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Ayesha T.C1Kwiziq community member

Writing exercise "Spanish Cooking"

Hello. I was doing a B1 writing exercise called "Spanish Cooking". Why is "but I struggled more with the tortilla." translated as "J'ai eu plus de mal" and not "J'ai eu plus DU mal"?

Asked 1 month ago

Like0Answer1

Max K.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

avoir du mal a

I'm not sure why is not an acceptable way to express struggle. From Le grand Robert:

II V. intr. (Fin XIe). Se donner de la peine, du mal*. ➙ Appliquer (s'), efforcer (s'), évertuer (s'), fatiguer (et se fatiguer), gémir (fig.), trimer (fam.) ;→ 1. Coût, cit. 27 ; élite, cit. 5. Peiner comme une bête (cit. 11) de somme, comme un forçat… Peiner jour (cit. 42) après jour. — Élève qui peine sur une composition (cit. 8) latine (au sens III, 2, de peine). Il peinait pour s'exprimer (→ Facilement, cit. 3). — Par ext. Respiration, souffle qui peine (→ Oxygène, cit. 3).

Asked 2 years ago

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Nikolas W.C1Kwiziq community member

Why the accent grave on à ?

Why is it "J'ai du mal à (verb)", instead of "J'ai du mal a (verb)"?

I only know we use it for locations, such as "Je suis à Paris"

Asked 2 years ago

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N. L.A1Kwiziq community member

Avoir du mal à - future

why for past we use - j'avais du mal

But future we don't use - j'aurai du mal

and uses - je vais avoir du mal ?

Asked 3 years ago

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J. L.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Struggle = am confused

Can someone help? I learnt what I thought was a beautiful French expression with 'comprendre' which meant basically "I am confused". It woud be in a form like "I am confused please explain it to me more".. with the verb comprendre.

This lesson reminded me of it but I cannot recall the precise syntax now! Anyone? Thanks!

Asked 3 years ago

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Max K.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Question 4 issue - what is the better translation of struggle

I answered "Nous avons peiné a" rather than "avions du mal à". I think struggle is the better translation.

Asked 3 years ago

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Susan S.C1Kwiziq community member

Avoir du mal à or avec
What is the difference between avoir du mal à and avoir du mal avec. I was marked wrong for avoir du mal à (math) but the lesson seems to indicate one can use either. Thanks.

Asked 4 years ago

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