the subject of the verb “speaks”.

- parle[/hi] – This is the third person singular form of the verb [hi]parler[/hi], meaning “to speak”.

Key Concepts:

- Direct and Indirect Objects: This sentence uses both direct and indirect objects. The direct object is implied (the memory of his father) and the indirect object is “me”.

- Possessive Adjectives: The possessive adjective “[hi]son[/hi]” is used to show possession.

- Subordinate Clause: The phrase “[hi]quand il parle[/hi]” is a subordinate clause that modifies the main clause.

[hi]Qui s’occupera de ton chien ?[/hi]. Who will take care of your dog?

Breakdown:

- Qui[/hi] – This is the interrogative pronoun “who.” It’s the subject of the verb “s’occupera.”

- s’occupera[/hi] – This is the third person singular future tense of the reflexive verb “[hi]s’occuper[/hi],” meaning “to take care of.” The reflexive pronoun “[hi]se[/hi]” is contracted with the verb, creating “[hi]s’[/hi].”

- de[/hi] – This is the preposition “of.”

- ton[/hi] – This is the possessive adjective “your.”

- chien[/hi] – This is the noun “dog.”

Key Concepts:

- Interrogative Pronoun: The sentence uses the interrogative pronoun “[hi]qui[/hi]” to ask a question.

- Reflexive Verb: The verb “[hi]s’occuper[/hi]” is reflexive, meaning the action is directed back to the subject.

- Future Tense: The sentence uses the future tense to indicate an action that will happen in the future.

- Possessive Adjective: The possessive adjective “[hi]ton[/hi]” indicates that the dog belongs to the person being addressed.

[hi]Il m’a envoyé une carte d’anniversaire.[/hi]. He sent me a birthday card.

Breakdown:

- Il [hi]il[/hi]: He (masculine subject pronoun)

- m’ [hi]m’[/hi]: me (indirect object pronoun, contraction of [hi]me[/hi] and [hi]à[/hi])

- a envoyé [hi]a envoyé[/hi]: sent (past tense of the verb [hi]envoyer[/hi], meaning “to send”)

- une [hi]une[/hi]: a (feminine singular definite article)

- carte [hi]carte[/hi]: card (feminine noun)

- d’anniversaire [hi]d’anniversaire[/hi]: birthday (contraction of [hi]de[/hi] and [hi]anniversaire[/hi], meaning “of birthday”)

Key Concepts:

- Direct and Indirect Objects: The sentence uses both a direct object ([hi]carte d’anniversaire[/hi]) and an indirect object ([hi]me[/hi]). The indirect object pronoun ([hi]m’[/hi]) indicates the recipient of the action.

- Past Tense: The verb [hi]a envoyé[/hi] is in the past tense, indicating that the action of sending the card has already happened.

- Contractions: The sentence uses contractions ([hi]m’[/hi] and [hi]d’anniversaire[/hi]) which are common in French and often occur with prepositions.

[hi]C’est l’un des meilleurs livres que j’ai lus depuis des années.[/hi]. This is one of the best books I have read in years.

Breakdown:

- C’est [hi]C’est[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]ce est[/hi] (this is), a common way to begin a sentence in French.

- l’un [hi]l’un[/hi] is the masculine singular form of the pronoun “one.” The apostrophe is used for elision of the final “e” in “le” before a vowel.

- des [hi]des[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]de les[/hi] and functions as the plural form of [hi]de[/hi] (of the)

- meilleurs [hi]meilleurs[/hi] is the masculine plural form of the adjective “best,” modifying the noun “livres”

- livres [hi]livres[/hi] is the masculine plural form of the noun “book”

- que [hi]que[/hi] is a relative pronoun meaning “that” or “which”

- j’ai [hi]j’ai[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]je ai[/hi] (I have)

- lus [hi]lus[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]lire[/hi] (to read)

- depuis [hi]depuis[/hi] is a preposition meaning “since” or “for”

- des [hi]des[/hi] is the plural form of [hi]de[/hi] (of the)

- années [hi]années[/hi] is the plural form of the noun “year.”

This sentence demonstrates the use of:

- contractions like [hi]c’est[/hi] and [hi]j’ai[/hi]

- elision of the final “e” in “le” before a vowel, as in [hi]l’un[/hi]

- plural forms of nouns and adjectives

- relative pronouns

- past participles

- prepositions

[hi]Je ne suis en aucun cas en colère après toi.[/hi]. I am not angry at you in any way.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I (subject pronoun)

- ne[/hi] – not (negation)

- suis[/hi] – am (verb “être” in present tense, first person singular)

- en[/hi] – in (preposition)

- aucun[/hi] – any (indefinite article)

- cas[/hi] – case (noun)

- en[/hi] – in (preposition)

- colère[/hi] – anger (noun)

- après[/hi] – after (preposition)

- toi[/hi] – you (object pronoun)

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative construction “[hi]ne…pas[/hi]” (not…not). Here, “[hi]pas[/hi]” is implied.

- Prepositions: The sentence uses several prepositions, including “[hi]en[/hi]” (in) and “[hi]après[/hi]” (after), which indicate location and direction.

- Indefinite article: “[hi]aucun[/hi]” (any) is an indefinite article used to specify a general quantity.

- Object pronoun: “[hi]toi[/hi]” (you) is an object pronoun, indicating the recipient of the action.

[hi]Tom fait ses devoirs dans sa chambre.[/hi]. Tom is doing his homework in his room.

- Tom[/hi] is the subject of the sentence, referring to Tom.

- fait[/hi] is the third-person singular present tense of the verb faire[/hi] (to do), conjugated to agree with the subject Tom[/hi].

- ses devoirs[/hi] is the direct object of the verb faire[/hi], meaning “his homework”.

- dans[/hi] is a preposition meaning “in”.

- sa chambre[/hi] is the object of the preposition dans[/hi], meaning “his room”.

This sentence uses a common grammatical structure in French, with the subject followed by the verb and then the direct object. The preposition dans[/hi] indicates the location where the action of doing homework is taking place.

[hi]Il n’est pas sûr de vouloir le faire.[/hi]. He is not sure if he wants to do it.

This sentence uses the negative construction with ne…pas. Ne comes before the verb, while pas is placed after the verb.

Il [hi]il[/hi] – He (subject pronoun) n’est [hi]n’est[/hi] – is not (third-person singular of the verb être [hi]être[/hi] – to be, in the negative) pas [hi]pas[/hi] – not (negative particle) sûr [hi]sûr[/hi] – sure (adjective) de [hi]de[/hi] – of (preposition) vouloir [hi]vouloir[/hi] – to want (infinitive verb) le [hi]le[/hi] – it (direct object pronoun) faire [hi]faire[/hi] – to do (infinitive verb) [hi]Arrêtons.[/hi]. Let’s stop.

This sentence uses the imperative form of the verb [hi]arrêter[/hi] (to stop).

The [hi]ons[/hi] ending indicates that it is in the first person plural form, meaning “we”.

Thus, the phrase is literally “Let us stop”, which is translated to “Let’s stop”.

[hi]Combien de fois m’avez-vous menti ?[/hi]. How many times have you lied to me?

This sentence uses the interrogative pronoun [hi]combien[/hi] which means “how much” or “how many.” [hi]Combien[/hi] is used here to ask a question about quantity.

The verb is [hi]avez-vous menti[/hi]. This is in the passé composé tense, which is used for actions that have already happened. [hi]Avez[/hi] is the conjugated form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the second person plural, which is used when addressing two or more people. [hi]Menti[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]mentir[/hi] which means “to lie.”

The sentence is a question because it ends with a question mark.

[hi]Veuillez faire quelque chose à cela, je vous prie.[/hi]. Please do something about this, I beg you.

Breakdown:

- Veuillez[/hi]: This is the formal imperative form of the verb [hi]vouloir[/hi] (to want). It’s used to politely request someone to do something.

- faire[/hi]: This is the infinitive form of the verb [hi]faire[/hi] (to do) and it is being used as the direct object of the verb [hi]Veuillez[/hi].

- quelque chose[/hi]: This is a noun phrase meaning “something.” It is the object of the verb [hi]faire[/hi].

- à cela[/hi]: This is a prepositional phrase meaning “about this.” The preposition [hi]à[/hi] (to/at) connects [hi]cela[/hi] (this) to the verb [hi]faire[/hi].

- je vous prie[/hi]: This is a polite phrase meaning “I beg you.” It is used to emphasize the request.

[hi]Il nous faut prendre une décision.[/hi]. We need to make a decision.

Breakdown:

- Il [hi]il[/hi] is the third person singular pronoun meaning “he,” “it,” or “one” (in this case, “one” as a generic subject)

- nous [hi]nous[/hi] is the first person plural pronoun meaning “we”

- faute [hi]faut[/hi] is a shortened form of the verb falloir which means “to be necessary,” “to be required”

- prendre [hi]prendre[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to take”

- une [hi]une[/hi] is the feminine singular definite article meaning “a” or “an”

- décision [hi]décision[/hi] is a noun meaning “decision”

This sentence is in the third person singular because falloir is an impersonal verb. Impersonal verbs are verbs that do not have a subject. The subject pronoun “il” is used as a placeholder for the impersonal verb.

Key Concepts:

- Impersonal verbs

- Definite articles

- Infinitives

- Verb conjugation (shortened form of falloir)

[hi]J’espère que tu comprendras.[/hi]. I hope you will understand.

This sentence uses the verb [hi]espérer[/hi] which means “to hope.” The pronoun [hi]je[/hi], meaning “I,” is used in the subject position and agrees with the verb [hi]espère[/hi]. The conjunction [hi]que[/hi] connects the verb [hi]espérer[/hi] to the subordinate clause “tu comprendras.” In this clause, the pronoun [hi]tu[/hi], meaning “you,” is the subject and the verb [hi]comprendras[/hi] is in the future tense, indicating that the action of understanding will happen in the future. The verb [hi]comprendre[/hi] means “to understand.”

The sentence is a simple declarative sentence expressing hope that the listener will understand.

[hi]Peux-tu nous donner une minute, s’il te plaît ?[/hi]. Can you give us a minute, please?

This sentence uses the formal “vous” form of the verb “pouvoir” ([hi]pouvoir[/hi]) – “Peux-tu” which means “Can you”.

It also uses the formal “tu” form of “donner” ([hi]donner[/hi]) “Donner” means “to give”. The “nous” ([hi]nous[/hi]) is the pronoun “us” and refers to the speaker and others.

The phrase “s’il te plaît” ([hi]s’il te plaît[/hi]) is a polite way to add “please” at the end of a request.

[hi]Je savais que c’était sérieux.[/hi]. I knew that it was serious.

Here’s a breakdown of the sentence:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- savais[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb “[hi]savoir[/hi]” (to know). It is conjugated in the “imperfect” tense, which indicates an ongoing or repeated action in the past.

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that.” It introduces a subordinate clause.

- c’était[/hi] – This is the past tense of the verb “[hi]être[/hi]” (to be) in the “imperfect” tense. The “c’” is a contraction of “[hi]ce[/hi]” (this/it).

- sérieux[/hi] – This is the masculine singular adjective meaning “serious.”

Key concepts:

- The imperfect tense: It is used to describe actions that were ongoing or habitual in the past.

- Subordinate clause: This is a dependent clause that cannot stand alone as a sentence. It is introduced by a conjunction.

Putting it together: The sentence describes the speaker’s knowledge of something being serious, highlighting the ongoing nature of that knowledge.

[hi]Je peux y arriver.[/hi]. I can do it.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- peux[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “pouvoir” (to be able to). It is conjugated in the first person singular.

- y[/hi] – This is a pronoun that refers to the location or situation previously mentioned. Here, it refers to the task or goal that is being discussed.

- arriver[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “arriver” (to arrive, to succeed).

- arriver[/hi] – In this sentence, “[hi]arriver[/hi]” is used as a modal verb, indicating possibility or ability.

Key Concept: The construction “pouvoir + infinitive” is a common way to express ability in French.

[hi]Nous devons nous asseoir.[/hi]. We must sit down.

- Nous[/hi] – “We” (plural subject pronoun)

- devons[/hi] – “must” (present tense of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi], meaning “to have to” or “to must”)

- nous[/hi] – “ourselves” (reflexive pronoun, indicating the action is done to oneself)

- asseoir[/hi] – “to sit down” (verb, infinitive form)

The reflexive pronoun [hi]nous[/hi] is used here to emphasize that the action of sitting down is done by the subject themselves. The verb [hi]asseoir[/hi] is irregular in the present tense, and in this context, it takes the form [hi]devons[/hi].

[hi]Il n’y a pas de raccourcis vers le haut, seulement vers le bas.[/hi]. There are no shortcuts upwards, only downwards.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – This is the third person singular masculine pronoun meaning “he” or “it.” In this sentence, it is used impersonally, referring to a general concept.

- n’y a pas[/hi] – This is a negative construction. “[hi]ne[/hi]” is the negative particle, and “[hi]y a[/hi]” is a contraction of “[hi]il y a[/hi]” which means “there is/are.” “Pas” is the negation of “a.” So together, this phrase means “there is not” or “there are not.”

- de raccourcis[/hi] – This is a noun phrase. “[hi]de[/hi]” is a preposition meaning “of” or “from.” “[hi]raccourcis[/hi]” is the plural noun for “shortcut.” Together, it means “of shortcuts.”

- vers le haut[/hi] – This is a prepositional phrase indicating direction. “[hi]vers[/hi]” means “towards” or “in the direction of.” “[hi]le haut[/hi]” means “upwards” or “high.” So, the phrase means “towards the top” or “upwards.”

- seulement[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “only.”

- vers le bas[/hi] – This is another prepositional phrase indicating direction. “[hi]vers le bas[/hi]” means “downwards” or “towards the bottom.”

Key concepts:

- Impersonal construction: The sentence does not refer to a specific person. It is a general statement about shortcuts.

- Negative construction: The sentence uses a negative construction to emphasize that shortcuts only exist in one direction.

- Prepositional phrases: The sentence uses two prepositional phrases to specify the directions of the shortcuts.

- Adverb: The adverb “[hi]seulement[/hi]” highlights the contrast between the two directions.

[hi]Je suis fatigué de toutes ces réflexions.[/hi]. I am tired of all these reflections.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – “I” – This is the subject pronoun in the first person singular.

- suis[/hi] – “am” – This is the present tense of the verb “être” (to be) conjugated in the first person singular.

- fatigué[/hi] – “tired” – This is an adjective describing the subject.

- de[/hi] – “of” – This is a preposition introducing the object of the preposition.

- toutes[/hi] – “all” – This is a determiner modifying the noun “réflexions.”

- ces[/hi] – “these” – This is a demonstrative adjective modifying the noun “réflexions.”

- réflexions[/hi] – “reflections” – This is the noun that is the object of the preposition “de.”

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “suis” is conjugated in the first person singular to agree with the subject “je.”

- Prepositional Phrases: The phrase “de toutes ces réflexions” is a prepositional phrase that modifies the adjective “fatigué.”

- Determiners and Adjectives: The words “toutes” and “ces” are determiners and adjectives that modify the noun “réflexions.”

[hi]Je ne comprends pas tout à fait ce que vous dites.[/hi]. I don’t fully understand what you’re saying.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I” in French.

- ne[/hi] – This is a negation particle. It means “not” and is used with the verb “comprendre” to form the negative conjugation.

- comprends[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “comprendre” (to understand). The conjugation “comprends” means “understand” and is used with the subject “je” (I).

- pas[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “not” and is used to emphasize the negation.

- tout[/hi] – This is an indefinite pronoun that means “everything”.

- à fait[/hi] – This is a combination of the preposition “à” (to) and the adverb “fait” (done). It means “completely” or “fully” and modifies the verb “comprendre”.

- ce que[/hi] – This is a relative pronoun that means “what” and introduces a relative clause. The relative clause, “ce que vous dites,” acts as the direct object of the verb “comprendre”.

- vous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “you” in French.

- dites[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “dire” (to say). The conjugation “dites” means “say” and is used with the subject “vous” (you).

[hi]Elle n’est pas chanteuse.[/hi]. She is not a singer.

This sentence is a negative statement using the [hi]ne…pas[/hi] construction, which means “not”.

- Elle[/hi] is the subject pronoun, meaning “she”.

- n’est[/hi] is the contracted form of [hi]ne est[/hi] which is the third person singular form of the verb “to be” in the present tense, meaning “is”.

- pas[/hi] means “not”.

- chanteuse[/hi] is the noun meaning “singer”, it’s a feminine noun in French.

[hi]Ce ne peut être vrai.[/hi]. This cannot be true.

Breakdown:

- Ce [hi]ne[/hi] peut être vrai. This sentence is in the negative form, using the [hi]ne[/hi] particle to negate the verb “être”.

- Ce[/hi] is a demonstrative pronoun, meaning “this” or “it” in this context.

- peut[/hi] is the third-person singular form of the verb “pouvoir” (to be able to).

- être[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb “to be” and is used here as the main verb in the sentence.

- vrai[/hi] is an adjective meaning “true.”

Key concepts:

- Negation in French: The negative form is constructed using the particles [hi]ne[/hi] before the verb and [hi]pas[/hi] after it, although in this case, [hi]pas[/hi] is omitted.

- Use of [hi]ce[/hi]: This pronoun is used to refer to a previously mentioned or understood idea or thing.

[hi]L’air conditionné n’a pas l’air de fonctionner.[/hi]. The air conditioner doesn’t seem to be working.

- L’air conditionné[/hi] – This is the subject of the sentence, meaning “the air conditioner”. [hi]L’[/hi] is a contraction of [hi]le[/hi] and [hi]l’[/hi], the definite article for masculine singular nouns.

- n’a pas l’air de[/hi] – This is a common French expression that translates to “doesn’t seem to”. [hi]ne…pas[/hi] is the negative form of the verb “avoir” (to have) in the present tense. [hi]l’air[/hi] is the noun “air” and [hi]de[/hi] is the preposition “of”.

- fonctionner[/hi] – This is the infinitive form of the verb “to function”. It is the object of the verb “[hi]avoir[/hi]”.

[hi]Étiez-vous vraiment énervés ?[/hi]. Were you really [hi]énervés[/hi]?

This sentence is a simple question in the past tense.

[hi]Étiez-vous[/hi] is the past tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be) conjugated in the formal second person plural (you all, or you, in a formal context).

[hi]vraiment[/hi] is an adverb meaning really, truly.

[hi]énervés[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]énerver[/hi] (to annoy, to irritate), which is used as an adjective in this case.

So the sentence means “Were you really annoyed?” or “Were you really irritated?”

[hi]Je n’arrive pas à bien dormir.[/hi]. I can’t sleep well.

The sentence uses the [hi]ne…pas[/hi] structure to express negation.

[hi]Je[/hi] means “I” and is the subject pronoun.

[hi]n’arrive[/hi] is the conjugated form of the verb [hi]arriver[/hi], meaning “to arrive”. In this case, it means “to manage” or “to succeed”.

[hi]pas[/hi] is the negation word.

[hi]à[/hi] is the preposition “to” or “at”.

[hi]bien[/hi] means “well” and describes how the subject [hi]sleeps[/hi].

[hi]dormir[/hi] means “to sleep”.

[hi]Ce n’est pas une affaire urgente.[/hi]. This is not an urgent matter.

Breakdown:

- Ce[/hi] is a demonstrative adjective meaning “this” or “that”.

- n’est[/hi] is the contraction of ne[/hi] (not) and est[/hi] (is), forming the third person singular of the verb être[/hi] (to be) in the negative.

- pas[/hi] is an adverb meaning “not” used to emphasize the negation.

- une[/hi] is an indefinite article meaning “a” or “an”.

- affaire[/hi] is a noun meaning “matter”, “affair”, or “business”.

- urgente[/hi] is an adjective meaning “urgent”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negative construction ne…pas[/hi] to negate the verb être[/hi].

- Agreement: The adjective urgente[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the noun affaire[/hi].

- Word Order: The word order in the sentence is standard for French, with the subject (**[hi]ce[/hi]) followed by the verb ([hi]n’est[/hi]) and then the object ([hi]une affaire urgente[/hi]).

[hi]Aimes-tu étudier ?[/hi]. Do you like to study?

This sentence is in the [hi]tu[/hi] form, meaning it is directed at “you” (singular, informal).

- Aimes-tu[/hi] is the conjugated form of the verb [hi]aimer[/hi] (to like) in the present tense, with the subject pronoun [hi]tu[/hi] attached to the end. This is a common way to form questions in French.

- étudier[/hi] means “to study.”

The entire sentence translates to “Do you like to study?” and implies a casual conversation, perhaps between friends or classmates.

[hi]Tom aurait dû dire oui.[/hi]. Tom should have said yes.

This sentence uses the conditional perfect tense, which is formed with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the conditional mood (the past conditional) and the past participle of the main verb. The past participle of [hi]dire[/hi] is [hi]dit[/hi].

Breakdown of the sentence:

- Tom[/hi]: This is the subject of the sentence, referring to Tom.

- aurait[/hi]: This is the conditional form of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the third person singular, indicating that Tom should have done something.

- dû[/hi]: This is the past participle of the verb [hi]devoir[/hi] (to have to), which is used here to express obligation or necessity.

- dire[/hi]: This is the infinitive of the verb [hi]dire[/hi] (to say), which is the main verb of the sentence.

- oui[/hi]: This is the object of the verb [hi]dire[/hi], meaning “yes.”

Therefore, the complete sentence means “Tom should have said yes.”

[hi]Il est maintenant étudiant à la fac.[/hi]. He is now a student at the university.

- Il[/hi] – This is the third-person singular masculine pronoun, meaning “he.”

- est[/hi] – This is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “être” (to be).

- maintenant[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “now.”

- étudiant[/hi] – This is a masculine noun meaning “student.”

- à la fac[/hi] – This is a colloquial phrase meaning “at the university” – literally meaning “at the [hi]fac[/hi]” – short for [hi]faculté[/hi] which is the French word for “faculty” or department of study.

Key Concepts:

- This sentence is in the present tense.

- The phrase “[hi]à la fac[/hi]” is a colloquialism, and it’s important to understand how it differs from the more formal “[hi]à l’université[/hi]”.

[hi]On doit payer pour la liberté.[/hi]. We must pay for freedom.

Breakdown:

- On[/hi] – This is the pronoun “we” in the third person plural. It functions as the subject of the verb [hi]doit[/hi].

- doit[/hi] – This is the verb “to have to” or “must” in the third person plural present tense. It is conjugated to agree with the subject [hi]on[/hi].

- payer[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to pay.”

- pour[/hi] – This is the preposition “for,” indicating the reason for paying.

- la liberté[/hi] – This is the feminine noun “freedom.” [hi]la[/hi] is the definite article meaning “the.”

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]doit[/hi] is conjugated to agree with the subject [hi]on[/hi] in number and person.

- Prepositional Phrase: The phrase [hi]pour la liberté[/hi] functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb [hi]doit[/hi] by indicating the reason for paying.

- Definite Article: The definite article [hi]la[/hi] is used before the feminine noun [hi]liberté[/hi], indicating that freedom is specific and understood by the speaker and listener.

[hi]Montre-moi tes papiers ![/hi]. Show me your papers!

This sentence is an imperative command, meaning it’s telling someone to do something.

- Montre[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb montrer[/hi] (to show). Here, it’s conjugated in the second person singular (tu) form, meaning it’s directly addressing one person.

- moi[/hi] is the pronoun for “me” and is the indirect object of the verb, indicating the person to whom the papers are being shown.

- tes[/hi] is the possessive adjective for “your” and agrees with the plural noun **[hi]papiers[/hi] (papers).

- papiers[/hi] is the direct object of the verb, the thing being shown.

This sentence implies a situation where someone in authority is demanding to see identification or other documents.

[hi]Lorsqu’il est revenu de chez le teinturier, mon costume était abîmé.[/hi]. When he returned from the dry cleaner’s, my suit was damaged.

- Lorsqu’[/hi] is a contraction of Lorsque[/hi] meaning “when,” a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause.

- il[/hi] is the subject pronoun “he.”

- est revenu[/hi] is the past participle of the verb revenir[/hi] “to return”, in the third person singular, conjugated with the auxiliary verb être[/hi] “to be” in the past tense.

- de chez[/hi] is a prepositional phrase meaning “from the home of” or “from the place of.”

- le teinturier[/hi] is a noun meaning “the dry cleaner” (literally “the dyer”).

- mon[/hi] is the possessive adjective “my.”

- costume[/hi] is a noun meaning “suit.”

- était[/hi] is the past tense of the verb être[/hi] “to be.”

- abîmé[/hi] is the past participle of the verb abîmer[/hi] “to damage” used as an adjective meaning “damaged.”

This sentence uses the past tense and a subordinate clause introduced by lorsque[/hi]. It also demonstrates the use of possessive adjectives and a past participle used as an adjective.

[hi]Tom n’a jamais vu Mary danser.[/hi]. Tom has never seen Mary dance.

Breakdown:

- Tom[/hi] – This is the subject of the sentence, a masculine proper noun.

- n’a[/hi] – This is the contracted form of “[hi]ne a[/hi]” meaning “has not”. It’s a negation of the verb “avoir” (to have).

- jamais[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “never”. It emphasizes the negative aspect of the sentence.

- vu[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “voir” (to see).

- Mary[/hi] – This is the object of the verb “voir”, a feminine proper noun.

- danser[/hi] – This is the infinitive verb “to dance”.

Key Concepts:

- Negation: The sentence uses the negation “[hi]ne[/hi]” (contracted to “[hi]n’[/hi]”) to express that Tom has not seen Mary dance.

- Past Participle: The verb “[hi]vu[/hi]” is in the past participle form, which is used to create compound tenses in French.

- Infinitive: The verb “[hi]danser[/hi]” is in the infinitive form, which is used to indicate an action or state without specifying time or subject.

[hi]C’est ce qui me rend malade.[/hi]. That’s what makes me sick.

Breakdown:

- C’est [hi]C’est[/hi] is a contraction of ce est, which means “it is”.

- ce qui [hi]ce qui[/hi] is a relative pronoun meaning “that which” or “what”. It introduces a relative clause, which is a clause that modifies a noun. In this sentence, the relative clause is “qui me rend malade” [hi]qui me rend malade[/hi] which modifies “ce” [hi]ce[/hi].

- me [hi]me[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, meaning “me”.

- rend [hi]rend[/hi] is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “rendre” [hi]rendre[/hi], which means “to make” or “to render”.

- malade [hi]malade[/hi] is an adjective meaning “sick”.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: French often uses contractions to combine words, such as “c’est” [hi]c’est[/hi] for “ce est” [hi]ce est[/hi].

- Relative Pronouns: Relative pronouns connect clauses and provide more information about a noun.

- Direct Object Pronouns: Direct object pronouns replace the direct object of a verb.

- Verb Conjugation: French verbs change their form depending on the subject and tense.

[hi]Il faut que vous laissiez courir.[/hi]. You have to let it go.

[hi]Il[/hi] is the masculine singular pronoun meaning “he”, but in this case it’s a formal “you”.

[hi]faut[/hi] is a contracted form of [hi]il faut[/hi] meaning “it is necessary”.

[hi]que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces a subjunctive clause.

[hi]vous[/hi] is the formal “you” pronoun in the nominative case.

[hi]laissiez[/hi] is the subjunctive form of the verb [hi]laisser[/hi] “to let, to leave”.

[hi]courir[/hi] is the infinitive verb “to run”, but in this case it’s used to signify “to let go” or “to leave something alone”.

The whole sentence is in the subjunctive mood, which indicates a necessity or an obligation.

[hi]On ne s’est pas reconnues.[/hi]. We didn’t recognize each other.

Breakdown:

- On [hi]On[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “we” (but only in a negative or interrogative sentence).

- ne… pas [hi]ne… pas[/hi] are the negative markers, indicating that the action did not happen.

- s’est [hi]s’est[/hi] is a contracted form of “se est”, which is the reflexive pronoun “se” (meaning “oneself”) combined with the third-person singular form of the verb “être” (to be). This form is used when the subject of the verb is also the object of the verb, meaning the action is done to oneself.

- reconnues [hi]reconnues[/hi] is the past participle of the verb “reconnaître” (to recognize). It is in the feminine plural form to agree with the subject “on” (which is considered grammatically feminine in French).

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Pronouns: The use of the reflexive pronoun [hi]se[/hi] indicates that the action of recognizing is done by the subject (“we”) to themselves.

- Negative Construction: The [hi]ne… pas[/hi] structure is essential for creating a negative sentence.

- Agreement: The past participle [hi]reconnues[/hi] must agree in gender and number with the subject “on”.

[hi]Que puis-je aller te chercher à boire ?[/hi]. “Can I get you something to drink?”

This sentence is a question, asking if the listener would like a drink.

- Que[/hi] is the interrogative pronoun “what” in this context.

- puis-je[/hi] is a conjugated form of the verb “pouvoir” (to be able to), indicating the ability to do something. Here, it’s asking for permission.

- aller[/hi] is the infinitive “to go”, used here in a future tense.

- te[/hi] is the object pronoun “you” in an informal tone.

- chercher[/hi] is the infinitive “to get”, implying finding something for someone.

- à boire[/hi] is a prepositional phrase meaning “to drink” (something).

The question implies that the speaker is offering to get a drink for the listener. It’s a polite offer and often used in informal situations.

[hi]Nous nous sommes rencontrés à une rencontre surprise.[/hi]. We met at a surprise party.

Breakdown:

- Nous[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “we” in the plural form.

- nous[/hi] – This is the reflexive pronoun “ourselves” in the plural form.

- sommes[/hi] – This is the present tense conjugation of the verb “être” (to be) in the plural form.

- rencontrés[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “rencontrer” (to meet), which is used here in the passé composé tense (a common way to express past events in French).

- à[/hi] – This is the preposition “at” or “to”.

- une[/hi] – This is the indefinite article “a” or “an”.

- rencontre[/hi] – This is the noun “meeting” or “encounter”.

- surprise[/hi] – This is the noun “surprise”.

Key Concepts:

- Reflexive Pronouns: The sentence uses the reflexive pronoun “nous” (ourselves) because the action of meeting is directed back to the subject (we).

- Passé Composé Tense: The sentence is in the passé composé tense, which is formed with the auxiliary verb “avoir” (to have) or “être” (to be) plus the past participle of the main verb. In this case, the auxiliary verb “être” is used because the verb “rencontrer” is a verb of movement.

- Indefinite Article: The sentence uses the indefinite article “une” (a) before the noun “rencontre” (meeting) because it is a singular and unspecified meeting.

[hi]Quand je me suis réveillée, il neigeait.[/hi]. When I woke up, it was snowing.

Breakdown:

- Quand[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “when.” It introduces a subordinate clause that describes the time of the main clause.

- je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I.”

- me suis[/hi] – This is the reflexive verb “to wake up” in the past tense. The reflexive pronoun “[hi]me[/hi]” is used because the action of waking up affects the subject.

- réveillée[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “to wake up.” It agrees in gender and number with the subject “[hi]je[/hi]”.

- il[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “it” referring to the weather.

- neigeait[/hi] – This is the imperfect tense of the verb “to snow.” It indicates that the snowing was an ongoing action in the past.

[hi]Qui que ce soit se trouve-t-il dans la pièce ?[/hi]. Whoever is in the room?

The sentence uses the [hi]qui que ce soit[/hi] construction. This is a special way to say “whoever” in French and implies that it doesn’t matter who the person is. The construction breaks down as follows:

- Qui[/hi]: “Who” – This is the interrogative pronoun that starts the phrase.

- que[/hi]: “That” – This is a conjunction that introduces the following clause.

- ce[/hi]: “This” – This is a demonstrative pronoun that emphasizes the person or thing being referred to.

- soit[/hi]: “Be” – This is the subjunctive form of the verb “être” (to be). This subjunctive mood indicates that the speaker is expressing doubt or uncertainty about the identity of the person in the room.

The rest of the sentence is a simple interrogative construction:

- se trouve-t-il[/hi]: “Is he found” – This is the present tense of the verb “se trouver” (to be located) conjugated in the third person singular and followed by the interrogative particle “-t-il” to form a question.

- dans la pièce[/hi]: “In the room” – This is a prepositional phrase indicating the location of the person in question.

[hi]Malheureusement, je n’ai pas de temps aujourd’hui.[/hi]. Unfortunately, I do not have time today.

This sentence is a simple statement using the verb avoir in the negative form.

[hi]Malheureusement[/hi] means unfortunately, an adverb modifying the sentence [hi]je[/hi] means I, the subject pronoun * [hi]n’ai[/hi] is the negative conjugation of the verb avoir in the present tense, first person singular (I have). Ne is the negative particle and ai is the conjugated verb * [hi]pas[/hi] means not, the negative adverb [hi]de[/hi] means of, used to indicate possession [hi]temps[/hi] means time, the direct object * [hi]aujourd’hui[/hi] means today, an adverb specifying the time frame.

[hi]Il a joué au golf tous les jours pendant ses vacances.[/hi]. He played golf every day during his vacation.

Breakdown:

- Il[/hi] – He (masculine singular pronoun, subject of the verb)

- a joué[/hi] – played (past participle of the verb [hi]jouer[/hi] – to play, conjugated with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in the past tense)

- au golf[/hi] – at golf (prepositional phrase indicating the activity)

- tous les jours[/hi] – every day (adverbial phrase indicating frequency)

- pendant[/hi] – during (preposition)

- ses vacances[/hi] – his vacation (plural noun, possessive adjective [hi]ses[/hi] agreeing with the masculine singular subject)

Key Concepts:

- Past Tense: The verb [hi]jouer[/hi] is in the past tense, indicating an action that took place in the past.

- Prepositions: The prepositions [hi]au[/hi] and [hi]pendant[/hi] introduce prepositional phrases that provide context to the verb.

- Possessive Adjectives: The possessive adjective [hi]ses[/hi] agrees in gender and number with the subject [hi]Il[/hi].

- Adverbial Phrases: The adverbial phrase [hi]tous les jours[/hi] modifies the verb [hi]a joué[/hi] to indicate frequency.

[hi]Je ne connais personne à Boston.[/hi]. I don’t know anyone in Boston.

This sentence is in the negative form and uses the verb [hi]connaître[/hi], which means “to know” in the sense of being acquainted with someone.

Breakdown:

- Je: I (subject pronoun)

- ne…pas: This is the negative construction in French. “Ne” comes before the verb and “pas” after it.

- connais: The verb [hi]connaître[/hi] is conjugated in the present tense, first person singular.

- personne: This is an indefinite pronoun meaning “no one” or “nobody.”

- à: This is a preposition meaning “in” or “at” and is used to indicate location.

- Boston: This is the name of the city.

This sentence demonstrates the basic structure of a French sentence with the subject, verb, and object. It also showcases the use of negative construction and the preposition [hi]à[/hi] for location.

[hi]Qu’est-ce que vous attendiez ?[/hi]. What were you waiting for?

The sentence uses the [hi]imperfect tense[/hi] of the verb [hi]attendre[/hi] (to wait). The [hi]imperfect tense[/hi] is used to describe actions or states that were ongoing in the past. The pronoun [hi]vous[/hi] is the formal second person plural, which can be used to address one person politely.

The sentence can also be translated as “What were you expecting?” depending on the context.

[hi]Je sais que tu es toujours en colère contre moi.[/hi]. I know that you are still angry at me.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “I”.

- sais[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “savoir” (to know).

- que[/hi] – This is a conjunction meaning “that”.

- tu[/hi] – This is the subject pronoun “you”.

- es[/hi] – This is the present tense of the verb “être” (to be).

- toujours[/hi] – This is an adverb meaning “always”.

- en[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “in”.

- colère[/hi] – This is a noun meaning “anger”.

- contre[/hi] – This is a preposition meaning “against”.

- moi[/hi] – This is the object pronoun “me”.

Key Concepts:

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb “[hi]sais[/hi]” agrees in number and person with the subject “[hi]je[/hi]”. Similarly, the verb “[hi]es[/hi]” agrees with the subject “[hi]tu[/hi]”.

- Direct Object Pronoun: The pronoun “[hi]moi[/hi]” is used as a direct object and is placed after the preposition “[hi]contre[/hi]”.

- Conjunction: The conjunction “[hi]que[/hi]” introduces a subordinate clause, “you are still angry at me.”

- Adverb: The adverb “[hi]toujours[/hi]” modifies the verb “[hi]es[/hi]”, indicating that the anger is ongoing.

[hi]Cela ne m’a jamais traversé l’esprit.[/hi]. That never crossed my mind.

Breakdown:

- Cela[/hi] – This is a pronoun, meaning “this” or “that.” Here, it refers to the idea or thought that the speaker didn’t consider.

- ne[/hi] – This is a negative particle, used with the verb “avoir” to form a negative sentence.

- m’a[/hi] – This is a contracted form of “[hi]me a[/hi],” which means “has me.”

- jamais[/hi] – This means “never.”

- traversé[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb “[hi]traverser[/hi]” which means “to cross.”

- l’[/hi] – This is the contracted form of “[hi]le[/hi],” which means “the.”

- esprit[/hi] – This means “mind.”

Key Concepts:

- Negative Sentence Construction: The use of “[hi]ne[/hi]” and the past participle “[hi]traversé[/hi]” with the verb “[hi]avoir[/hi]” forms the negative sentence.

- Contractions: The contracted forms “[hi]m’a[/hi]” and “[hi]l’[/hi]” are common in spoken French and help to make the sentence more natural sounding.

- Idiom: “[hi]traverser l’esprit[/hi]” translates to “cross one’s mind” and is a common French idiom.

[hi]Je suis vraiment contente que vous soyez là.[/hi]. I am really happy that you are here.

This sentence demonstrates the use of the [hi]être[/hi] verb in the present tense. The phrase [hi]Je suis[/hi] translates to “I am”. The word [hi]vraiment[/hi] is an adverb meaning “really”. The phrase [hi]contente[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the adjective [hi]content[/hi], which means “happy”. The phrase [hi]que vous soyez là[/hi] is a subordinate clause, meaning it depends on the main clause. The phrase [hi]que[/hi] is a conjunction, which introduces the subordinate clause. The phrase [hi]vous soyez[/hi] is the present subjunctive form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (“to be”) and means “that you are”. Finally, the word [hi]là[/hi] means “here”.

The sentence translates to “I am really happy that you are here.” This is a common expression of politeness and warmth.

[hi]Cette partie était géniale.[/hi]. This part was awesome.

Breakdown:

- Cette[/hi] – This. This is the feminine singular form of the demonstrative adjective [hi]ce[/hi]. It is used to refer to a specific noun that is close in proximity to the speaker.

- partie[/hi] – part. It is a feminine noun, so the adjective [hi]cette[/hi] agrees in gender.

- était[/hi] – was. This is the past imperfect tense of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- géniale[/hi] – awesome. This is a feminine adjective that agrees in gender with the noun [hi]partie[/hi].

Key Concepts:

- Agreement in Gender: French adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

- Demonstrative Adjectives: These words are used to point out specific nouns.

- Past Imperfect Tense: Used to describe past actions or states that were ongoing or habitual.

[hi]Es-tu prêt ?[/hi]. Are you ready?

This sentence is a question that uses the [hi]tu[/hi] form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- Es-tu[/hi] is the informal way to ask “Are you…?” It is the contraction of [hi]est-tu[/hi] which is the subject pronoun [hi]tu[/hi] (you) and the third-person singular form of the verb [hi]être[/hi] (to be).

- prêt[/hi] is the masculine adjective meaning “ready.”

So the full meaning of the sentence is “Are you ready?”

[hi]S’il vous plaît, prenez de la salade.[/hi]. Please take some salad.

- S’il vous plaît[/hi] is a polite request, meaning “please”.

- prenez[/hi] is the imperative form of the verb “[hi]prendre[/hi]” (to take), conjugated in the second person plural (you all).

- de la salade[/hi] means “some salad”. “[hi]de la[/hi]” is a partitive article, used for uncountable nouns when referring to some, but not all, of something.

[hi]Avez-vous la moindre eau ?[/hi]. Do you have any water?

Breakdown:

- Avez-vous[/hi] : This is the formal form of “do you have.” It uses the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (“to have”) conjugated in the second person plural (you, formal).

- la moindre[/hi] : This means “the least” or “any.” It is a feminine singular noun phrase, acting as an adjective modifying [hi]eau[/hi].

- eau[/hi] : This simply means “water.”

This sentence is a polite inquiry asking if the person has any water.

[hi]Nous sommes devenus amis avec Tom.[/hi]. We became friends with Tom.

[hi]Nous[/hi] is the pronoun “we” in the plural form. [hi]sommes[/hi] is the verb “to be” in the present tense, conjugated in the plural form. [hi]devenus[/hi] is the past participle of the verb [hi]devenir[/hi] which means “to become.” [hi]amis[/hi] means friends. [hi]avec[/hi] means “with.” [hi]Tom[/hi] is the proper noun Tom.

So the sentence “We became friends with Tom” is in the past tense. It is telling us about an action that happened in the past.

[hi]Ne le gaspille pas.[/hi]. Don’t waste it.

This sentence is a negative imperative.

- Ne[/hi] is the negative particle, meaning “not”.

- le[/hi] is the direct object pronoun, meaning “it”.

- gaspille[/hi] is the verb “to waste” in the present tense, imperative form, which means “don’t waste”.

- pas[/hi] is the negative adverb, meaning “not”.

So the sentence means “Don’t waste it”, or “Don’t waste [it]”.

[hi]Tu es sûr d’avoir fermé la porte ?[/hi]. You are sure to have closed the door?

The sentence is a question asking for confirmation.

Breakdown

- Tu[/hi] – You (informal, singular)

- es[/hi] – are (present tense of the verb “être” – to be)

- sûr[/hi] – sure

- d’avoir[/hi] – to have (infinitive of the verb “avoir” – to have, used in this context to express certainty)

- fermé[/hi] – closed (past participle of the verb “fermer” – to close)

- la[/hi] – the (feminine singular definite article)

- porte[/hi] – door

- [hi] ?[/hi] – question mark

Key Concepts:

- d’avoir[/hi] + past participle is a common way to express certainty or obligation in French.

- The sentence uses the familiar “tu” form, which is appropriate for addressing someone you know well, like a friend or family member.

[hi]Elle m’a vraiment tapé sur les nerfs.[/hi]. She really got on my nerves.

The sentence uses the verb [hi]taper[/hi] which literally means “to tap” but in this context, it means “to get on someone’s nerves”. The preposition [hi]sur[/hi] means “on” and [hi]les nerfs[/hi] literally means “the nerves”.

The sentence is in the past tense, using the past participle [hi]tapé[/hi] with the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (which is implied because the sentence starts with the pronoun [hi]elle[/hi] which uses the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] in compound tenses). The word [hi]vraiment[/hi] is an adverb meaning “really”.

The sentence is a very common way to express that someone has annoyed you. The use of the preposition [hi]sur[/hi] makes it clear that the annoyance is directed at the person’s nerves.

[hi]Le pont joint les deux villes.[/hi]. The bridge connects the two cities.

Breakdown:

- Le[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the masculine singular form, agreeing with the noun [hi]pont[/hi] (bridge).

- pont[/hi] – This is the noun “bridge” in the masculine singular form.

- joint[/hi] – This is the verb “to connect” in the present tense, third person singular form, agreeing with the subject [hi]pont[/hi] (bridge).

- les[/hi] – This is the definite article “the” in the feminine plural form, agreeing with the noun [hi]villes[/hi] (cities).

- deux[/hi] – This is the number “two” in the feminine form, agreeing with the noun [hi]villes[/hi] (cities).

- villes[/hi] – This is the noun “city” in the feminine plural form.

Key Concepts:

- Gender Agreement: Notice how the articles and adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify.

- Subject-Verb Agreement: The verb [hi]joint[/hi] is in the third person singular form to agree with the subject [hi]pont[/hi].

- Definite Articles: The definite articles [hi]le[/hi] and [hi]les[/hi] indicate that the bridge and the cities are specific and known.

[hi]Je suis presque certaine qu’aussi bien Tom que Marie l’ont déjà fait.[/hi]. I am almost certain that both Tom and Mary have already done it.

Breakdown:

- Je[/hi] – I

- suis[/hi] – am (present tense of the verb “être” – to be)

- presque[/hi] – almost

- certaine[/hi] – certain (feminine form of the adjective “certain” because it agrees with the subject “je” – I)

- qu’[/hi] – that (conjunction introducing a subordinate clause)

- aussi bien[/hi] – both

- Tom[/hi] – Tom

- que[/hi] – and (conjunction linking two elements)

- Marie[/hi] – Mary

- l’[/hi] – it (pronoun replacing a previously mentioned object)

- ont[/hi] – have (present tense of the verb “avoir” – to have)

- déjà[/hi] – already

- fait[/hi] – done (past participle of the verb “faire” – to do)

Key Concepts:

- Agreement: The adjective “[hi]certaine[/hi]” agrees in gender with the subject “[hi]je[/hi]”.

- Conjunctions: The conjunction “[hi]que[/hi]” joins the elements “[hi]Tom[/hi]” and “[hi]Marie[/hi]” while the conjunction “[hi]qu’[/hi]” introduces a subordinate clause.

- Pronoun: The pronoun “[hi]l’[/hi]” refers to a previously mentioned object.

- Tense: The verb “avoir” is in the present tense to express certainty. The past participle “[hi]fait[/hi]” indicates that the action has already taken place.

[hi]Celui-ci fonctionne en général.[/hi]. This one generally works.

- Celui-ci[/hi] is a demonstrative pronoun that means “this one”. It is masculine singular.

- fonctionne[/hi] is the third-person singular present tense of the verb [hi]fonctionner[/hi], which means “to work” or “to function”.

- en général[/hi] is a common phrase that means “generally” or “in general”.

This sentence is a simple declarative statement that says “This one generally works”. It could be used to describe a machine or a process.

[hi]Je me sens un peu fiévreux ce soir.[/hi]. I am feeling a little feverish this evening.

- Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- me[/hi] is the reflexive pronoun “myself”.

- sens[/hi] is the verb “to feel” in the present tense, conjugated for the first person singular.

- un peu[/hi] means “a little”.

- fiévreux[/hi] is an adjective meaning “feverish”.

- ce soir[/hi] means “this evening”.

This sentence uses the reflexive pronoun me[/hi] because the feeling of being feverish is happening to the speaker. It is a direct object pronoun that refers back to the subject.

[hi]Je ne pense pas que ça va arriver.[/hi]. I don’t think that it’s going to happen.

- Je [hi]Je[/hi] is the subject pronoun “I”.

- ne [hi]ne[/hi] is the negative particle, used with pas [hi]pas[/hi] to form a negation.

- pense [hi]pense[/hi] is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb “penser” [hi]penser[/hi] (to think).

- pas [hi]pas[/hi] is the negative particle, used with ne [hi]ne[/hi] to form a negation.

- que [hi]que[/hi] is a conjunction meaning “that”. It introduces a subordinate clause.

- ça [hi]ça[/hi] is a pronoun meaning “it”.

- va [hi]va[/hi] is the third-person singular present indicative form of the verb “aller” [hi]aller[/hi] (to go).

- arriver [hi]arriver[/hi] is the infinitive of the verb “to arrive”.

This sentence uses the common French structure for negating a verb: ne [hi]ne[/hi] + verb + pas [hi]pas[/hi]. The phrase “ça va arriver” [hi]ça va arriver[/hi] is a common expression meaning “it’s going to happen”.

[hi]Tu as l’air très occupée ce matin.[/hi]. You look very busy this morning.

- Tu [hi]Tu[/hi] is the informal form of “you”. It is used when speaking to someone you know well, like a friend or family member.

- as [hi]as[/hi] is a contraction of the verb “avoir” meaning “to have”. In this context, it is used to express the appearance of something.

- l’air [hi]l’air[/hi] means “the air” but in this context, it means “to look”.

- très [hi]très[/hi] means “very”. It is an adverb that modifies the adjective “occupée”.

- occupée [hi]occupée[/hi] is the feminine singular form of the adjective “occupé” meaning “busy”.

[hi]Pensez-vous que je pourrais parler à Tom ?[/hi]. Do you think I could speak to Tom?

This sentence is a question in the formal form of French, which is appropriate when addressing someone you don’t know well or someone who is older than you.

Breakdown of the sentence:

- Pensez[/hi] is the formal imperative form of the verb penser[/hi] (to think). The imperative form is used to give a command or make a request. In this case, it’s a request.

- vous[/hi] is the formal pronoun for you.

- que[/hi] is a conjunction that introduces a subordinate clause. It can be translated as “that” or “whether.”

- je[/hi] is the pronoun for “I”

- pourrais[/hi] is the conditional form of the verb pouvoir[/hi] (to be able to, can). The conditional form is used to express possibility or polite requests.

- parler[/hi] is the infinitive form of the verb to speak.

- à[/hi] is a preposition meaning “to” or “at”.

- Tom[/hi] is the name Tom.

[hi]J’ai prétendu ne pas l’avoir vu.[/hi]. I pretended not to have seen him.

Breakdown:

- J’ai[/hi] – This is the contracted form of [hi]je ai[/hi], meaning “I have”. This is the present tense of the verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) conjugated in the first person singular.

- prétendu[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]prétendre[/hi] (to claim, to pretend). It is used here as a past participle in the passé composé.

- ne pas[/hi] – This is the negative construction in French. [hi]ne[/hi] is the first part of the negative, followed by the verb, then [hi]pas[/hi] as the second part of the negative.

- l’[/hi] – This is the contracted form of [hi]le[/hi] (the) + [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have). It is the direct object pronoun, meaning “him” in this context.

- avoir vu[/hi] – This is the past participle of the verb [hi]voir[/hi] (to see), which is used with [hi]avoir[/hi] to form the perfect tense.

Key Concepts:

- Passé Composé – This is a common past tense in French, formed using the auxiliary verb [hi]avoir[/hi] or [hi]être[/hi] and the past participle of the main verb.

- Negation – The negative in French is formed by placing [hi]ne[/hi] before the verb and [hi]pas[/hi] after the verb.

- Direct Object Pronouns – These pronouns replace the direct object of a verb to avoid repetition or awkwardness. They can be placed before the conjugated verb or attached to the end of the infinitive.

[hi]J’en ai fini avec toi.[/hi]. I’m done with you.

Breakdown:

- J’[/hi] is the contraction of [hi]je[/hi] (I) and [hi]ai[/hi] (have).

- en[/hi] is a pronoun that refers to something previously mentioned in context. Here, it refers to the relationship or situation with “you”.

- ai fini[/hi] means “have finished”.

- avec[/hi] means “with”.

- toi[/hi] means “you”.

Key Concepts:

- Contractions: [hi]J’[/hi] is a common contraction in French, representing [hi]je[/hi] + a verb.

- Pronoun [hi]en[/hi]: [hi]en[/hi] is a complex pronoun that can refer to things, people, or ideas, depending on context. Here, it is used to avoid repetition and is directly linked to the verb “fini”.

- Avoir[/hi] (to have) + Past Participle: The verb [hi]avoir[/hi] (to have) is used to form compound tenses in French. Here, the past participle [hi]fini[/hi] is used to create the perfect tense (equivalent to “have finished” in English).

[hi]Ça ne sert plus à rien de faire semblant.[/hi]. It’s no use pretending anymore.

Breakdown:

- Ça[/hi] : This is a contraction of [hi]cela[/hi] which means “that.” In this context, it is used as a pronoun referring to the act of pretending.

- ne sert[/hi] : This is the third-person singular present tense of the verb [hi]servir[/hi] (“to be of use”) with the negative [hi]ne[/hi].

- plus[/hi] : This means “no longer.”

- à rien[/hi] : This literally translates to “to nothing.” It indicates that the action of pretending is pointless.

- de faire semblant[/hi] : This is an infinitive phrase meaning “to pretend.”

* faire[/hi] : to do * semblant[/hi] : pretense Key Concepts:

- Negative Construction: The use of [hi]ne[/hi] before the verb [hi]sert[/hi] creates a negative statement.

- Infinitive Phrase: [hi]de faire semblant[/hi] acts as the object of the verb [hi]sert[/hi], showing the purpose or reason for the statement.

- Idiomatic Expression: “[hi]ne sert à rien[/hi]” is a common French expression meaning “it’s no use” or “it’s pointless.”