Instead of sens bon I answered Je sens la rose. I thought that was right.....?
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Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Instead of sens bon I answered Je sens la rose. I thought that was right.....?
I expect not!
This question relates to:French lesson ""Sentir bon" vs "Se sentir bien" - The different meanings of the verb "sentir" in French"
Asked 5 years ago

Bonjour Lisa !
The meaning is indeed there, however "je sens la rose" is a figurative expression, which you wouldn't really translate by the plain equivalent "I smell good", but by a similarly visual image (like heaven, like roses...).
The neutral way to express "I smell good" is "Je sens bon" :)
In the same way, you would translate "it's raining cats and dogs" by the simple "il pleut", but rather the equivalent colloquial expression "il pleut des cordes".
Bonne journée !
The meaning is indeed there, however "je sens la rose" is a figurative expression, which you wouldn't really translate by the plain equivalent "I smell good", but by a similarly visual image (like heaven, like roses...).
The neutral way to express "I smell good" is "Je sens bon" :)
In the same way, you would translate "it's raining cats and dogs" by the simple "il pleut", but rather the equivalent colloquial expression "il pleut des cordes".
Bonne journée !

Ron Kwiziq Q&A super contributor
Bonjour Lisa,
Je sens la rose = I smell the rose on the other hand La rose sent bon = the rose smells good
I hope that helps

Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor
Merci Ron,
I appreciate your answer. However there is a fixed case for sens la rose.
Describing senses with "sentir" - The different meanings of the verb "sentir" in French%252Fsearch%253Fs%253DSentir
So I think I should not have been marked wrong!

Lisa asked:View original
Instead of sens bon I answered Je sens la rose. I thought that was right.....?
I expect not!
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