Placement Of 'Tous Les Deux' or 'Tous Les + un numéro moins de 3'

Joseph A.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Placement Of 'Tous Les Deux' or 'Tous Les + un numéro moins de 3'

I was wondering where we are supposed to place these constructions within sentences and clauses. Some translations show after the entire clause or sentence, some show after the verb.

- Nous les avons tous les deux vu(e)s

- Nous les avons vu(e)s tous les deux

- Lui et son frère sont venus tous les deux 

A general lesson about saying 'both' to describe people and objects should be made.

Asked 4 months ago
Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Nous les avons tous les deux vus. -- This sentence places tous les deux right after the auxiliary verb: This construction emphasizes that "both" of the unspecified objects (referred to by "les") were seen. This is a common placement that clearly ties "both" directly to the action of seeing.

Nous les avons vus tous les deux.-- Also correct. Might have a slightly different emphasis than the first sentence but this feels like splitting hairs to me.

Lui et son frère sont venus tous les deux. -- In this sentence, tous les deux applies directly to the subjects lui et son frère (he and his brother) and clearly implies that both -- he and his brother -- came.

Placement Of 'Tous Les Deux' or 'Tous Les + un numéro moins de 3'

I was wondering where we are supposed to place these constructions within sentences and clauses. Some translations show after the entire clause or sentence, some show after the verb.

- Nous les avons tous les deux vu(e)s

- Nous les avons vu(e)s tous les deux

- Lui et son frère sont venus tous les deux 

A general lesson about saying 'both' to describe people and objects should be made.

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