Question 1

Why doesn't va look anything like the verb aller?

Accepted Answer

Aller (to go) is a highly irregular verb, meaning it doesn't follow the normal pattern. For elle (she), il (he), or on (one/we), the correct form is va. You just have to memorize it!

Question 2

The translation says 'is going', but isn't va just the present tense for 'goes'?

Accepted Answer

In French, the present tense covers both the simple present (she goes) and the continuous present (she is going). There isn't a separate '-ing' tense like in English, so Elle va translates to both depending on the context.

Question 3

Why do we use au before musée?

Accepted Answer

Au is a mandatory combination of the preposition à (to/at) and the masculine word for 'the', le. In French, you can never say à le; they always merge into au. Since musée is masculine, it takes le, resulting in au musée (to the museum).

Question 4

Wait, I thought nouns ending in -ée were usually feminine. Why is it masculine here?

Accepted Answer

You have a good memory! Most words ending in -ée are indeed feminine. However, musée (museum) is one of a few common exceptions that are masculine. That's why we use au (to the masculine) instead of à la (to the feminine).

Question 5

Why is 'tonight' translated as ce soir instead of using the French word for 'night'?

Accepted Answer

Ce means 'this' and soir means 'evening'. In French, you say ce soir (this evening) to express what English speakers mean by 'tonight'. The French word for night (nuit) is usually reserved for the time when it is completely dark or when you are asleep.

Elle va au musée ce soir.

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