French language Q&A Forum

Questions answered by our learning community with help from expert French teachers

14,807 questions • 32,080 answers • 985,769 learners

Kwizbot, a friendly bot

Find your French level for FREE

And get your personalised Study Plan to improve it

Find your French level

Stephen L.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Re: "Laura adore ces bonbons. Tu les as goûtés?""Respectfully submit that the English translation is wrong here...shouldn't it say "Have you tasted them?" (present perfect)...not "Did you taste them?"?

Asked 8 years ago

Susan R.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

When would one use, "vivre," and when, "habiter?"

Asked 9 years ago

Sagar J.B1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

What about "Je suis assis"?

A French friend recently corrected me when I told him:

"Je m'assieds dans ma voiture à présent."

He said I should say:

"Je suis assis dans ma voiture à présent."

Is one better to than the other?

Asked 6 years ago

Jan W.C1Kwiziq community member

The phrase "Anthony is bringing his sunglasses in case it's sunny" can be translated The phrase "Anthony is bringing his sunglasses in case it's sunny" can be translated "Anthony apporte ses lunettes de soleil au cas où il ferait beau" but is there a way of using il y a du soleil instead or is it impossible because of the au cas où + le conditionnel-rule?

Asked 8 years ago

Cheryl N.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

passé composé or imparfait?

Bonjour!

How best to translate this sentence please? : "Were you there before?" - Etais-tu là avant? (or) As-tu été là avant?

and the same sentence in the negative: "Weren't you there before?" - N'étais-tu pas là avant? (or) N'as-tu pas été là avant?

Thanks.

Cheryl

Asked 7 years ago

Suzanne P.B1Kwiziq community member

Asked 8 years ago

Karen M.B1Kwiziq community member

Le bord de mer … is that correct? Why isn’t it le bord de la mer?

Asked 4 years ago

Stuart B.B1Kwiziq community member

I wasn't sure at the end if this lesson the advantages of using one or the other ...... and having just been asked a question on it I left the question and found the answer was the one with qui .... qui which looked the most confusing of the answers and the one I certainly wouldn't have chosen :)

Asked 9 years ago

Jeremy, L.B2Kwiziq community member

Is there a lesson on "avoir" in past conditional?

Asked 9 years ago

Tran N.C1Kwiziq community member

L'imparfait vs le passé composéFor this particular question,

Quand j'étais petit, ________ avec mes legos.

When I was small, I played with my Lego.

Can I check why L'imparfait should be used? I understand that l'imparfait is used for repeated actions or habit in the past. However, the English translation doesn't seem to reflect that.

Within the context itself, I can argue that

1 - When I was young, I used to play with my Lego (as a habit) - Quand j'étais petit, je jouais avec mes legos.

2 - When I was young, I played with my Lego (one off event, which ended in the past) - Quand j'étais petit, j'ai joué avec mes legos.

Hence, I think both answers should be accepted, unless the English translation is changed in such a way that makes the action of "playing" repetitive.
Thanks lots

Asked 5 years ago

Kwizbot, a friendly bot

Find your French level for FREE

And get your personalised Study Plan to improve it

Find your French level

I'll be right with you...