Breakdown of Ils n'étudient pas à minuit.
ils
they (masculine/mixed)
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
à
at / to / in (general locations) / about (what one thinks about / reacts to)
étudier
to study
minuit
midnight
Questions & Answers about Ils n'étudient pas à minuit.
Why is it à minuit instead of saying "at twelve o'clock"?
In French, just like in English, we use special words for 12:00. Use midi for noon and minuit for midnight instead of saying douze heures. Notice that we use the preposition à to mean "at" that specific time.
Why is it n'étudient pas instead of ne étudient pas?
The negative word ne drops its e and gets an apostrophe because the verb étudient starts with a vowel. This makes the phrase flow better when spoken.
How do you pronounce the -ent at the end of étudient?
Can I use à for general parts of the day, like "in the morning"?
You only use à for specific clock times, like à minuit (at midnight) or à trois heures (at three o'clock). For general parts of the day, French usually doesn't use a preposition, so "in the morning" is simply le matin.
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