Two questions

Question

(1) Can you use "désavantage" which, on the face of it, is the obvious word to use for 'disadvantage'?

(2) Can you use 'pile' instead of 'batterie'?

Or is there some nuance of meaning which I'm overlooking here?

Accepted Answer

Hi Charles and Vanessa,
1. We always use the word 'batterie' for what's in a car, electric or not.
The word 'piles' is normally the small items you buy from a supermarket to be used in small electronic devices.
2. The opposite of 'avantages' (pros)  is 'inconvénients' (cons) in French.
The word 'désavantage' is used for a detriment, a handicap.
Jouer au football avec un joueur de moins est un désavantage.
Vanessa, 'batterie' can be a set of drums or even a set of kitchen tools as in 'batterie de cuisine', it is all to do with context.
Hope this helps!

Answer

Good question. I made those choices as well. If you search the Library index you find batterie in French as a translation of drums or in English which is then translated as pile.