French language Q&A Forum

I'm wondering about this sentence: "Des festivites incontournables qui prennent habituellement fin a Mardi Gras, soit la veille du..."

What is the reason for the subjunctive verb tense of "soit" toward the end of this statement? 

Hello - 

I'm still confused about why "Nous nous habillions à 6 heures et demie", "We got dressed at half past 6", is imparfait and not passe compose. This seems to be one specific event (not describing a repeated action), is complete, has a clear beginning (6:30), and isn't an opinion or (I don't think) story background. What rule would I use to know it's imparfait?

Why is "mon exam" used in the first sentence and "mon examen" in the second to last?

The problem here is not my knowledge of conjugating the verb, but being able to get the accent on the e from my windows keyboard. How do I do that please?

Quelle chanson sucrée!  :)

 I love the question and its  hint "How would you say ''I haven't been in France for long.'' ?(literally: I haven't long arrived to France.)

The answer: Je ne suis pas arrivé en France depuis longtemps.

Je ne me sens pas intelligent et j'ai l'air stupide comme ça depuis longtemps !!! I think i get it! I know I got it! OOOPS me no get it!!

The hint imposes a thought process on the reader which would not be there otherwise. Clever... it reinforces the understanding of the verb 'arriver' as a sort of process.... and shakes up the marbles in the old nuggin.

However!!!  My question. I arrived in France 'yesterday' and I am telling someone today that "I haven't been in France for long". I am thinking it calls for the Present indicative and depuis. Since i was in France as of yesterday(the past) and am still here today (the present).

Je ne suis pas en France depuis longtemps!!!

Without the hint and its imposition of the verb 'arriver' then doesn't this question change dramatically.

Help!!!!!!!

Is there anything wrong with «il commençait à lister tous les poissons» for translation of 'he started listing all the fish' or 'he started to list all the fish'? It seems a more direct translation and grammatically correct, (I think).