“Passer un an” vs “Passer une année” (again)I am aware that this has been discussed before but it is clear to me that in certain cases “passer une année” can be used.
For example, on the web page https://acupoffrench.com/french-grammar/an-vs-annee-2/, which also explains when to use “an” or “année”, there is the following example with passer and année used to stress the duration:
“Elle a passé quatre années à chercher un travail.”
So I think it would not hurt to explicitly mention this possibility to use année instead of an to stress the duration.
For the general case (not just related to passer), I think the rule from “Advanced French Grammar”/Monique L’Huillier section 5.2.1 an/année is clearer than the “time unit” vs “duration” distinction: “an usually follows cardinal numbers, whilst année follows ordinal numbers, or an indefinite or demonstrative adjective”.
This rule does not hold for jour/journée, soir/soirée and matin/matinée and these cases are treated separately in the book.
This rule is then followed up in the book with “If the year is modified in any way, “année” should be used” with the following examples.
“J’ai vécu à Londres pendant cinq ans.”
”J’ai gardé un très bon souvenir de mes cinq années à Londres.”
I am aware that this has been discussed before but it is clear to me that in certain cases “passer une année” can be used.
For example, on the web page https://acupoffrench.com/french-grammar/an-vs-annee-2/, which also explains when to use “an” or “année”, there is the following example with passer and année used to stress the duration:
“Elle a passé quatre années à chercher un travail.”
So I think it would not hurt to explicitly mention this possibility to use année instead of an to stress the duration.
For the general case (not just related to passer), I think the rule from “Advanced French Grammar”/Monique L’Huillier section 5.2.1 an/année is clearer than the “time unit” vs “duration” distinction: “an usually follows cardinal numbers, whilst année follows ordinal numbers, or an indefinite or demonstrative adjective”.
This rule does not hold for jour/journée, soir/soirée and matin/matinée and these cases are treated separately in the book.
This rule is then followed up in the book with “If the year is modified in any way, “année” should be used” with the following examples.
“J’ai vécu à Londres pendant cinq ans.”
”J’ai gardé un très bon souvenir de mes cinq années à Londres.”
Why is the correct answer à moitié, which I take to mean halfway, an adverb?un demià la demiune demieune moitié
Why didn't we use '..nous allions au sud de la France'? When do we use 'au sud' and when do we use 'dans le sud'? Or 'au nord'/ 'dans le nord'?
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/vocabulary/directions/
Shouldn't it be changions de voitures for "change cars" - i.e. plural form for cars? Isn't there a difference between 'change cars' and 'change our car' - i.e. the noun being singular or plural?
How do I identify a masculine or feminine noun?
I don't think the problem is my computer but many of the sections here would not play sound
How would one say ‘This week, I work from Tuesday to Thursday?’ (an exception). Would this be any different from how you would say that in general ‘I work from Tuesdays to Thursdays’? Thanks
Why is it 'cote d'Azure' but 'cote atlantique'?
Shouldn't it be "Elle a dû l'oubliée?" [She must have forgotten it.]
Here, Oublier is infinitive form of the verb which means - to forget. So, in this example isn't it translated to - She must have forget about it, which doesn't sound right. How can it be translated to '...forgotten it.' which is past tense?
Find your French level for FREE
Test your French to the CEFR standard
Find your French level