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- Topic: French >
- "I am short."
"I am short."
Translation:Je suis petit.
44 Comments
Im not sure i understand how to differentiate between saying im short or that i am slim/small size. how do french people interpret meaning from the same word that means different things. I understand there similar words in english but not like this, for example if i was asking a lady over the phone to describe herself she could say je suis petite, and i wouldnt wether she was slim or short.
In french petite or petit deal with a persons height only, to say you were slim you would use maigre
If you received it as an audio question, then your gender doesn't matter. Just the translation. If it was text based, both should be correct.
it's meant in a general way because the programme doesn't know you're male or female. and the general "person" is male
"petit" is masculine, used to modify masculine objects/subjects. "PUH-tee" (exaggerated pronunciation)
"petite" is feminine, used to modify feminine objects/subjects. "puh-TEET" (again exaggerated, not particularly strong emphasis but trying to illustrate the contrast).
Donc, il est petit. Elle est petite. Le garçon est petit et la fille est petite.
Oui, c'est les deux. I think that's the right (French) way of saying, "yes, it is both".
I can't understand the possible answer "Je suis à court". What is the meaning of the "à" preposition here?
This translation is not given as a possibility now (Jan., '14). However, "I am short" in English can mean that I don't have enough money, as after a meal in a restaurant you might say this to your dinner companion. I think "a court" means the same in French.
In the same way you might say "i am at ease" in English there is the word "at" in there which doesnt have much sense being there.
(technical issue: "I can't understand the possible answer "Je suis à court". What is the meaning of the "à" preposition here?" is also listed as discussion under "I am short"
Pedro must have received this exercise in the form of a multi choice question. Their question must be relating to one of the wrong answers available.
Is "je suis petit" something a man would actually say, or would "court" be better? "Petit(e)" sounds rather feminine to me, but I'm probably wrong.
"petit(e)" is better translated as small. (Le chat est petit. The cat is small.) "court" is more for describing objects. (Ce pantalon est court. These pants are short.)
I think "profond" is a more accurate translation of "deep". And "bas" means "low" as in Les Pays-Bas ( where I come from ) :)
in swiss french and france french you can use both for deep but definitely not for "short" as a body measure ;)
the first version is male singular and the second version is male plural oder general plural
Are "Je suis petit" and "Je suis petite" both valid? I chose "Je suis petite" in a multiple choice question and it says 'Translation: Je suis petit.'
Does that mean that if I'm a boy I would use "Je suis petit" and if I'm a girl, "Je suis petite" ?
"petit" or petite". I'm sure that was a typo, but yes, it depends on whether the subject, which in this case is "Je" is male or female.
"Je suis bas" is wrong??? From the mighty internet: "Bas - Qui a peu de hauteur". A mon avis, "Je suis petit" is more wrong than "bas"
