In French, the words qui and ce qui both translate to “who” or “which” in English, but they serve different grammatical purposes. Qui tends to mean “who” or “which,” while ce qui tends to mean “what” or “that which.” 1. “Qui” as a Relative Pronoun Qui functions as a relative pronoun referring to a previously…
The French word “en” is a versatile preposition and pronoun with multiple meanings. Here we examine several of its most important meanings. 1. “In” or “To” a Feminine Country/Region/Continent When referring to locations, “en” means “in” or “to” with feminine countries, regions, and continents. Exception: Masculine countries use “au” (au Canada), and plural countries use…
Many French speakers rely heavily on “il faut que” (which requires the subjunctive) to express necessity. Learn four other ways to express necessity, obligation, and needs in French, without struggling with the subjunctive mood. 1. The Simplest Alternative: “Il faut + Infinitive” Best for: General advice or impersonal obligations Instead of:“Il faut que tu étudies.”…
In French, there is no direct equivalent to the English present continuous (“I am eating”) or past continuous (“I was eating”). Instead, French speakers use the construction “être en train de” + infinitive to emphasize that an action is (or was) in progress. This guide will cover how to use it in both the present…
In French, the numbers six (6) and dix (10) have pronunciation patterns that often confuse learners. Depending on context, these words can be pronounced with three different sounds: The pronunciation changes depending on: 1. Pronouncing Six and Dix with an “S” Sound This happens when the number is part of a series of numbers being…
Accented letters in French are essential for correct pronunciation and often carry historical significance. The five main diacritical marks in French are the acute accent (é), grave accent (è), circumflex (ê), tréma (ë), and cedilla (ç). Each affects pronunciation, and some even reveal fascinating linguistic evolution—particularly the acute and circumflex accents, which often replace a…
The imperative mood in French is used to give commands, make requests, or offer advice. It is only conjugated in the second-person singular (tu), first-person plural (nous), and second-person plural (vous). A key distinction exists between affirmative (eg, Do something) and negative (eg Don’t do something) imperatives, affecting both conjugation and word order. Affirmative Imperative…
The French verb rester (“to remain”) gives rise to several useful impersonal constructions that express what is left or remaining. An impersonal construction means the subject of the verb is “il,” which normally means “he,” but instead translates to “it.” So instead of meaning “he remains,” it means “it remains” or “there remains.” 1. The Basic…
The imperative mood in French is used to give commands, make requests, or offer advice. When using reflexive verbs (verbes pronominaux) in the imperative, the word order and placement of reflexive pronouns change depending on whether the command is affirmative or negative. 1. Affirmative Imperative with Reflexive Verbs In affirmative commands, the reflexive pronoun follows…
In French, most adjectives come after the noun they describe. But some common adjectives come before the noun. How do you know which is which? A good way to remember is with the BAGS rule. 🔤 Most Adjectives Come After the Noun In French, the normal position of an adjective is after the noun. Examples:…