French language Q&A Forum

Vous pourrez également explorer la diversité culturelle des pays francophones en assistant notamment à nos rencontres littéraires, et en discuter les enjeux lors de nos conférences et débats d'idées. 

In this sentence, I'm thinking that in English, there would be parallel construction between "en assistant" and "en discuter." We would say "in attending" and "discussing," but I'm noticing that in French, "discuter" is the infinitive form of the verb rather than the gerund (as in "assistant"). Are the verb forms that were chosen in French optional? And in French, is the lack of parallel construction perfectly acceptable? Could this sentence have also used:

 both "en assistant" and "en discutant"  as the verb forms

OR both "en assister" and "en discuter?"

Thanks for your thoughts on this!

The phrase 'which seemed to have been left there' is translated as 'qui semblaient avoir été laissées là'.

Could you also translate it using 'y' rather than 'là' (and if so, where would the 'y' go ?) ?

Does mou/mol/molle always go after the noun?

sometimes it is beacoup de choses. is it not beacoup des choses..please clarify

C' ____(être) une petite histoire de la brosse à dents que je ____(lire). Ce sont des Chinois qui _____(inventer) la brosse à dents au 15 siècle. A cette époque* - là, elle ____(être) faite de poils de sangliers* et d'un manche en ivoire*. Les Français _____(commencer) à se servir d'une brosse à dents sous Louis XIV.

In what sense is 'une parade' used here - and can you point to a reference for its use please ? I am guessing it may mean 'solution' - but would expect 'trouver une solution' to be used. Alternatively, perhaps it is derived from the verbal expression 'parer à qqc', but if so, I can't find in the many different standard references I have looked at - nor in a search of French slang online - a meaning of the noun '(une) parade' that would fit here.

Hi It seems a spelling mistake with the below statement "L'épicier pèse les légumes, puis nous les repesons" I dont thing an verb have "repesons" as it's conjugation, please clarify.

The given translation of « Mes sœurs ne font guère les magasins » is "My sisters hardly go shopping". This is not idiomatic in English; you would say "My sisters hardly ever go shopping". In English, we would use "hardly" on its own to imply some limitation in the action; for example, "He can hardly write (because he is only 4 years old)". But if the limitation is to do with time, then the correct expression is "hardly ever"; for example, "He hardly ever writes (because he's busy doing other things)".

I think in the article on ne ... guère, this distinction should be made. As it stands, "hardly ever" isn't mentioned at all.

How would this distinction be made in French?