Two possible translations of "Le garçon rentre, les vêtements sales"?

D. W.B2Kwiziq community member

Two possible translations of "Le garçon rentre, les vêtements sales"?

Hi, Kwiziq tells me "Le garçon rentre, les vêtements sales" = "The boy comes in, his clothes are dirty".

How would one say "The boy comes in, the clothes are dirty"? (For example, I imagine there are clothes lying around which, when the boy comes in, get stepped all over and made dirty.)

Asked 4 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Derek,

You could say for instance, 

Le garçon rentre dans le salon, l'air hautain, les mains dans les poches, les vêtements sales = The boy comes into the sitting room, with an air of superiority, his hands in his pockets, his clothes are dirty 

All these qualifying statements refer to the boy in question so no confusion here.

To indicate what you want to say you would have to add a lot of context -

Le garçon rentre, par terre il y a des vêtements sales The boy comes in, on the floor there are dirty clothes

Hope this helps!

 

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I guess one possibility would be: le garçon rentre et les vêtements sont sales. But it depends on what exactly you imagine is happening.

D. W.B2Kwiziq community member

Merci Cécile et Chris!

CécileNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hi Chris, 

I know it will sound very odd but you cannot say what you suggest as the 'et' makes all the difference , we don't know whose clothes you are talking about.

You would have to say,

"...et ses vêtements sont sales." 

Quelle langue!!!

Anne D.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

I think in English you can just as well omit the verb in the last bit of Cécile’s sentence - The boy comes into the sitting room… hands in his pockets, his clothes dirty. 

D. W. asked:

Two possible translations of "Le garçon rentre, les vêtements sales"?

Hi, Kwiziq tells me "Le garçon rentre, les vêtements sales" = "The boy comes in, his clothes are dirty".

How would one say "The boy comes in, the clothes are dirty"? (For example, I imagine there are clothes lying around which, when the boy comes in, get stepped all over and made dirty.)

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