French language Q&A Forum

Hi - I see from a previous discussion that the meaning of a verb (e.g. commencer à/ commencer de) can slightly change depending on whether it is followed by à or de. Is this also true for  continuer à / continuer de? 

Are there also slight differences in meanings with the verbs mentioned above?

Thanks - Tammy

Hello, here : que j'ai toujours voulu voir. We do not have precise finished action, we do not have the dream that actually stopped in the past. We have either  description/habit, or we have something in uncertain past/present. Why not imparfait? Thank you

Are the terms "les lettres" and "la littérature" interchangeable?

When should subject names (les matières) be capitalised? 

I’m finding this unexpectedly hard! Not least because to "love" a thing is usually just a hyperbolic way of saying you "really like" it. (Apart from things you personify eg a childhood toy).   Also, for written aimer + thing, how can I tell if it’s love or like?

Looking at these two sentences:

--Tu n'as pas bu d'alcool depuis cinq ans.

-Tu n'es pas allé en Australie depuis quelques années.

Why does one sentence use "ans" and the other use "années?"

I don't understand what the difference is exactly between nous and on

I’m confused as to why I got an example wrong. The example was “un œdipien complexe” which the quiz labelled as an incorrect placement of the adjective. It is my understanding that œdipien is the noun and complexe is the adjective. None of these fall under the common exceptions nor s œdipien is not a proper noun, so I am confused as to why the proper order would be “un complexe œdipien.”

I actually had two questions. One was the same as that of Alvine. I thought that the description of past feelings required the imparfait?

My second question is the use of « avec moi » and not « chez moi ». Couldn’t either one be correct? I suppose that « avec moi » indicates that she was staying specifically with and for him, but just wondered if « chez moi » could not have the same connotation?

Thank you!

Mm