French language Q&A Forum

Regarding the question ?How could you say "You need a new bike." ??

I think "devoir" would be acceptable as I perceived the possibility the person used the bike as a necessary form of transportation and the bike was either to broken to repair or was used for work.  In that case they would really need to replace the bike making devoir acceptable.

Or maybe I'm just reading too much into the questionÉ

Please can some explain why the subjunctive mood is used in the sentence - Qu'est-ce que tu dirais qu'on se fasse une double séance en son honneur?

There are clearly only two participants in this conversation, who are at least friends, if not relatives. 

Should it not be:  Attention de ne pas te brûler  ?

Is this an error? Or is "se maria" an actual phrase. I thought it should be "se marie". 

I'm also wondering why it is not "s'est mariée". That's the phrase I would have used.

Can I make a suggestion that Chris' more detailed definition (copied below) of what the verb sentir means (and ressentir) be added to the A2 lesson about sentir vs reflexive sentir. 

It is confusing when sentir is used in quiz questions in a way that hasn't yet been fully explained. Currently the description/definition at this level doesn't explain that sentir can also refer to other concrete physical feelings (via the senses) - not just smell.  And the use of this definition of 'feeling' is not differentiated clearly enough from 'emotional' feeling - thus creating confusion.  A reference to the existence of ressentir would also be useful for us newbies too. 

Sentir can mean the action of smelling and to feel in a concrete way, trough your senses, or your current emotional/physical status.

Tu sens la rose, tu sens bon, je me sens fatigué, je me sens heureux.

Ressentir is to feel but in an abstract way : a sentiment, an emotion, something that involves less your actual senses. It’s especially true for love : you would never say you would “sentir” love.

I must admit I often find the 'short lessons' on here a little confusing because of the coloured lines. This one is particularly bad. I cannot see if the text with green lines is supposed to relate to the text with orange lines above it or below it. Essentially, why are the coloured lines there? They only confuse. Marking explanations with one colour and examples with another is pointless; we can see what is what. What we cannot see is what pertains to what. It would be fine if you gave some examples with red lines then an explanation also with a red line, so we know it refers to the 'red lined' examples. Then, further examples with a different colour together with an explanation with the same colour. This way we know what refers to what.

often find the 'short lessons' on here a little confusing because of the coloured lines. This one is particularly bad. I cannot see if the text with green lines is supposed to relate to the text with orange lines above it or below it. Essentially, why are the coloured lines there? They only confuse. Marking explanations with one colour and examples with another is pointless; we can see what is what. What we cannot see is what pertains to what. It would be fine if you gave some examples with red lines then an explanation also with a red line, so we know it refers to the 'red lined' examples. Then, further examples with a different colour together with an explanation with the same colour. This way we know what refers to what

Cheers

Matt

=============

I walk along the canals,

Je me promène à coté dle long de ses canaux, 

je me balade le long de ses canaux, 

je marche le long de ses canaux, 

Just querying why it's leurs and not leur here. In a previous dictée I was told that it would only be leurs plural if each of the parties had several of the thing being talked about. Well surely, they each only posessed one "look" which crossed with the other's one "look", so why not "leur"?

I would like to know why retenir means "to learn" here and not apprendre

Hi, 

I made several errors with my phrasing choices and was wondering if any of the following could have been correct:

2. It was quite difficult and daunting at times - Could you use bien instead of plutôt/assez to mean quite?

3. Could you said "je compte desormais lire un livre en français plusieurs fois par an."?

Thanks!