"Comment est le nouvel avocat ?"

Translation: How is the new lawyer?

[wyclin]

How is nouvel different from nouveau or nouvelle?

[aurelienche]

« Nouveau » = masculine. Use « nouvel » when the next word start with a vowel, eg. « nouvel avocat », « nouvel état », etc.

« Nouvelle » = feminine.

[wyclin]

Oh I see, merci :D

[aurelienche]

De rien. ;)

[Chefie]

same thing with 'l'homme est beau' but 'c'est un bel homme'

[RondeKooter]

Clear at last, thank you

[robinwingl]

Thank you very much for explaining that.

[ron_fr]

same with CET (cet enfant) and MON (mon amie)

[Conqueror_Elmo]

How do you differentiate when hearing it. The liason makes it kinda hard.

[shriramk]

Why does it not accept "advocate" for "avocat"?

[tu.8zPhLD72zzoZN]

An advocate is not necessarily a lawyer or attorney.
"avocat" does mean "lawyer" or "attorney"
http://dictionnaire.reverso.net/francais-anglais/avocat

Begging your pardon, I see in Scotland that advocate does mean lawyer, but keep in mind that advocate also means someone who
defends or upholds, not necessarily in court (défenseur, partisan).
http://dictionnaire.reverso.net/anglais-francais/advocate

[MimicMethod.com]

because advocates don't make for good guacamole :)

[billypuntove]

an advocate is not the same as a lawyer.
This words means lawyer in French and it does not mean advocate
(pretty sure "défenseur" would be closer)

[HWazir]

I have same question. And i lost a Linglot over this :'(

[ggauche]

Have one of mine.

[HAKHZ]

I thought avocat meant avocado.

[dartisha]

It means that too... that can make for some funny mental images.

[Epheros]

I wanted to know about pronunciation. The recording says it like "comman' Aye lu neoovelle Avocaa"

Shouldn't this be "common-Tay lu nouvelAvocaa". (I know, horrible transliteration!)

I thought the disappearing T at the end of 'comment' pops in when the next word is a vowel, and the 'nouvel avocat' runs together more seemlessly for the same reason. Kind of like 'I am a pig' - "zha sweez-un' cooshawn" rather than zha swee un cooshawn.

I'm just wondering if I'm developing some really difficult to reverse bad speaking habits or if I'm handicapping my listening skills.

Any thoughts?

[ShaunOfTheLive]

The "t" in comment is never pronounced. It's a forbidden liaison (except in the phrase "comment allez-vous ?").

http://french.about.com/library/pronunciation/bl-liaisons-f.htm

The liaison between "suis" and "un" (swee-zun) is an optional liaison. Some native speakers will use it, and some won't.

http://french.about.com/library/pronunciation/bl-liaisons-o.htm

Also see required liaisons:
http://french.about.com/library/pronunciation/bl-liaisons-r.htm

[vojta.fi]

Is "what is the new lawyer like" possible?

[nadka.s]

yes, it's accepted

[LaLouise13]

I translated is as "How is the new avocado"........ ridiculous sentence, but so is the little boy who eats a big horse.

[maisasiam]

I did that as well.... so painful!

[tom_dobson]

hahahaha

[fortheoswin]

lol I thought it was avocado

[il-fairi-nece]

new avocado = nouvel avocat? That's correct too, right?

[Conhart]

One of the translations for avocat is "Trial) Lawyer". They need to fix the ), and where would you use avocat, outside of trial?

[liz_007]

If a female lawyer is it, "Comment est la nouvelle avocate?"

[Riz109]

At first I read this as: how is the new avocado?

[InvertedGo]

Toyed with the idea of writing "comment est l'avocat neuf", as in a newly minted lawyer (just graduated, never practiced before). Would "l'avocat neuf" mean that?