Learn Languages with LearnWithOliver.com

French Text:
Un garçon est assis sur un escalier en bois et joue de la flûte. Un chat le regarde.

English Translation:
A boy sits on a wooden staircase playing the flute. A cat looks up at him.

Grammar Notes:
Sentence Breakdown and Grammar Explanation:

1. Un - This is the indefinite article in French, equivalent to "a" or "an" in English. It is used here because it precedes a masculine singular noun.

2. garçon - This is a masculine singular noun meaning "boy."

3. est - This is the third person singular form of the verb être (to be). It is used here to link the subject (un garçon) to the predicate (assis sur un escalier en bois et joue de la flûte).

4. assis - This is the past participle of the verb asseoir (to sit). It is used here in the present tense to describe a state of being, functioning as an adjective. It agrees in gender and number with the subject, though in this case, it remains unchanged.

5. sur - This is a preposition meaning "on." It introduces the phrase indicating where the boy is sitting.

6. un - Again, the indefinite article "a" or "an," used here before the masculine noun escalier.

7. escalier - A masculine singular noun meaning "staircase" or "stairs."

8. en - This preposition is often translated as "in" or "made of," used here to describe the material of the staircase.

9. bois - A masculine singular noun meaning "wood." It follows the preposition "en" to denote what the staircase is made of.

10. et - A coordinating conjunction meaning "and." It is used to connect two clauses in the sentence.

11. joue - This is the third person singular present tense form of the verb jouer (to play). Here, it describes the action the boy is performing.

12. de - This preposition is often used in French to express possession or to introduce the object of certain verbs. Here, it is used with "la flûte" to form a phrase typical with instruments (playing "of" the flute).

13. la - The definite article "the," used here because it precedes a feminine singular noun.

14. flûte - A feminine singular noun meaning "flute."

15. Un chat - "A cat," combining the indefinite article "un" and the masculine noun "chat."

16. le - The definite article "the," used here as a direct object pronoun referring to "le garçon."

17. regarde - Third person singular present tense of the verb regarder (to watch or to look at), describing the action performed by the cat.

General Grammar Tip:
In French, when using verbs that involve playing instruments, such as "jouer," it is customary to use "de" to introduce the instrument being played. This differs from English where we simply say "play the flute." Also, in descriptions involving materials, the preposition "en" is used to denote the composition, akin to "made of" in English.

Related Words:
- s'asseoir (to sit down) - Note that when used in reflexive form, it changes the meaning slightly, focusing more on the action of sitting down.
- regarder - Other forms like regarde (he/she looks), regardant (looking), and regardé (watched, looked at) explore different aspects of observation.

Learn French online

★ Daily new texts with our free newsletter
★ Picture flashcards with grammar lessons explaining each word
★ Adventure Games & Interactive Stories
★ Chat with a celebrity with our AI Chatbot
★ Over 200 languages to choose from
★ Write essays and get corrections from other users and AI

Click here to Sign Up Free!

Or sign up via Google with one click:

Beautiful Picture Flashcards like this one: