• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Question about french language...

B

BigToque

Lifer
"Je suis" means "I am" in english.

"né" means "born".

Put them together ("Je suis né") and it becomes "I was born".

Why does adding the word born, change "I am" to "I was"? The end result seems logical, but I don't understand why it changes.
 
Because you can't talk when you are just born. If you are old enough to talk then you will always refer to your birth as past tense. You don't pop out and say "Je suis ne."

All languages, like english, have rules or assumptions that don't make a lot of logical sense.

PS. I just made this up.
 
You're translating literally, which doesn't work for any language. There's no logic -- it's just the way the language works, and the verb "naitre" is one of the irregular ones.

Wrap your logic around this translation: Elle me manque. It means, "I miss her", even though elle is the subject in the sentence.
 
To make naitre past tense you use the "to be" verb before it (conjugated in the je form is "suis"), rather than with most other verbs you use the "to have" verb before a past participle to make it past.

There are reasons for this exception but that was like 8 years ago... has something to do with motion verbs (montrer = to climb up, descendre = to descend, entrer = to enter, sortir = to leave, etc.).
 
être is an auxiliary verb, like to have in English:

I have = present tense of to have
I have sung = past tense of to sing

Same thing. Passé composé: avoir/être (in present tense) + participle

Some intransitive verbs have être as auxiliary verb. And the French naître apparently is intransitive.

(But! It could also be passive presence, passive is constructed with être + participle.
However some dudes in French IRC channels just now assured me it's really past tense.)
 
Originally posted by: AndrewR


Wrap your logic around this translation: Elle me manque. It means, "I miss her", even though elle is the subject in the sentence.
Click to expand...
Actually, no. That really does mean "She misses me." "I miss her" is either "Je lui manque" or "Je le manque" (my grammar has always sucked).

 
Originally posted by: chcarnage
être is an auxiliary verb, like to have in English:

I have = present tense of to have
I have sung = past tense of to sing

Same thing. Passé composé: avoir/être (in present tense) + participle

Some intransitive verbs have être as auxiliary verb. And the French naître apparently is intransitive.

(But! It could also be passive presence, passive is constructed with être + participle.
However some dudes in French IRC channels just now assured me it's really past tense.)
Click to expand...

QFT. In addition when using etre the past participle has to agree also. For example, if the speaker was female, she would say "Je suis née" whereas a man would just say "Je suis né"
 
To put it short, you're translating too literally. Other languages if you do a direct translation, you'll get non-sense, but it's perfectly clear in its native context.

Another example (my French sucks so hope this is one):
"Je vous aime" = I love you
It translates directly as "I you like".

 
Originally posted by: ItTheCow
Originally posted by: AndrewR
Wrap your logic around this translation: Elle me manque. It means, "I miss her", even though elle is the subject in the sentence.
Click to expand...
Actually, no. That really does mean "She misses me." "I miss her" is either "Je lui manque" or "Je le manque" (my grammar has always sucked).
Click to expand...
AndrewR got it right. Manquer à quelqu'un means to be missed by somebody. "Je lui manque" means (s)he misses me. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Biggerhammer
I think you would be saying je fus né for I was born... been a while since I spoke French though
Click to expand...

Well you're getting that a bit mixed up. While fus is past tense, it's passé simple which is only used when writing VERY formal texts, usually historical ones. Also, when using passé simple there is no need for the auxiliary avoir or être verb preceding it. If you were writing, I don't know, a new French history book about Napoleon, you'd say "Napoléon naquit le 15 août en Corse."

I think I've used it once and that was in some kind of book lesson back in high school.
 
Originally posted by: Imp
To put it short, you're translating too literally. Other languages if you do a direct translation, you'll get non-sense, but it's perfectly clear in its native context.

Another example (my French sucks so hope this is one):
"Je vous aime" = I love you
It translates directly as "I you like".
Click to expand...

you love someone that formally?
 
Originally posted by: BigToque
"Je suis" means "I am" in english.

"né" means "born".

Put them together ("Je suis né") and it becomes "I was born".

Why does adding the word born, change "I am" to "I was"? The end result seems logical, but I don't understand why it changes.
Click to expand...

Verb tenses in the french language compensate for that. The english language only has really 3 different tense

Past

Swam

Present

Swim

future

I will be swimming

French has different tenses for many different situations, different times, when to use and when not to use, how many people in the group ect.
 
Originally posted by: freesia39
Originally posted by: Imp
To put it short, you're translating too literally. Other languages if you do a direct translation, you'll get non-sense, but it's perfectly clear in its native context.

Another example (my French sucks so hope this is one):
"Je vous aime" = I love you
It translates directly as "I you like".
Click to expand...

you love someone that formally?
Click to expand...

It's a professional relationship.
 
Originally posted by: chcarnage
Originally posted by: ItTheCow
Originally posted by: AndrewR
Wrap your logic around this translation: Elle me manque. It means, "I miss her", even though elle is the subject in the sentence.
Click to expand...
Actually, no. That really does mean "She misses me." "I miss her" is either "Je lui manque" or "Je le manque" (my grammar has always sucked).
Click to expand...
AndrewR got it right. Manquer à quelqu'un means to be missed by somebody. "Je lui manque" means (s)he misses me. 🙂
Click to expand...

Aww, come on -- let him get confused stares in France or Quebec. 😉
 
French is a useless language.. it use to be cool because all the GI's bringing back French wives /girlfriends/maids etc.... now its just a language for losers and francophiles....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top