French language Q&A Forum

The text uses "Je serai là"   I used "J'y serai"  Is my alternate acceptable?  If not, why not?  Thank you.

Could someone comment on the function of “au” in “très au sérieux”? It is optional? In which other circumstances might we see a similar thing?

OK... like the others, I originally was confused over why the last sentence was written "C'est un ange!" instead of "Elle est un ange!"  I now understand and accept that "C'est" is correct.  However, I want to ask a follow up question about the explanation offered.   The reason given was" With sentences that have "she is a+noun" we use C'est."  That sentence suggests to me that the key to using "c'est" is a following noun.  However, re-reading the grammar guide, my understanding instead is that it's the use of an article or determinant such as un, une, le, la, les, des, etc., plus a noun or pronoun that drives it.  I suppose it could be countered that such articles always would be followed by nouns or pronouns.  After all, were one to use a sentence such as "C'est la jolie," as I understand it, "la jolie" in that example would not just cause the sentence to translate as "It's the pretty."  Instead, in that case, "la jolie" would behave as if a subject, causing the sentence to translate to mean, "It's the pretty one."  If I am correct, then my issue may be a moot point.  

J'aurai sûrement un quart d'heure de retard

I will probably be fifteen minutes late

Je serai sûrement en retard d'un quart d'heure.

I will probably be fifteen minutes late.

Checking online at Larousse etc., I don't see that "sûrement" means "probably".  "Probably" introduces doubt.  Why not use "surely" or "certainly"? Or for the French, "probablement"?  Which does seem to mean "probably".

Can you explain why not using “ dans l prison “ in the exercise ?

Could you add some clarification re: wedding bells, baseball cap, tennis racquet, door knob, golf club, soccer ball, soccer field, sunglasses, Christmas tree, water tank, bus stop, fire truck, etc.

By your lesson, these should all be “à” (what something is designed for), but in fact this whole genre is “de”.

Specifically, why is it “boîte à bijoux” and not “boîte de bijoux” ? Other than convention.

Clearly, these are not just a few exceptions, but an entire class of compound nouns (open form, noun+noun) that is not covered in the lesson.

Thank you.

Hi, am I correct in thinking the following. [A] “Allez” & “monte” in this sentence are in the Impératif Présent, and [B] that “Allez” is in the second person plural because it’s directed at the multiple members of the family, and that “monte” is in the second person singular (familiar) because it is referring to “tout le monde” which is a singular entity?

I love the audio on this lesson. The pauses on the punctuation give more life to the language.

Can I not write "depuis la naissance de ma fille" en place de "j'ai donné naissance à ma fille"?

Can I not write "seulement" instead of "ne...que"

Finally, for the sentence "et ceux pour lesquels c'est impensable" I wrote "et ceux pour qui cela est impensable" I used cela and not ce because it referred to an idea in previous part of the sentence. Please explain why cela is wrong here or why c is correct.

Thanks in advance!

What's the meaning of this phrase, "enchaîné les apéritifs?"

"A series of drinks?" or perhaps even "a round?"