Toutes before verbs beginning with vowels

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Toutes before verbs beginning with vowels

Bonjour,

In the lesson you give the following example:

Mes amis sont venus et tous étaient contents. 

But if we change the gender, are these three examples correct?

Mes amies sont venues et toutes étaient contentes. (all of them were happy)

Mes amies sont venues et elles étaient toutes contentes. (they were all happy)

Mes amies sont venues et elles étaient tout contentes. (they were very happy)

Thanks for all your work on this subject. This lesson is long but it's the most comprehensive explanation I've found.

John

Asked 2 years ago
CélineKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour John,

Thank you all for answering this question. @John, I agree that it IS a complex subject! This has been a very interesting question to research for the French team ;-) 

So, when the adverb 'tout' (= very / completely) is followed by a feminine plural adjective that starts with a consonant (such as 'contentes') or an aspirated 'h' ('honteuses'), it should agree in gender and in number with the adjective -> toutes

Elles étaient toutes contentes = They were very happy

The lesson has now been reviewed and updated to factor this in. There is now a table explaining the different agreements when 'tout' (adverb) is followed by a feminine adjective. 

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The three examples you quote seem correct to me.

AlanC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The last one is wrong, I think. According to the lesson it should be "toute" because:

"But here, exceptionally, tout will agree in gender only, and in a very specific manner." etc.

But according to other grammar books it should also agree in number, so I think it should be "toutes".

ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Yes, you're right.

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Thanks Alan and Chris. My last example is wrong and I misread the exception. There are examples above with plurals that show the correct feminine form in the plural, and this is the ONLY form available before a consonant or aspirant h. The exception means there is only one way to say both "the women were very happy," and/or "all of them (the women) were happy":  "...elles étaient toutes contentes."  

With masculine sentences in the plural we can intensify the adjective ("very" happy) or indicate "all of them" by using different forms of tout regardless of the first letter of the following word.

"Ils sont tout émus, ils sont tous émus, ils sont tout contents", and "ils sont tous contents" are all correct. 

Quite a complex subject, even without discussing pronounciation and the list of words beginning with H. 

Toutes before verbs beginning with vowels

Bonjour,

In the lesson you give the following example:

Mes amis sont venus et tous étaient contents. 

But if we change the gender, are these three examples correct?

Mes amies sont venues et toutes étaient contentes. (all of them were happy)

Mes amies sont venues et elles étaient toutes contentes. (they were all happy)

Mes amies sont venues et elles étaient tout contentes. (they were very happy)

Thanks for all your work on this subject. This lesson is long but it's the most comprehensive explanation I've found.

John

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Thinking...