LFBP December 2014 Ib

Question 1

When do adjectives precede noun? (2)

Answer 1

1. BAGS 2. when adjective has one syllable (tel/telle, faux, fausse, etc) and nouns has two or more syllables (de tels embouteillages)

Question 2

What tense must you use for comme si they treated us like we were royalty

Answer 2

pluperfect or imparfait ils nous ont traité comme si nous étions des pachas

Question 3

what tenses CAN’T be used after même si? you’re going to detention even if you say you don’t deserve it

Answer 3

subjunctive, future, conditional! good way to avoid sub tu iras a la retenus même si tu dis ne pas la mériter

Question 4

What’s a reporting question and why bother?

Answer 4

when you have intro verb like demander, voulouir savoir, etc je veux savoir, grand-mère me demande…. it’s important cause the question words change sometimes!

Question 5

Qu’est-ce qui turns to…. i want to know what happened here!

Answer 5

ce qui (condensed) Je veux savoir CE QUI se passe ici

Question 6

Qu-est-ce que turns to… She asked me what I wanted

Answer 6

ce que Elle m’a demandé CE QUE je voulais

Question 7

qui est-ce que turns to He wants that I tell him who took his book

Answer 7

qui il veut que je lui dise QUI a pris son livre

Question 8

difference between demander que and demander si

Answer 8

demander que command…subjunctive demander si…..more a statement: elle a demandé si nous pouvions être servis rapidement

Question 9

What are the forms for partitive ?

When do we use DES partitive?

Answer 9

du

de la

des

-DES indefinite for someting that is countable in an indefinite sense but plural (il a des livres), while DES in partitive is abstract plural that’s not countable (advice, il mange des épinards)

Question 10

Confusing thing about DE vs DU, DE LA

Confusing thing about DES

Answer 10

DES means at least 3 different things: 1. des: indefinite plural 2. de + les= des (think preposition like avoir besoin de, jouer de, se servir de 3. des: partitive plural!

So you have to decide when looking at DE vs DU, DE LA and DES

is it a question of: DE vs definite, DE vs partitive or DE vs indefinite (when des)

Question 11

difference maman fait une tarte vs je veux de la tarte

Answer 11

partitive here….you’re eating part of a pie

Question 12

Difference between: L’eau est bonne pour la santé Pour ma santé je bois de l’eau

Answer 12

in second case you’re drinking “partial category” (some water) whereas in first case water (in general) is being referenced

Question 13

what happens when a category has an adjective? like he has great luck vs he has luck

Answer 13

you need to switch to indefinite from partitive: Il a de la chance Il a une grande chance je vois de la lumière je vois une petite lumière

Question 14

when do you use partitive for sport/instrument/subject? when do you use definite article?

Answer 14

-when you practice: je fais du sport, de la natation, ce semestre elle fait du français et de l’histoire -use definite article after apprendre/étudier

Question 15

Regardless of singular, DE+ definite article, or plural indefinite or partitive (un/une/du/des, etc), when do they all turn to DE? (3)

Answer 15

1. after negative (unless être: ne sois pas un sauvage, ce n’est pas DU vin)
2. expression of quantity (but exceptions if it’s specific)
3. before autres: DES–>d’autres or d’un **but may see des autres when de+ les (elle a besoin des autres lunettes) and singular ok: elle a besoin d’un stylo.

Question 16

With preposition DE (like j’ai envie de…). what happens when

1. it meets a definite article? les enfants?
2. It meets all indefinte articles except indefinite plural (DES)
3. It meets the indefinite plural? (DES)

Answer 16

1. Definite: it turns to DES: j’ai envie des enfants de Marie
2. Indefinite except plural DES: j’ai envie d’une pizza, as-tu besoin de la voiture?
3. Indefinite plural now it turns to DE or D’: elle a envie de fraise (des fraises), en été je m’occupe d’enfants

Question 17

For the PLURAL indefinite or partitive (des), in addition to negative, when does it change to DE?

Answer 17

when an adjective is between DES and nouns (BAGS: il y a de beaux livres)

-J’ai des amis—>j’ai de jeunes amis…BUT j’ai un jeune ami

Question 18

For adverbs of quantity (beacoup…) and set prepositional phrases, how do we know when to use DE compared to DE + definite article (which drives you nuts cause looks like partitive: DU, DE LA, DES but is totally different)

Answer 18

Ask yourself whether the noun following it is specific or nonspecific:

-If nonspecific then DE for adjectives, prepositional phrases, quantity (some exceptions)

Peu d’étudiants sont ici. Je veux un verre de vin

-if specific (ask yourself do you need “the” in english for this noun), then DE must be used with definite article

Je veux un verre du vin que tu apportes

Les tables sont couvertes des gâteaux dont je t’ai parlé

Question 19

What to use when de is followed by an indefinite noun?

Answer 19

De J’ai besoin d’argent. Il faut changer de train

Question 20

What if de followed by a modified noun

Answer 20

De and definite pronoun Il s’agit de la réforme agraire

Question 21

Handy way to know when to use indefinite/definite vs just de for preposition patterns

Answer 21

If nonspecific then de: il y a beaucoup problèmes If specific then DE + definite (like de + le= des): beaucoup des problèmes sont graves J’aime un verre de jus vs j’aimerais un verre du jus que tu as apporté

Question 22

What if de followed by adjective and not a specific noun

Answer 22

De J’ai besoin de nouvelles chausseurs It’s not specific noun because get word “the” is not needed

Question 23

Description vs Possesion distinction in DE vs DE + definite article (DU, DE LA, DES)

Answer 23

-if you just wanna indicate posession: just DE + definite pronoun

Le panier du chien (the dog’s basket: le panier DE LE chien)

-to describe a noun then use DE: le livre d’etudiant (the student book)….if it was le livre de l’etudiante it would be the student’s book

Question 24

And of course to fuck you up…..for description pronouns even though we use DE, what happens when the descriptive noun is modified to ID a subset of the group?

Answer 24

Back to DE + definite (DU, DE LA, DES) but even more maddening is that it looks the same as possession. Used in advertising

le panier du chien delicat: the discrimiating dog’s basket: OR the panier for discriminating dogs

le livre de l’etudiant etranger: the foreign student’s book OR the book for the foreign student

Question 25

For verbs with prepositions: 3 rules for determining DE vs DE + definite article

Answer 25

Similar rules to modified vs unmodified nouns

1. if unmodified noun, then DE: J’ai besoin d’argent, il faut changer de train ici
2. if modified (do you need “the” in english): then DE + definite article

Il s’agit de la reforme agraire

3. If noun preceded by adjective but not specific (not “the” in english)…use DE

J’ai besoin de nouvelles chaussures, Il se moque de mauvaises idées

Question 26

Exception to rule that expression of quantity need DE (4)

Answer 26

la plupart de (la plupart du temps..) aucun plusieurs quelques

Question 27

confusing….Le before day can be recurrent event or specific date. how to clarify?

Answer 27

for specific date you need to include number mon fils est né le jeudi 31 juillet

Question 28

usually use definite articles for body parts. when is exception? (3)

Answer 28

1. when unclear: Elle a dû vendre ses cheveux 2. when the noun is the subject of the verb (mon doigt est tout enflé) 3. when you are expressing an opinion rather than description (Elle a de beaux cheveux)

Question 29

what is up with être and de/partitive?

Answer 29

always partitive! exception to rule of de: -ce sont des voisins -c’est du vin

Question 30

contraction plural DE+ DES (indefinite plural), DE+ UNE, DE + UN

Answer 30

DE or D’vowel!!!!

Je besoin de boîtes

Il s’occupe de DES enfants= il s’occupe d’enfants

DE + UNE= D’UNE

DE + UN= D’UN

Question 31

contraction plural DE + LES

Answer 31

DES Il s’occupe de LES enfants= il s’occupe DES enfants

Question 32

Can you use indefinite/partitive articles after SANS? if so…when?

Answer 32

NO but can you definite article for a qualified noun (il est sorti san le trophée qu’elle convoitait)

Question 33

Par/Avec de?

Answer 33

1. only for concrete nouns: je veux un thé avec du citron, le voleur est entré par LA fenêtre, il est emmené par LA police 2 abstract: NO article (elle lui a donné de l’argent par bonté d’âme), avec plaisr

Question 34

exception to no article following par/avec in abstract noun?

Answer 34

for modified abstract noun: il écrit avec UNE grand application (vs il écrit avec application)

Question 35

article following EN

Answer 35

NEVER -if you see un/une it is referring to the number one NOT an indefinite article: tu as fini en une heure

Question 36

article following QUEL

Answer 36

NEVER quelle horreur!

Question 37

COMME without article?

Answer 37

means as, in the quality of -j’ai travaillé comme secrétaire pendant mes études (i worked as a secretary)

Question 38

COMME with article

Answer 38

means “like, as” Elle rit comme une sorcière

Question 39

For Islands, how do we know if it’s à or en?

Answer 39

if ends in E feminine if anything else….no genre (use à: je vais à porto rico

Question 40

When to use DE france vs DE LA France

Answer 40

• DE france: think something expressing origin: e viens de france, de chine. Les Vins de France
• DE LA to indicate (DE + definite article: so possession): L’histoire de la france

Question 41

Trick on when to think if you should be dealing with a whole category (and thus should use the definite article) instead of a partial one (and use the partitive)

Answer 41

add the words “in general” after the noun…..if it fits….then should be whole category and thus use a definite

La chance est un cadeau vs il a de la chance

Question 42

Usually holidays have a definite article. 2 exceptions

Answer 42

Pâcques

Noel

Question 43

Confusing…I thought you said with a verbal expression with +DE (besoin de, etc) you CANT have anything but DE

Answer 43

for indefinite/partitive….but you CAN have it when DU or DES is the combo of DE + definite

J’ai besoin du vin de Jean

Question 44

Indefinite plural before an adjective?

We have several nice cats

Answer 44

DE

Nous avons de gentils chats (NOT DES)

Question 45

mélange

thérapeute

nerf

Answer 45

un mélange

un thérapeute

un nerf (no f)