Using "avec" or "de" to say with in FrenchThe proper use of prepositions is quirky and hard to master. In the Lumberjack Part 1 writing exercise, the phrase in English is, "he was filling up his sleigh with branches". I thought "avec" was too literal and did not sound "French". I wrote, "Il remplissait son traîneau des branches" because "de" can mean "with" and there were multiple branches.
The correct answers are: "remplissait avec des branches" or "remplissait de branches".
Can someone please explain why "de" becomes the plural "des" after "avec" but is the singular "de" when used alone? Thanks.
PS - I think a unit devoted just to the quirks of prepositions would be helpful as well as a vocabulary unit with all the everyday idioms that use etre, avoir, pouvoir, faire, mettre, tenir together with y or en in sentences like "je n'y suis pour rien" or "je n'en peux plus." It's the little simple words that sound the most "French" but are also the most difficult to master. Thanks again.
why magnifique come
after noun in « endroits magnifiques »
but before noun in « magnifiques gâteaux »
I know this has been asked before, but I'm having trouble determining when to use definite articles when talking about things in general. The two examples in the lesson seem to contradict each other:
Je n'aime ni le fromage ni le lait.
Il ne veut ni vin ni eau.
Why is is "le fromage/le lait" in the first example, and simply "vin/eau" in the second one? According to the English translations for each, both sentences seem to refer to the items in general.
Thanks!
Don't know about other people but I would really appreciate a section in the lesson on when to use "aimer" and when to say "plaire à". Great lessons individually on how to use these two expressions but not on when or why one is used instead of the other. Merçi!
The proper use of prepositions is quirky and hard to master. In the Lumberjack Part 1 writing exercise, the phrase in English is, "he was filling up his sleigh with branches". I thought "avec" was too literal and did not sound "French". I wrote, "Il remplissait son traîneau des branches" because "de" can mean "with" and there were multiple branches.
The correct answers are: "remplissait avec des branches" or "remplissait de branches".
Can someone please explain why "de" becomes the plural "des" after "avec" but is the singular "de" when used alone? Thanks.
PS - I think a unit devoted just to the quirks of prepositions would be helpful as well as a vocabulary unit with all the everyday idioms that use etre, avoir, pouvoir, faire, mettre, tenir together with y or en in sentences like "je n'y suis pour rien" or "je n'en peux plus." It's the little simple words that sound the most "French" but are also the most difficult to master. Thanks again.
"It's quite difficult but useful."
Why can't you use 'plutot' in this sentence?
Is 'assez' used for quite while plutot for 'rather'?
I'm confused when to use penser à and when to use penser de, and why you would say "la fille à laquelle je pense" instead of "la fille dont je pense"
There seems to be a subtle difference between en même temps and à la fois when expressing "at the same time"; can you state the general rule?
How to say 5:30 in french
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