Vous jetez le grand carton à la poubelle.

Questions & Answers about Vous jetez le grand carton à la poubelle.

Why is there only one "t" in jetez? I thought jeter doubles its consonant.
You are thinking of the stem change! For verbs like jeter (to throw), the t is doubled when the next syllable has a silent "e", like in je jette or ils jettent. But with nous and vous, the ending makes a clear sound (-ons, -ez), so we keep the single t: vous jetez.
Why does grand come before the noun carton? I thought French adjectives went after the noun.
Most adjectives do go after the noun, but there is a common exception for short adjectives that describe Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, and Size (often remembered by the acronym BANGS). Since grand describes Size, it goes right in front of the noun.
Why do we say à la poubelle instead of using dans (in) since the English translation says "in the trash"?
While dans does mean "inside," French uses the preposition à (which pairs with la for the feminine noun poubelle) with the verb jeter. Think of it as throwing something "to the trash" rather than "inside the trash."
Is carton exactly the same as the English word "carton"?
It can be, but it is a bit of a false friend! Un carton usually refers to cardboard as a material, or a standard cardboard box, rather than a small milk or juice carton (which is often called a "brique"). Here, le grand carton means "the big cardboard box."

Learn Vous jetez le grand carton à la poubelle and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • Practice with interactive exercises
  • Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • Learn at your own pace — completely free