French language Q&A Forum

 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!!!!!!!

I don't understand why "You're taking a walk with Greg - Tu promènes Greg." was marked as incorrect in the quiz. My dog Greg is very affectionate. Am I missing something or is the question wrong?

is this correct - when you say to use the future of to drive.   surely it is the infinitive ?

I guess I find most reflexive verbs make some kind of sense in that I can see that an action is performed on oneself (e.g. se laver) or somehow internalized (e.g. s'amuser, se demander), Sometimes however I just need to know how words get formed and se moquer has me puzzled.

Best I can tell, it has been around as a reflexive verb for at least 500 years and probably comes from blowing your nose at someone as a gesture of contempt (vulgar Latin: muccare), as such it makes sense to be reflexive - as of course is the modern se moucher . Other theories are se moquer comes from dutch, german or piedmontese words for mumble, grumble or grimace, which also kind of makes sense as reflexives. BTW the theory it comes from Norman words for 'stirring manure' has been discredited* which is just as well because that wouldn't explain the reflexive

I appreciate this isn't exactly a level A1 question, but I was wondering if anyone out there can confirm or deny my theories?

*Accordng to Tresor de la Lange Francaise

Why in this example "ce qui n'est vraiment pas de chance" do we use être rather than the avoir we usually see with avoir de la chance?

The article says (if I understand correctly) that neither "Il fait soleil" nor "Il fait du soleil" is the proper way to say "It's sunny". So, what is the correct way?

Both mean "exactly."  When do you use which phrase?  Thanks.

"Enfin, les amateurs d'histoire apprécieront le Vieux Bordeaux"

I thought enfin was used when an expected result occurs (foreseeable outcome) and finalement was used for an unexpected result (unforeseeable outcome).  Is there a better way to keep these two words straight? In the above sentence, how would a visitor to Bordeaux know what to expect before actually seeing the city?

I know the following wording may be a bit unusual but can you use this phrasing in a sentence as follows:

I do not much want to speak to them. Would it be "je ne veux pas grand chose leur parler ? OR  Je ne veux pas leur parler grand-chose.