When I look up "failli" in Google translate, it has "bankrupt." Yet the words "failli sursauter" translate as "almost startled" (comme "presque sursauter).

So it kind of means "You failed to be startled"? (Failli faire, mais no?) Wow... that's a stretch.

Is the meaning of "presque" (almost) slightly different then?

Asked 1 year ago

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Joseph A.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Use Of 'Pas Du Tout'

Where are we allowed to place 'du tout' in the negation? And where are we not allowed to do such? Are only having 'du tout' after 'pas' or at the end of the sentence the only correct options ?

- Je ne veux pas du tout travailler en tant qu'avocat(e)

- Je ne veux pas travailler en tant qu'avocat(e) du tout

- Je ne veux pas travailler du tout en tant qu'avocat(e)

- Je ne veux pas du tout être comme lui

- Je ne veux pas être comme lui du tout

- Je ne veux pas être du tout comme lui

- Je n'ai pas du tout apprécié ce qu'il a dit

- Je n'ai pas apprécié ce qu'il a dit du tout

- Je n'ai pas apprécié du tout ce qu'il a dit

Asked 1 year ago

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M D.A2Kwiziq community member

Translating - ‘went shopping’

On a writing exercise (Cette Semaine) was asked to translate : On Monday, I went shopping with my son. My response - Lundi, j'ai fait les magasins avec mon fils. It didn’t match answers given - Lundi, je suis allé faire les magasins avec mon fils. Is there anything wrong with my answer? Went shopping is translated similarly here.

Asked 2 years ago

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Sydney B.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

writing exercise, "The town of Gruyères", grammatical point

In the exercise "The Town of Gruyères", the translation of "Before we even entered the picturesque village," is given as "Avant même que nous entrions dans le bourg/village pittoresque,". I think it should be 'nous sommes entrés dans ...'. What am I getting wrong there? Also, I'm aking my self, does an optional 'ne explétif' go before 'entrions'?

Asked 1 year ago

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Marie C.C1Kwiziq community member

Very clever use of weather idioms! Really enjoyed this exercise. Merci. : )

Asked 1 year ago

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Andrew T.C1Kwiziq community member

Tip / reminder

I know there are lots of exceptions in French! Is there one hiding behind the breaking of the symmetry of taking off two letters and adding one when forming participles (-er > -é, -ir > -i, but -dre > -du, rather than the simpler -re > -u) ?

Asked 3 years ago

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Marg G.A2Kwiziq community member

When to use the reflexive?

I took a quiz. I translated "They are calling their dog" as Ils appellent leur chien. However, the correct answer was: Ils s'appellent leur chien. How does one know when to use the reflexive?

Asked 2 years ago

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Danielle C.C1Kwiziq community member

Avoir besoin des?

Does avoir besoin de ever become avoir besoin des or du?

Asked 2 years ago

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Patrick K.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Pronunciation of "et"

Et pour les petits creux et autres faims de loup

To my ear the "et" in this sentence sounds like the way I would (try to) pronounce "eux". Is the pronunciation here idiomatic ?

These listening exercises are really helping me, Thanks!