French language Q&A Forum

Searching through Google I came across Lawless pieces on variable and invariable pronouns. I'm still not sure how my use of Personne was wrong, or how aucun can be either an adjective or a pronoun, but I can live with that expecting a glimmer eventually, but it would be helpful if you could explain the terminology. Why are they called variable and invariable negative pronouns? Is it because the invariiable ones don't agree, whilst the variable ones do? This is one of those things people who know this stuff take for granted.

Hi, I’ve seen a couple of examples where there seems to be both an argument for the use of the Subjunctive (as the verb follows a “que”), and also an argument for the use of the Imparfait (due to the needs of the tense in the sentence).  In both of the examples below the Imparfait “wins”. What’s the right way to think about this situation? Is there really a “competition” here, and a rule for how to resolve it?

“Enfin, et je pense que ma femme serait d'accord.”

“Tu auras grossi pendant que tu vivais en Angleterre.”

how can we watch the film?

Are these correct ??

a)they want to interview us all == ils veulent tous nous interviewer ???

b)they want to interview all of us == ils veulent nous interviewer tous

c)they all want to interview us == ils, tous nous veulent interviewer ?? **note only a comma distingushes  a from b**)

Thanks for trying to help Chris but I'm afraid it still doesn't clarify it.  You said that it was asking for the present subjunctive in your 1st answer but in your second answer you say "The PAST subjunctive is used here to express that between" actions " 1) and 2) there is no temporal overlap. "

Perhaps if I ask it a different way 

The English version is  "Before I started to learn french". 'Started" is in the past tense, therefore shouldn't I translate it into the past subjunctive ie  "avant que je n'aie commencé à apprendre le Français"

Thanks

Why is the example « deux-cents » hyphenated, but « J’ai cinq cents euros. »  is not hyphenated ?  Thank you.

Why is it "d'une" and "de boire" ?

Elle trouve que Sam EST belle.

versus

Elle trouve Sam ennuyeuse.

Does it work as a guide/rule that:

The presence of a conjugated verb after "trouve que" suggest both that

1) "trouve que" is being used in the sense of "think/find that...(clause)," and also

2) that "que" is necessary in the formation of such a sentence?

For comparison: "Elle trouve Sam est belle" would be grammatically incorrect.

Why is it 'je venais'  when she is saying 'I was calling' rather than using appeler e.g. J'appelais simplement...'?

Thanks

Bonjour!

Hi I was wondering when looking over the Qu'est - ce que c'est is it correct to always use that since it would be more formal? Or can you use c'est quoi when talking to a friend?

Merci

Nicole