Question 1

Why is tout de suite used here instead of a frequency adverb like souvent?

Accepted Answer

While this lesson focuses on frequency (how often), tout de suite is a time adverb meaning "right away" or "immediately". Notice that it follows the same placement rule you just learned: it goes directly after the conjugated verb, which in this case is commence.

Question 2

What does tout de suite mean literally?

Accepted Answer

It translates literally to something like "all in sequence" or "all of continuation". The word suite refers to what follows next. However, you should just memorize it as a fixed phrase that means "right away" or "immediately".

Question 3

When native speakers say tout de suite, it sounds like two words instead of three. Why?

Accepted Answer

In everyday spoken French, the "e" sound in small words like de is often dropped. Instead of carefully pronouncing "too-duh-sweet", people usually blend it together so it sounds like "too-d-sweet".

Question 4

Does L'entraînement only mean "workout"?

Accepted Answer

It broadly means "training" or "practice". In a fitness context, it translates perfectly to "workout", but it is also the word used for sports practice (like a soccer practice) or general physical training.

Question 5

Why does the verb commence end in an "e" here?

Accepted Answer

The subject of the sentence is L'entraînement, which counts as a singular "it". Because commencer (to start) is a regular -er verb, you drop the -er and add an -e for the "he/she/it" form.

L'entraînement commence tout de suite.

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