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.
My French friend says it should be "claustrophobe"? Is that right? Please help clarify.
I thought "plus jamais" et "jamais plus" were both acceptable.
Again, the use of little words like "bien" and "tout" are common in French and not direct translations from English. A unit explaining the uses of these two simple words would be really helpful.
"Il a bien compris." "Il a tout compris." "J'en ai bien envie." "Elle est tout heureuse." "Il y a bien de choses." "Il est a des kilometres de toute trace de civilisation."
Not trying to be a pest, but I would really like to master these simple little words and phrases to feel closer to fluent. Thanks.
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.
OK, let me see if I have this straight:
"Qui" means "who" ( a subject).
"Que" means "what" (an object).
"Qui est-ce que" means "whom" (an object).
"Qu'est-ce qui" means "what" (a subject).
Even if I have it right (and I'm not at all sure about that), it's totally confusing. If "qui" means "who," why is it in a phrase that means "what"?
Thanks for any clarification!
I have seen that the verb « apprendre » can mean both to learn and to teach in French. And I also know that « enseigner » can sometimes mean to teach (but in a narrower sense, and it can never mean to learn). My question is : Can one say in this exercise « je lui ENSEIGNERAI à être indépendante et forte » or is this just a wrong usage of this verb?
Faut-il qu’on utilise le subjonctif après « alors que »?
What is the difference between le(COD) and y ?
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