31 Comments
in this case we are referring to another person profession so shouldn't we use un before enseignante in this case
In French, professions don't need the indefinite article, except when you use "c'est une... c'est un...".
"un enseignant / une enseignante" is a teacher, ie someone whose job is to teach (anything to anyone).
"un prof" is the colloquial word for "un professeur" (both masculine and feminine), ie someone teaching one or two disciplines to students aged 12 to 18 or in universities.
Thanks. Duolingo is a wonderful app, but wouldn't be half as good without people like you to answer learners' questions.
The woman's voice has no liaison between 'est enseignante' but the man's voice does. Which is correct? I think there should be one but I'm not sure?
Some French people have become so lazy and illiterate that using liaisons (even so-called 'required liaisons') has started to be perceived as (really) formal. In any event "est T enseignante" is what you should say if you care about proper French. ;-)
Sitesurf, on the drop down it gives this and that as an option. Are they interchangeable in this sentence? S'il vous plaît et merci!
The distinction between "this" and "that" is usually not necessary in French unless you are comparing "cette chose-ci et cette chose-là" (this thing and that thing).
Only when it comes to time do you have to be precise:
- These days = Ces jours-ci
- In those days = En ce temps-là
- That year = Cette année-là
What is wrong with translating "enseignante" as "instructor," or for that matter "educator"? Why only "teacher" or "lecturer"? (Yes, I know there is a word "instructeur/instructrice" in French.)
"instructrice" or "éducatrice" are possible but in specific context (specialized teachers).
Can you explain more, perhaps with an example? My English brain interprets "my math teacher" and "my math instructor" as the same.
"un instructeur/une instructrice" is someone teaching technical things, like piloting or driving or handling weapons...
"un éducateur/une éducatrice" do not work within the usual education system but specially trained to take care of children in difficulty.
Are there different words for teachers accoding to levels, the way élève / collégien / lycéen are different?
Professions do not need an article, unless the noun is complemented by an adjunct:
- cette femme est enseignante
- cette femme est la meilleure enseignante de tout le collège
- cette femme est une enseignante de grande qualité
If no article is needed in French, how do we know if the article is indefinite or definite in the English translation?
Context will tell you which article you have to use:
he is a teacher = il est professeur/c'est un enseignant ("un" is masculine)
she is a teacher = elle est professeur/c'est une enseignante ("une" is feminine).
he is my son's teacher = c'est l'enseignant de mon fils ("l'" for "le" is masculine)
she is my son's teacher = c'est l'enseignante de mon fils ("l'" for "la" is feminine)
he is the good teacher I know = c'est le bon enseignant que je connais ("le" to translate "the")
she is the good teacher I know = c'est la bonne enseignante que je connais ("la" to translate "the")
Sorry...I still don't understand why "This woman is the teacher (of this class)." is wrong. I cannot seem to see the context in the French phrase.
You have changed the article and therefore the meaning.
This sentence states what the woman's profession is, not that she is the specific teacher of a given class. If she were specific, the article would be definite, just as in English:
- this woman is a teacher = cette femme est enseignante
- this woman is the teacher = cette femme est l'enseignante
Est enseignante =is teacher. Est une enseignante =is a teacher . N'est pas?
In English, professions are nouns after "to be/become...".
In French, professions are used as adjectives after "être/devenir...".
- je suis enseignant(e), tu es enseignant(e), il est enseignant, elle est enseignante/nous sommes enseignant(e)s/vous êtes enseignant(e)(s), ils sont enseignants, elles sont enseignantes = I am/you are/he is/she is a teacher; we/you/they are teachers.
Yet, with "il/elle, ils/elles", you can use an alternative construction with professions as nouns:
- c'est un enseignant = he is a teacher
- c'est une enseignante = she is a teacher
- ce sont des enseignant(e)s = they are teachers
