"J'ai voulu être un écrivain célèbre toute ma vie"

Question

I encountered these two sentences in a language learning tool:

"J'ai toujours rêvé d'être un joueur de golf professionnel"

I'd like to know the reason why Passé Composé is used rather than L'imparfait.

And also, why "un joueur" is used despite the fact that we don't use indefinite articles when talking about professions?

Thanks a lot.

Answer

Hi Emre Can,This is an interesting point that you have raised.The perfect tense can be used to express a yet-to-be fulfilled desire but no longer thought to be possible, in your two examples above. The sense would be "I have wanted" rather than "I wanted" so brings a sense of being possibly unable to achieve the desire whereas the imparfait would suggest continuing desire/longing.Un joueur  --> a player.   I'm not sure that we can class "a player" as a professional in the same sense as we would a Doctor or Lawyer or Teacher etc.Let's see what the others say, but this is my understanding.Hope this helps.Jim

Answer

https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/my-languages/french/view/19?rts=%252Fsearch%253Fs%253DProfessionshttps://www.wordreference.com/fren/professionnelI am not sure, but think it is likely “un joueur de golf professionnel” because the occupation is “joueur (de golf)”, and “professionnel” is a qualifying adjective.