French language Q&A Forum

What is the difference between using 'à' + infinitive to express a purpose and using 'pour' (as earlier in 'pour observer de petits insectes')?

How exactly do you know when to use "des" in French?

Hi, one of the examples includes “ passez l’aspirateur”. Presumably this means to use the aspirateur to clean. In English we would not use the direct translation using “pass”. Most often someone would say “do the hoovering”, or possibly “use the hoover” or “use the vacuum cleaner”. I may he wrong, maybe the sentence just means “pass me the hoover (as you are holding it)” but then the example makes less sense. Does passer l’aspirateur mean to use a vacuum cleaner?

Rafraichir has not been updated to accept 'rectified' spelling yet - still correcting to rafraîchir.

"Tandis que le 14 février s'approche à grands pas"

1.  What does "à grands pas" add here that is not covered by "s'approche"

2.  Why is the reflexive verb used?  Would not "approcher" cover the same semantic territory?  It doesn't approach itself.

Thanks

Is it still considered general when the adjective is followed by "here", why does this not revert back to the normal agreement rules?

Hi Jim,

Thanks very much for your response.  My query was based on my understanding that, 'lui' referred to their invention- the hot air balloon, which is inanimate. Further clarification would be welcome.

Hi,

In the sentence 'On avait  alors,ouvert les rideaux pour découvrir, éberlués..etc'

Why is 'éberlués' not singular to agree with'on'.

Is it because plurality is implied?

Is there a lesson on this to clarify?

Thanks

Après _être rentrée_chez elle, Martine a fait une sieste.

After going back home, Martine had a nap

Elles rentrent après que le bus les a déposées.

''They go home after the bus has dropped them off.'' ?

Why does one sentence require ‘chez elle’ and the other not?