Lesson and test contradiction in usage of 'ne'?Hello,
This lesson, on 'san que (+ ne explétif) + the subjunctive mood', states that the use of the 'ne' is optional in modern spoken French. Additionally, it is omitted when the main verb is used with a negation. Unsurprisingly, the lesson teaches with examples using 'ne'.
Yet, in your test I was marked wrong for doing so. Specifically, the question was to complete a sentence, which I submitted as:
"Tu as fait tout ça sans que ne Neve soit au courant".
Yet the correct answer is shown without the 'ne'.
Have I misunderstood something here?
Thanks in advance,
D
"Tu as fait tout ça sans que ne Neve soit au courant"
With respect, are D.G and Cécile’s posts right? Surely ne is only needed after sans que when the verb preceding it is negative, and then only in more formal French. So "Tu as fait tout ça sans que Neve soit au courant" will not require a "ne".
The linked lesson could be a little clearer, but says:
If the main verb is NOT used with negations, then you CANNOT use the ne explétif.
If the main verb is used with a negation, you can use the ne explétif, but it is considered optional
What's a better dictionary for English to French translations? I've been using Google Translate, but there are many words, like "a ride"....translated to "un tour" and not "une manège" OR "queue line" translated to "la file d'attente." Concerned I'll be using some archaic or a rarely used definition.
From this page and the link to the sister site below, it doesn't feel like there is a pattern to look for.
Reposting the link here so people don't have to scroll to comments made 2 years ago asking the same question...
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/vocabulary/games-sports-hobbies/?_gl=1*hzcn1r*_gcl_au*NjMxNzAyODY3LjE3NDc3MTE5NTQ.
Can you please update this article or clarify how to actually tell when to use what?
He had been able to tell him in the end.
I put:
"Il avait pu le lui dire finalement."
My sense is there's an implicit "it" in the sentence, it should be: "I was able to tell *it* to him", otherwise the sentence is incomplete.
I know it can be omitted in English, but French generally seems to be fussier (or at least kwiziq is :-) ) about these things. Is this a colloquialism or is it technically correct?
Thanks!
In using 'soit/soit as either/or is this 'soit' as in the subjunctive of etre, ie in English one might say, 'be it x or be it y' or a different word altogether?
I'm adding into what Avery said about how this grammar point could use some clarification, as I find this one particularly confusing as well. Thank you Avery!
It's unclear that some activities can be referred to by both faire and jouer. I only figured this out because I got dinged on a test for not knowing that basketball is one of these. I do see that the examples show this, but an explicit explanation would be nice. Or a list of common activities and whether they are faire or jouer would be helpful.
The section on faire de la danse vs danser could be clarified a bit more too. There are gray sentences for the example English phrases, but they aren't translated into French. I can't see how the sentences in French would be built without making my own guesses.
Thanks guys!
I found the first clue, something about asking two people, not so helpful. It lead me away from first choice, i.e. singular verb, to a plural.
Puis vers vingt-deux heures trente,...
I used "Alors" instead of puis or one of the other possibilities.
Why not alors?
I learned that "ma" changes to "mon" if the female noun starts with a vowel, for pronunciation.
But does this "mon" changes back to "ma" if there ist another adjective in between?
(maybe not very relevant to this topic, but by seeing the examples, it reminds me of this)
Hello,
This lesson, on 'san que (+ ne explétif) + the subjunctive mood', states that the use of the 'ne' is optional in modern spoken French. Additionally, it is omitted when the main verb is used with a negation. Unsurprisingly, the lesson teaches with examples using 'ne'.
Yet, in your test I was marked wrong for doing so. Specifically, the question was to complete a sentence, which I submitted as:
"Tu as fait tout ça sans que ne Neve soit au courant".
Yet the correct answer is shown without the 'ne'.
Have I misunderstood something here?
Thanks in advance,
D
"Tu as fait tout ça sans que ne Neve soit au courant"
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