French language Q&A Forum

Just a note, when there are tips like the quote below, though this is could be very helpful, the fancy grammar terms without any down to earth french examples right after would make a lot of new students just give up without realizing an example is in the article somewhere. Maybe consider adding examples right after it, at least to save time?

Thanks for the fantastic website! 

"Compound tense : en + [auxiliary] + [past participle] + [number]"

Does your car work?

Ta voiture est-elle fonctionne? 

Will it be correct?

Please help!

In the example At that time, she lived with Julien.

A cette epoch means to me a specific action completed in the past, so I used the passe' compose. It was marked wrong in place of using the imparfait, which is supposed to be continuing action. So I am confused or is it a matter of interpretation?

Why is “ils préfèrent apprendre allemand” marked as a wrong answer? I thought either “allemand” or “l’allemand” was correct here. 

My dictionary offers both as a translation of teaspoon.  Only the latter was accepted in this exercise.  Is there a distinction?   In English, a teaspoon is a smaller spoon, i.e. smaller than a tablespoon, used to eat with or to stir something.  A teaspoon is also a unit of measurement.  We use the same word for both.  What about French ?  Is there a difference between petite cuillère and cuillère à café ? 

in my gcse book the  english - i wanted to buy some trousers but they didn't suit me is translated as 

j'ai voulu acheté un pantalon mais il ne m'allait pas .

As this is a one off occasion why is the imperfect of aller used and not the perfect 

thanks

Il est après-midi 

or

c'est après-midi

how would i translate smth like “I love my mother, but I don’t like her.” thankd