Lesson 16

Question 1

Translate to French:

The teacher had (made) the students sing

Answer 1

L’instituteur a fait chanter les élèves

Recall the causative use of faire, which is formed by faire + an infinitive. If the direct object in a causative construction is a noun (les élèves in this case), it follows the infinitive.

Question 2

Translate to French:

She had the car washed. She had it washed

Answer 2

Elle a fait laver la voiture. Elle l’a fait laver

If the direct object in a causative construction is an object pronoun (l’ in this case), it precedes faire. Also note that the object of faire here is laver, so the past participle of faire does not agree with the preceding feminine direct object pronoun.

Question 3

Translate to French:

Have the house built. Have it built

Answer 3

Faites construire la maison. Faites-la construire

Note the placement of the direct objects in these (affirmative) imperative causative constructions. When the direct object is a pronoun (as in the second sentence), it follows the verb (attached with a hyphen) but precedes the infinitive.

Question 4

Translate to French:

He had the students sing the song. He had them sing it

Answer 4

Il a fait chanter la chanson par les élèves. Il la leur a fait chanter

Here, two pronouns are used with the causative faire. The students (those doing the action) are the indirect object, while the song being sung is the direct object. Note also that the past participle of faire is invariable when followed by an infinitive.

Question 5

Translate to French:

I am having him clean it

Answer 5

Je le lui fais nettoyer

Two pronouns are used in this causative construction. Recall that le/la/les should come before lui/leur when two pronouns are used.

Question 6

Translate to French:

She had the newspaper brought to her

Answer 6

Elle s’est fait apporter le journal

The reflexive causative indicates that the subject is having something done to or for himself/herself.

Question 7

Translate to French:

You have your hair cut

Answer 7

Tu te fais couper les cheveux

Note the use of the reflexive se faire in this causative construction. Also recall how the definite article is used with body parts like cheveux.

Question 8

Translate to French:

I let Marcel do his homework

Answer 8

Je laisse Marcel faire ses devoirs

Note how the infinitive can be used after the verb laisser. This is similar to how the infinitive is used with faire in causative constructions.

Question 9

Translate to French:

Did you let Jean eat the dessert?

Answer 9

Est-ce que tu as laissé Jean manger le dessert?

Question 10

Translate to French:

My parents let me play guitar

Answer 10

Mes parents me laissent jouer de la guitare

Note how the direct object pronoun me precedes the verb here.

Question 11

Translate to French:

I let him do it

Answer 11

Je le laisse le faire

There are two object pronouns here. One of them precedes the verb, while the other, which is the object of the infinitive, precedes the infinitive. In other words, the second le here refers to “it,” which is the object of the infinitive faire.

Question 12

Translate to French:

We hear Paul singing

Answer 12

On entend chanter Paul

Just like laisser, verbs of perception can be followed by the infinitive. Verbs that can be used like this include: entendre, voir, sentir, regarder, and écouter.

Question 13

Translate to French:

We saw Maxime reading his book

Answer 13

Nous avons vu Maxime lire son livre

In this verb of perception + infinitive construction, the noun livre (the object of the infinitive lire) comes after the infinitive.

Question 14

Translate to French:

I see the girl eating. I see her eating

Answer 14

Je vois manger la fille. Je la vois manger

Note the placement of the direct object pronoun before the verb of perception.

Question 15

Translate to French:

We heard Marie sing(ing) the song. We heard her sing(ing) the song

Answer 15

Nous avons entendu Marie chanter la chanson. Nous l’avons entendue chanter la chanson

Note how the feminine past participle agrees with the preceding feminine object pronoun l’, which replaces Marie.

Question 16

Translate to French:

They heard her singing

Answer 16

Ils l’ont entendue chanter

Note how the participle agrees with the preceding object pronoun, which refers to a woman singing. The woman performs the action expressed by the infinitive. In other words, she is the subject of the infinitive, which warrants participle agreement.

Question 17

Translate to French:

They heard it (the song) sung

Answer 17

Ils l’ont entendu chanter

Here, the participle entendu does not agree with the preceding object pronoun, which refers to a song being sung. This is because the song is actually the object of the infinitive, chanter. Participle agreement could only occur if the song were the subject of the infinitive, which is not the case.

Question 18

Translate to French:

We heard her sing(ing) the song. We heard her sing(ing) it

Answer 18

Nous l’avons entendue chanter la chanson. Nous l’avons entendue la chanter

Here, two object pronouns are used. The first (l’) applies to the person singing, while the second (la) is the song being sung.

Question 19

Translate to French:

After visiting Paris, he went to Grenoble

Answer 19

Après avoir visité Paris, il est allé à Grenoble

Note the past infinitive, which is formed by pairing the infinitive of either avoir or être with a past participle. The past infinitive is used for actions that happened before other actions. Both actions are performed by the same subject.

Question 20

Translate to French:

Thank you for helping him

Answer 20

Merci de l’avoir aidé

In English, the more literal translation here would be “Thanks for having helped him,” which is how we say it in French. Also note the object pronoun l’, placed before the verb construction here.

Question 21

Translate to French:

I’m sorry for having missed you at the airport

Answer 21

Je suis désolé de t’avoir manqué à l’aéroport

Note the use of de after désolé – “sorry for.” Also note the object pronoun t’, which precedes the past participle construction.

Question 22

Translate to French:

They’re happy that they came

Answer 22

Ils sont contents d’être venus

Note how the past participle agrees with the subject, since the auxiliary verb is être. (A more direct English translation would have been “They’re happy for having come.”)

Question 23

Translate to French:

You guys wanted to (have) finish(ed) by Saturday

Answer 23

Vous vouliez avoir terminé avant le samedi

Here, the past infinitive modifies the main verb, vouloir.

Question 24

Translate to French:

Julie? After seeing her, we left

Answer 24

Julie? Après l’avoir vue, nous sommes partis

Note how the past participle vue agrees with its preceding feminine direct object.

Question 25

Translate to French:

He regrets not coming/having come

Answer 25

Il regrette de ne pas être venu

Note the placement of negative adverbs in the past infinitive. Ne and pas do not surround the past infinitive; instead, they both precede it.

Question 26

Translate to French:

Marie can no longer take care of her grandmother

Answer 26

Marie ne peut plus prendre soin de sa grand-mère

to take care of - prendre soin de. Note that an alternative is the reflexive construction s’occuper de.

Question 27

Translate to French:

I dream of a day when cancer will be cured

Answer 27

Je rêve d’un jour où le cancer sera guéri

to cure - guérir. Note that “to cure someone of something” is guérir quelqu’un de quelque chose. Also note how où is used instead of quand to refer to a moment in time.

Question 28

Translate to French:

Sorry to bother you

Answer 28

Excusez-moi de vous déranger

to bother, to disturb - déranger

Question 29

Translate to French:

I sneeze when I’m in the same room as a dog

Answer 29

J’éternue quand je suis dans la même pièce qu’un chien

to sneeze - éternuer

Question 30

Translate to French:

When someone sneezes, I always say “Bless you!”

Answer 30

Quand quelqu’un éternue, je dis toujours “À vos souhaits!”

bless you - à vos souhaits. This literally means “to your wishes.” When addressing someone with whom you are more familiar, you could say à tes souhaits.

Question 31

Translate to French:

This year, orange is in style

Answer 31

Cette année, l’orange est à la mode

in style - à la mode

Question 32

Translate to French:

She has the know-how to take care of herself

Answer 32

Elle a le savoir-faire de s’occuper d’elle-même

know-how - le savoir-faire. This is an invariable masculine noun.

Question 33

Translate to French:

I thank you for helping me

Answer 33

Je vous remercie pour votre aide

to thank - remercier. Note that “to thank someone for something” is remercier quelqu’un pour quelque chose.

Question 34

Translate to French:

Thank him for me

Answer 34

Remerciez-le de ma part

for someone, on someone’s behalf - de sa part

Question 35

Translate to French:

She was thankful to him for the flowers

Answer 35

Elle lui était reconnaissante pour les fleurs

grateful, thankful - reconnaissant. This adjective takes the preposition à – “grateful to.” Also note that the feminine noun reconnaissance means “thanks” or “gratitude.”

Question 36

Translate to French:

If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do for a living?

Answer 36

Si ce n’est pas indiscret, que faites-vous dans la vie?

if you don’t mind me asking - si ce n’est pas indiscret. Some equivalent expressions include: si cette question ne vous dérange pas and pardonnez mon indiscrétion, mais.

Question 37

Translate to French:

In addition, the symptoms of the virus are not yet known

Answer 37

En outre, les symptômes du virus ne sont pas encore connus

in addition - en outre. This is a relatively formal construction. Note how pas encore is used here to mean “not yet.”

Question 38

Translate to French:

It is henceforth forbidden to leave before 6 o’clock

Answer 38

Il est désormais interdit de partir avant 18 heures

henceforth - désormais, dorénavant. Another option is dès lors.

Question 39

Translate to French:

Nonetheless, I believe that it is always important to help others

Answer 39

Néanmoins, je crois qu’il est toujours important d’aider les autres

nevertheless, nonetheless - néanmoins, pourtant. Another synonym is cependant.

Question 40

Translate to French:

Marie prepared the whole meal, apart from the appetizer

Answer 40

Marie a préparé tout le repas, hormis l’entrée

except (for), apart from - hormis. This is a formal word that is most commonly seen in written French.

Question 41

Translate to French:

In olden days, the flu was a much more serious illness

Answer 41

Jadis, la grippe était une maladie bien plus grave

formerly, in olden days - jadis. This is a more formal alternative to autrefois and auparavant.

Question 42

Translate to French:

As a result, he can no longer travel to France

Answer 42

Par conséquent, il ne peut plus voyager en France

as a result - par conséquent

Question 43

Translate to French:

Which one? Either one or the other, they’re both great

Answer 43

Lequel? Soit l’un, soit l’autre, ils sont tous les deux géniaux

either… or - soit… soit. Note the use of tous les deux to mean “both.”

Question 44

Translate to French:

You have neither sisters nor brothers

Answer 44

Tu n’as ni soeurs ni frères

neither… nor - ne… ni… ni. No article or partitive is used after this construction. Also note that ni can be used more than twice: Il n’a parlé ni à Sophie, ni à Paul, ni à Jean – “He talked neither to Sophie, nor to Paul, nor to Jean.”

Question 45

Translate to French:

Neither one can go there

Answer 45

Ni l’un ni l’autre ne peut y aller

neither one - ni l’un(e) ni l’autre ne. Note how this construction serves as the subject of the sentence. Also note how the verb is conjugated in the third-person singular.

Question 46

Translate to French:

The scarves? We did not want either one

Answer 46

Les écharpes? On ne voulait ni l’une ni l’autre

either one - ni l’un(e) ni l’autre. Here, this construction is used as the direct object (rather than the subject), which changes its meaning to “either one” (rather than “neither one”). Notice how the verb takes the negative ne.

Question 47

Translate to French:

Is there anyone tall in your class?

Answer 47

Y a-t-il personne de grand dans ta classe?

anyone - personne. In a question or conditional sentence, personne can be used without the negative ne, meaning “anyone.”

Question 48

Translate to French:

Paul eats a lot. Me too. Paul doesn’t eat much. Neither do I

Answer 48

Paul mange beaucoup. Moi aussi. Paul ne mange pas beaucoup. Moi non plus

neither, either - non plus. This is the negative form of aussi.

Question 49

Translate to French:

I know it. You know it too. Actually, I don’t know it. You don’t know it either

Answer 49

Je le sais. Tu le sais aussi. En fait, je ne le sais pas. Tu ne le sais pas non plus

neither, either - non plus

Question 50

Translate to French:

Is there a way of finding it?

Answer 50

Est-ce qu’il y a une façon de le trouver?

a way - une façon, une manière. These nouns mean “way” as in “manner.” Chemin or direction should be used to mean “way” as in “direction.”

Question 51

Translate to French:

In the end, she is all he has

Answer 51

Au bout du compte, elle est tout ce qu’il a

all said and done, in the end, ultimately - au bout du compte, en fin de compte

Question 52

Translate to French:

The symptoms of this illness are very well known

Answer 52

Les symptômes de cette maladie sont très bien connus

a symptom - un symptôme

Question 53

Translate to French:

Headaches are a common problem

Answer 53

Les maux de tête sont un problème commun

common - commun. Note the plural form of the term un mal de tête, “a headache.”

Question 54

Translate to French:

The storm damaged John’s boat

Answer 54

La tempête a endommagé le bateau de John. / Le bateau de John a été endommagé dans la tempête

to damage, to harm - endommager, abîmer, nuire à. The first two verbs are more literal, dealing directly with physical harm. Nuire à can be used more figuratively.

Question 55

Translate to French:

Claude was seriously injured when he fell last night

Answer 55

Claude a été gravement/sérieusement blessé quand il est tombé hier soir

to injure - blesser

Question 56

Translate to French:

Alcohol can damage your liver

Answer 56

L’alcool peut nuire au foie

the liver - le foie

Question 57

Translate to French:

His heart was beating rapidly

Answer 57

Son coeur battait rapidement

the heart - le coeur. Note that you could also say Son coeur battait vite.

Question 58

Translate to French:

Fortunately, the accident did not damage his brain

Answer 58

Heureusement, l’accident n’a pas endommagé son cerveau

the brain - le cerveau

Question 59

Translate to French:

This blood disease is very serious

Answer 59

Cette maladie du sang est très grave

blood - sang. The verb “to bleed” is saigner. To order rare meat in French, ask for it to be “bleeding,” or saignant.

Question 60

Translate to French:

Smoking causes damage to the lungs

Answer 60

Fumer nuit aux poumons

a lung - un poumon

Question 61

Translate to French:

I was not able to stop coughing

Answer 61

Je ne pouvais pas arrêter de tousser

to cough - tousser

Question 62

Translate to French:

Marie is staying home today because she has a cold

Answer 62

Marie reste à la maison aujourd’hui parce qu’elle a un rhume

a cold - un rhume

Question 63

Translate to French:

In winter, the flu is a very common illness

Answer 63

En hiver, la grippe est une maladie très commune

the flu - la grippe

Question 64

Translate to French:

This medication can cure the symptoms of the flu

Answer 64

Ce médicament peut guérir les symptômes de la grippe

medication, medicine - des médicaments. Note that “medicine” as a general profession is la médecine.

Question 65

Translate to French:

The majority of Americans think that health insurance costs too much

Answer 65

La plupart des Américains pensent que l’assurance maladie coûte trop cher

medical/health insurance - l’assurance maladie. This term is feminine. Note how penser is conjugated in the third-person plural. Also note how cher is not spelled chère: it is used here as an adverb, so no agreement is needed with the feminine noun assurance.