Personal pronouns and confusions

Said H.C1Kwiziq community member

Personal pronouns and confusions

Hi Dear Kwiziq,

I am confused when it comes to translate the personal pronouns "you" into French.

As I know, in French, "you" refers to "vous" like "You all" or the formal "vous".

And French adjectives changes in function of the gender and number. In the translation below, my confusion are in red, would you mind telling me if my translation is correct?

You've just returned home from vacation — sun-kissed and blissed out — but the moment you open your inbox or spot the pile of mail that accumulated in your absence, you’re hit with a crippling sense of anxiety.

Vous revenez tout juste des vacances, bronzé et content, mais dès l'instant où vous ouvrez votre boîte de réception ou que vous apercevez le tas de courrier qui s’est accumulé en votre absence, vous êtes frappé par un sentiment d’anxiété paralysant.

Asked 5 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Said,

Chris is correct in saying that in the case of the pronoun you, it depends on whether it refers to a single person or a group of people.

The adjectives, whether apposedepithet or attribute will agree with the subject, so both your sentences are correct and you can start with the apposed adjectives for additional effect or emphasis.

Hope this helps!

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I can't see a fault in your translation with respect to "vous", assuming you were intending to address a single person in a formal way. In this case, all adjectives are in singular. If you were addressing a collective group, you'd have the adjectives in plural.

Said H.C1Kwiziq community member

Thank you Chris,

But these adjectives are called "adjectifs apposés" and they are separated from the subject and the noun by a comma.

They can either come before the noun or the subject, or after them.

Do you not think that I should write it this way just to avoid confusion?

Bronzé et content, vous revenez tout juste des vacances, mais dès l'instant où vous ouvrez votre boîte de réception ou que vous apercevez le tas de courrier qui s’est accumulé en votre absence, vous êtes frappé par un sentiment d’anxiété paralysant.

In the above case, the "adjectifs apposés" precede the subject "vous".

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

In my understanding you can write it either way. Cécil's opinion would be helpful to confirm, though.

Said H.C1Kwiziq community member

Thank you sir Chris.

Said H. asked:

Personal pronouns and confusions

Hi Dear Kwiziq,

I am confused when it comes to translate the personal pronouns "you" into French.

As I know, in French, "you" refers to "vous" like "You all" or the formal "vous".

And French adjectives changes in function of the gender and number. In the translation below, my confusion are in red, would you mind telling me if my translation is correct?

You've just returned home from vacation — sun-kissed and blissed out — but the moment you open your inbox or spot the pile of mail that accumulated in your absence, you’re hit with a crippling sense of anxiety.

Vous revenez tout juste des vacances, bronzé et content, mais dès l'instant où vous ouvrez votre boîte de réception ou que vous apercevez le tas de courrier qui s’est accumulé en votre absence, vous êtes frappé par un sentiment d’anxiété paralysant.

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