Cécile goes and takes

i. l.C1Kwiziq community member

Cécile goes and takes

Sorry to open this one up again !

But why not translate as:

"Cécile va et prend..." ?

Asked 10 months ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Ian, it is just never said that way in French.

The French equivalent of the English expression ‘ to go and do something ‘ is the same as for ‘ go (to) do something ’, it is simply ‘ aller faire qqc ‘. 

In the exercise the translation has to be ‘ Elle va prendre …. ‘. 

If you particularly want to emphasise separately that she ‘goes somewhere’  and then ‘does something’   a more complete description such as ‘ elle va à la table et (elle) prend ….’ 

or ‘ … á la table pour prendre ’  … ‘ is needed.

As an almost invariable rule, especially when referring to ‘movement’, aller requires a ‘ destination ‘  - certain expressions including ‘ j’irais..’ (instead of j’y irai) and ‘aller et venir’ aside.

Personally I think this is out of place in an A1 dictation exercise focussed on present tense, as it results in a structure identical to future proche of prendre, but it is not future proche, as I understand it, as this is a present tense narrative. I don’t think this is the first time that this phrase has been raised and discussed by members well advanced beyond A1.

It would be clearer to either say simply ‘…. (she) takes their order ‘ or ‘ (she) goes to the table and takes their order ‘.

Shawn P.A0Kwiziq community member

No if u ask why ------> Cuz why not ;) 

go for or else antonio might come .ATB for boards

                                                          - Not Shawn;) 

Shawn P.A0Kwiziq community member

cuz why not !!!!

;)

i. l. asked:

Cécile goes and takes

Sorry to open this one up again !

But why not translate as:

"Cécile va et prend..." ?

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