French language Q&A Forum

Test question: How would you say "I haven't been in France for long."?

Per the lesson, Ne...pas + Présent indicatif + depuis longtemps = not long / not for long -> It started a short while ago, and is still ongoing

My answer marked incorrect: Je n'arrive pas en France depuis longtemps.

Correct answer per system: Je ne suis pas arrivé en France depuis longtemps.

According to the lesson,

use of Présent indicatif translates as "not long / not for a long time," whereas

use of Passé composé translates as "not for a long time / not for ages; over and done in the past"

Paul me fait mal  vs.  Elle me fait du mal quand elle dit ça.   I understand that du is for emotional pain and à is for physical pain, so why does the first example have neither?

Fun exercise. I enjoyed it a lot, especially imaging myself walking on the beach, naked toes in the warm sand!

Just one simple question:

I am familiar with the expression, "a la montagne", as in "aller a la montagne". And, j'adore "la montagne".  

But I have also heard "les montagnes" in phrases such as "L'ete, je marche dans les montagnes." 

I have reviewed the lesson on singular/plural (collective nouns): "les cheveux"; "les toilettes"; "la police" etc. There is no mention of "la/les montagnes".

I would very much appreciate an explanation of when to use the singular, "la montagne" vs. the plural, "les montagnes." 

Merci beaucoup !