French language Q&A Forum

Why the word 'baldaquin' is in its plural form?

I looked up in the dictionary, but I could only find the phrase 'un lit à baldaquin', without an 's'.

I believe that's the subjunctive in the final sentence.

If so, I would like to understand why it's being employed here with espérer.

I always understood that this would not use the subjunctive in the affirmative (indicative), but perhaps the imperative changes this somehow?

No doubt I'm missing something here...

In the full passage answer text, 'je vais prendre un coca' is given. In the test, it suggests one uses Le Futur Proche, as here,  but then marked it as not the best answer and provided the best answer in the Future Tense ie 'Je prendrais'. Much confusion!

I don’t understand the use of the reflexive ‘se connaître’ and the pronoun ‘y’ in the phrase  “je m’y connais un peu en moteurs”. Can someone explain these 2 points, or is it just an expression. 

(I answered “Je connais un peu les moteurs” for “I know a bit about engines”. Would this be an acceptable alternative?)

If ne ... que is a negative construction, why doesn't the rule of partitive articles in negative sentences apply?

E.g. why is it
Il ne mange que des pâtes le samedi

and not
Il ne mange que de pâtes le samedi

Thanks!

Near the bottom of the lesson, the green box says ‘-CER and -GER verbs take ç and extra e in front of -a, but not in front of -è’ then is followed by an example with commença. I know that’s the correct spelling; so I don’t understand the ‘extra e’ bit. Please explain. Hang on, the penny is dropping...it’s an extra ‘e’ just after -ger and not -cer ? Perhaps this could be made clearer ?

Est-ce qu'il pourrait parler plus vite!!

Is it absolutely wrong to use est-ce que to form a question using names? Thanks.