Although v. “Even if”This lesson describes “although” and “even if” as “similar” but states that “although” is “more elegant and subtle” than “even if.” This is not quite right. There is a significant difference in meaning. “Although” is usually followed by a concession/affirmation of fact, while “even if” is followed by a hypothetical assumption (without a concession/affirmation of fact).
For example:
“Although I stole the hat, I did not deserve the death penalty.” — I am admitting I stole the hat.
“Even if I stole the hat, I did not deserve the death penalty.” There is ambiguity here. I am not necessarily admitting I stole the hat. I am saying that, even assuming I stole the hat, I don’t deserve the death penalty.
It’s unclear to me if there is a similar distinction in meaning in French between bien que and meme si which explains why one form takes indicative and the other subjunctive. I would expect the version that is closer to although and which affirms a fact to take indicative, and the other subjunctive. At least that is how it works in Spanish - “aunque” with indicative is “although,” and “aunque” with subjunctive is “even if.”
In the example when it says il pense à elle and it means he’s thinking of her. But in another example it says je parle de lui which means I speak of him. So de and à both mean of in these examples so I will as wondering when I would use à and when I would use de.
How do you say "from the ..."? My guess would be "DE LA ...". However, this can only mean some. What do I do?
This lesson describes “although” and “even if” as “similar” but states that “although” is “more elegant and subtle” than “even if.” This is not quite right. There is a significant difference in meaning. “Although” is usually followed by a concession/affirmation of fact, while “even if” is followed by a hypothetical assumption (without a concession/affirmation of fact).
For example:
“Although I stole the hat, I did not deserve the death penalty.” — I am admitting I stole the hat.
“Even if I stole the hat, I did not deserve the death penalty.” There is ambiguity here. I am not necessarily admitting I stole the hat. I am saying that, even assuming I stole the hat, I don’t deserve the death penalty.
It’s unclear to me if there is a similar distinction in meaning in French between bien que and meme si which explains why one form takes indicative and the other subjunctive. I would expect the version that is closer to although and which affirms a fact to take indicative, and the other subjunctive. At least that is how it works in Spanish - “aunque” with indicative is “although,” and “aunque” with subjunctive is “even if.”
Hi Aurélie,
I notice a few people have asked the same question about the sentence - Tu lui as parlé' being translated as 'You talked to her' but parlé not agreeing with a feminine ‘lui’. You have said that the past participle doesn’t agree with an indirect object pronoun, and refer people to the advanced lesson: Special cases where the past participle agrees... However that lesson only talks about direct object pronouns and doesn’t actually say that the past participle doesn’t agree with an indirect object pronouns. I wondered if - for completeness and clarity - you could add that to the lesson, if it is not covered elsewhere. Many thanks.
I have not seen any examples or reference to using the phrase when the subject is/are thing/s rather than people. I may be missing something very basic here, but can the phrase be used with things, or only when the pronouns represent people? If it can be used, is it actually used?
Partout cette lécon on utilise le pronon "on". C'est pourquoi j'ai écrit: Mes amis et moi, on préfère rester chez moi...????
Near the bottom of the lesson, the green box says ‘-CER and -GER verbs take ç and extra e in front of -a, but not in front of -è’ then is followed by an example with commença. I know that’s the correct spelling; so I don’t understand the ‘extra e’ bit. Please explain. Hang on, the penny is dropping...it’s an extra ‘e’ just after -ger and not -cer ? Perhaps this could be made clearer ?
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