Why 'un couple' rather than 'one couple' in 'un couple de chevaux'?

B D.C1Kwiziq community member

Why 'un couple' rather than 'one couple' in 'un couple de chevaux'?

Asked 4 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi B,

I have changed the translation of un couple de chevaux to a pair of horses ( which had been suggested in an earlier question).

Had a bit of a dilemma - should it be there was or there were but chose there was, I can change this if you think it should be,

there were a pair of horses.

I am not a horsey person, but a couple of in English often means, a few, so I think a pair is probably better as in French, a couple of would probably be quelques.

Hope you agree...

Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

A carriage can be drawn by a "pair of horses", but I wouldn't describe two horses in a field as "a pair". I'd have changed the French translation to be "quelques" or "deux".

B D. asked:

Why 'un couple' rather than 'one couple' in 'un couple de chevaux'?

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Clever stuff happening!