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- "Comment écrit-elle ?"
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113
why there is in various "what" but when i use it like: "What does she write?" this is a mistake >:(
the question is not about WHAT the person is writing (object) but HOW she is writing (manner)
but if "comment" means how and what, then both versions should be correct. I also chose what over How. How do I differ if the question is about HOW, when "comment" means "What" or "How"?
Like Sitesurf said, "comment" doesn't mean "what". There is nothing to differ. If you see "comment" translate it to "how". That's it.
The problem people are having is that Duolingo itself offers both "what" and "how" as possible translations for "comment," but it marks "what" as incorrect when you answer an exercise with it.
Comment is what in "tu t'appelles comment?" = "what is your name?", although a direct translation would be "how do you call yourself", so that's just different usage between languages
But the translation offered on this website, for "comment" is: 1. how, and 2. what the website is giving us a wrong translation, and then we lose a heart by following the offered translation. If "comment" does not mean: "What", than the mistake above should be fixed.
"What" can translate several French constructions: qu', que, quoi, ce que, ce quoi, à quoi.... depending on context and construction of the verb, and whether it is an affirmative or interrogative sentence, basically.
- qu'écrit-elle?: what does she write?
- qu'en penses-tu ?: what do you think about it?
- que mange-t-elle ?: what does she eat?
- elle mange quoi ?: she eats what?
- voici ce que je mange: here is what I eat
- voici ce à quoi je pense: here is what I am thinking about
Ok. I read the comments. So Duolingo should not have "what" as a meaning for "comment."
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It is not so much the full meaning of comment that is the problem. It is English usage. How do you call this is perfectly fine English, conforms to grammar etc but...it sounds strange to the English ear. So we substitute what for how when translating from French.
What do you call this?
How should the 'how' in this sentence be interpreted? I already see from some replies above that there is the interpretation of 'what does she use to write with', as well as 'how is it possible that she writes in her condition', but does the expression also convey an inquiry into someone else's assessment of the quality of her writing?
"Comment" is very open and indeed the answer to "comment écrit-elle ?" can be "comme un cochon" (like a pig), or "comme Victor Hugo".
In theory you could liaise "comment" and "écrit", but in reality French people do not do it.
However, in idioms like "comment allez-vous ?" (how are you?), they do.
if someone says this to me, i would most likely interpet it as 'how is she writing' not 'how does she write' they are very different sentences, is this a realistic scenario?
Context would tell which of "is writing" or "writes" is the best. If you are inquiring about a writer's working process, a simple present is just fine.
'Comment écrit-elle' How does she write And What does she write are both correct, are they not?
I'm afraid I find this mans pronunciation almost impossible to understand in too many instances so will simply skip and move on when too frustrating.
Is this a real person doing the pronunciation? Or is this computer generated? I suspect the latter. ecrit-elle sounded like ecrit "ben". But, then again, I don't think a computer would have made this mistake. Perhaps she was reading the wrong script or something.
May b good French but bad English. I assume you are asking "How is her writing"
This is an intense discussion..., but I would like to get one thing clear- From the comments, I understand it can mean "describe her writing- what's it like?" but does it also mean: "practically, how is she writing- e.g. with her nose on the bus window", or "how is she able to write - e.g. in her prison cell with no pen or paper." The English could have several meanings and I'm just curious to know if the French could, too. Thank you.
The array of possible answers to such a question is as wide in French as it is in English.
