"They used to send each other letters and presents."

Translation: Ils s'envoyaient des lettres et des cadeaux.

[SubhashMann]

I find two 'des' in this sentence. One each for Lettres and Cadeau. However in another sentence where the use was brothers and sisters, it simply said des frères et sœurs. Is there a rule or both are correct?
Merci en avance.

[GraemeSarg]

DeepL agrees that "des sœurs" is optional here but not in this exercise, but I do not understand why.

[Balla583491]

why use " des lettres et des cartes" and then "des freres et soeurs" Pleas explain when we have to repeat "des"

[AZwOti]

I'm posing the question initiated by SubhashMann again with hopes for a response. Why is "des lettres et des cadeaux" correct in this sentence, but "des frères et soeurs" is correct in another?

[GraemeSarg]

This is a combination of guesswork and a vague recollection, but I think it is because "frère et sœur" is how you say "sibling" in French. I think it's kind of like a compound noun.

[Mark123268]

That might be the reason, but then Duo should make it clear. "Brothers and sisters" is a phrase that probably appears relatively frequently in all languages since the dawn of langauge, so if it has a special idiomatic usage in French, it should be explained. It seems fishy to me. I can't imagine that French doesn't allow simple parallel coordination, as many other European languages do. (I have some brothers and [some] sisters. Look at all the letters and [the] presents!)

[GraemeSarg]

Then you need to start imagining. "Frères et sœurs" is an exception.

Because the correct article for each noun in a list can differ, French (generally) insists that they each be listed.

[Joanielovesjoe]

Très bien merci beaucoup

[Joanielovesjoe]

Ils s'envoyaient des lettres et des cadeaux

[Robbins0]

Sometimes I just cannot see where I made a mistake, and this is one of them.

[roman2095]

Perhaps if you copied your answer to here others might be able to help you.

[BenkPl]

Are there rules about the usage of y and i, or it jus have to be memorized?

[relox84]

oi usually turns to oy when followed by a vowel other than a silent -e: je vois -> nous voyons, j'envoie -> nous envoyons

[BenkPl]

thanks!

[Gerd420643]

Why is the female version of this sentence wrong?

[Antti546484]

What did you write, Gerd420643? Maybe you had a typo somewhere. "Elles s'envoyaient des lettres et des cadeaux" was accepted.