Why can’t we say je suis vraiment jaloux de ce pouvoir instead of j’ai envie....

Manpreet kaurC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Why can’t we say je suis vraiment jaloux de ce pouvoir instead of j’ai envie....

Asked 3 years ago
MaartenC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

I think you might mean to compare “être envieux” with “être jaloux” - much the same difference as for English between ‘to be envious’ and ‘to be jealous’. In the context of the transcription exercise, neither is the most direct translation of the English sentence. 

 “Avoir envie de” is an expression (of wanting, fancying, feeling like doing/having etc) that does not require a comparison. In the lesson, ‘I envy. ..’ has envy in a verbal expression, and “ avoir envie de .. “ is a better fit than être envieux ou être jaloux.

We have a similar difference between “ I (have) envy (of) “ and “I am envious “ in English too. 

Why can’t we say je suis vraiment jaloux de ce pouvoir instead of j’ai envie....

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