Learn French: Ils emportent un appareil photo pour visiter la ville. - They are taking a camera to visit the city.

Ils emportent un appareil photo pour visiter la ville.

They are taking a camera to visit the city.

Breakdown of Ils emportent un appareil photo pour visiter la ville.

a / an (masculine)

ils

they (masculine/mixed)

Questions & Answers about Ils emportent un appareil photo pour visiter la ville.

Why is a camera called un appareil photo?

It literally translates to "photo apparatus" or "photo device." Notice that there is no joining word like de (of) between them. Be careful not to use the French word une caméra if you mean a standard camera, because une caméra specifically refers to a video camera!

Could I use the verb prendre (to take) here instead of emporter?

Yes, Ils prennent un appareil photo is grammatically correct and widely used. However, emporter is a very specific word that means "to take something with you" when leaving a place. It is built around the verb porter (to carry), emphasizing that you are bringing an object along on your outing.

The translation says "to visit." Doesn't the verb visiter already mean that? Why do we need pour?

While visiter is the infinitive form meaning "to visit," French requires you to use pour before the infinitive when you are expressing a purpose or goal. It translates best as "in order to visit." Without pour, the sentence would sound broken to a French speaker.

Can I use visiter if they are bringing the camera to visit a friend instead of a city?

No, and this is a classic trap for English speakers! In French, the verb visiter is strictly reserved for places (like a city, a country, or a museum). If you are visiting a person, you must use a completely different expression: rendre visite à.