French language Q&A Forum

Hello everyone, 

I was wondering if this sentence must always be written in this Order: 

François, dont j'ai rencontré la femme le mois dernier.

The lesson says that there are cases in which we find the possession separated by a verb, but there is no explanation about whether that is a rule that must always followed or is another way of expressing things.

Is it correct to write it like this?

François, dont la femme j'ai rencontré  le mois dernier.

Thanks!

Regarding Cathy's question, the two following answers were accepted as being correct with both là  and y replacing 'dans une clairière'. The first was the answer given by KWIZIQ as the first choice.

1. je me repose là pendant quelques minutes. 

2. je m'y repose pendant quelques minutes.

 I understand that y can replace 'dans + place',  and I often read that y and là have different meanings, but have never found a clear explanation as to when you 'can' use one or the other when referring to a place.

I would really appreciate someone explaining to me why both are correct.  

....compared to most other languages.

I wrote: 

.....comparée à la majorité D'autres langues. 

Why is it DES autres langues?

Also

........so my mother tongue would have prepared me.....

I wrote:

.....que ma langue maternelle m'aurait préparéE

I thought an extra 'e' was required because of la langue?

The test statement is "J'habite _____ Texas." The hint is "Le Texas is an American State." Shouldn't the answer be "J'habite dans le Texas" according to the very first example in the regions, states, counties section yet the answer given is "J'habite au Texas." All the exceptions are overwhelming but this seems to be exactly like the example.

I have always used imparfait for repeated events or actions in the past. However, you suggest passé composé in: "She saved up all year round" = "Elle a mis de côté..". I have found a reference that almost applies "..an action or event repeated a specific number of times" but there is no such specification here. Saving money over time seems to me to be an habitual or repeated action.

In English, the word 'between' is used when there is a choice between two items.  If the choice is more than two, the word 'among' is used.  Is this different in French?  Or in this case, does 'entre' have the same meaning as 'among'.  Merci!

I love the audio on this lesson. The pauses on the punctuation give more life to the language.

For example, I am wondering why the phrase je me fais faire de nouvelles sandales (I am having new sandals made) requires the "me" - would the meaning be changed if it was omitted?

Can someone explain why sometimes you make a "direct object" do something and other times an "indirect object"?  Examples:

Je le fais asseoir à côté de moi (direct object) - I make him sit next to me

Je lui fais sortir la poubelle (indirect) - I make him take out the garbage

Elle lui fait cueillir les fleurs (indirect) - She makes him pick the flowers

There has to be a unifying rule that explains this distinction.  Any help is much appreciated.  Thanks.

Anyone else practicing by singing Charlie Boisseau’s »Pourquoi Tu T’en Vas »?