"Ces langues, il les a apprises en voyageant."
Translation:These languages, he learned them while traveling.
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It really is annoying to have to write the English sentence incorrectly for it to be accepted. This structure is NOT used in English. It would be correct, if awkward, to say, "These languages he learned while traveling." It would be better to say, "He learned these languages while traveling." I understand the concept you're teaching in French, but please don't have people use incorrect English in the translation.
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This structure is used in English in many parts of the world, including the bulk of the United States. It isn't formal or standard, but it is widely used.
- 1096
You don't have to write the English sentence incorrectly for it to be accepted.
"he learned These languages while travelling." is an accepted response using the WordBank.
Duo's architecture requires the suggested response to match the French sentence structure. There is no such restriction on your own response.
If you are responding via keyboard then "He learnt those languages while travelling." is accepted.
I have the same question here as I did about 'compris' on a different question. How do I know to use 'apprises' here instead of 'apris'?
It has to agree with the direct object which in this case is the "les" which refers back to "ces langues". "Langues" is a feminine plural so "appris" is in the feminine plural form as well.
- 444
So.... normally its just passé composé created with the verb "être" that will trigger a conjugation in gender, right? But then, because there is a female indirect object, the use of "avoir" will in this case also cause a conjugation? Is that correct?
- 1096
No, agreement happens with any Preceding Direct Object (as we have here).
If it was an Indirect Object it would not agree (except by coincidence in the case of a masculine singular object).
I guess they want you to translate the dislocation, although they are much more common in French (especially contemporary French) than in English. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dislocation_(syntax)
- 395
I believe the purpose of dislocations in this lesson is to demonstrate that the past participle agrees in gender/number with direct objects that precede the verb. https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/agreement-with-direct-objects/
- 1044
Thanks a lot! I was wondering why the verbs conjugated with "avoir" needed a gender inflection. Now my doubt is cleared.
- 836
am i to gather from this unit that the construction, "xyz-- something happened with it" is a common feature of french speakers? (as opposed to the more prosaic english style "something happened with xyz")
does the construction have any particular connotation, or is it purely equivalent to "something happened with xyz"? in english, if we said, "xyz-- something happened with it" it usually would emphasise the xyz part-- that xyz is somehow notable or out of the ordinary. the stars-- omg ,thehy were so amazing!
also it could indicate that the speaker is a small child ;) my dog, he fetched the paper, and then my dad said he was a good boy, and then it was time for breakfast and we had cereal, and then i was late for the bus, and then, oh and my dog's name is coco, and then... and then... and then...
- 1096
This structure (called Left Dislocation) is also used for emphasis in French.
But in spoken French it is commonplace, it does not need much emphasis or anything out of the ordinary to trigger it.
The French also use Right Dislocation (sending the Subject to the end of the sentence), which is probably even more alien to us anglophones.
Yes, but normally you aren't writing contrived sentences to learn French dislication and gender agreement.