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Alfonso M.A0Kwiziq community member

Writing Structure in general

Would it be possible to state that in writing structure, Spanish-French is more closely than English_French?

Asked 6 years ago

Kay C.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

When is enfin used instead of finalement?

When is enfin used instead of finalement?

Asked 5 years ago

J. R.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Why is the past perfect used, rather than the passé composé? Bonjour! These writing exercises are absolutely fantastic resources that I'm enjoying very much. A little question, however: I'm also going to raise (or re-raise) Meryl's question about why the French past perfect is used, rather than the passé composé, to translate what looks like the past simple in English. I've never knowingly come across this usage before, but I've seen it now in a couple of these writing exercises and wonder if I have overlooked something. Perhaps it's a matter of perspective -- perhaps this is an extract from a longer passage where the writer has just been writing about the past, and then for these first few lines, goes back further into the past? (Though strictly speaking, you'd mirror that with "had rented" and "had travelled" in English.) The last line of the text does actually use the passé composé. Many thanks!

A few years back, when I still lived in Brittany, my cousin Sarah and I rented a camper [US: RV] and for two weeks, we travelled up and down the west coast of France. ... During that trip, we also learned how to change a tire...
Il y a quelques années, quand je vivais encore en Bretagne, ma cousine Sarah et moi avions loué un camping-car et pendant deux semaines, nous avions voyagé partout sur la côte atlantique française. .... Pendant ce voyage, nous avons aussi appris à changer une roue...

Asked 3 years ago

G. D.C1Kwiziq community member

When to use definite article with country/region and au préalable

When do you use the definite article with countries and regions?There's a kwiziq lesson about this: Using le, la, l', les with continents, countries & regions names (definite articles)

But in the text, country and region names are never accompanied by the definite article. E.g., "Duché de Bretagne," "royaume de France," "couronne de France," etc.

Also, I translated "beforehand" as "à l'avance" instead of "au préalable," which I thought were the same thing, but it wasn't one of the accepted answers.

Asked 3 years ago

S. B.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

ils peuvent me laisser languir des heures durant

What does "durant" mean exactly in this sentence? Why would it not be "durantes"?

Asked 6 years ago

Don C.B1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

vrai(e) was left out

FYI: I believe "vrai(e)" should be included in this lesson.

Asked 6 years ago

Guilherme S.B1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Soi vs Soi-même

What is the difference between "soi" and "soi-même"? Can't they be interchangeable?

Example: "On peut toujours trouver plus fort que soi/soi-même."

Asked 5 years ago

Kay C.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

le sud versus du sud

In the sentence in the south of France the answer is le sud but in a previous exercise (Bastille Day) it was du sud. Are both acceptable ? Also in the best answer it is C'étaient but in the final paragraph it is C'était. Are both correct or is this an error?

Asked 5 years ago

K. T.C1Kwiziq community member

Are there other informal first person plural subject pronouns?

I never know what to do when I've been writing informally and suddenly find that I have to use first person plural pronouns other than the subject pronoun. How would you say something like "We fed our pets" or "They will find us if we stay here" in casual French?

Asked 5 years ago

Patti D.B1Kwiziq community member

why do we use finir conjugated and then "de" before the infinitive ?

Asked 5 years ago

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