Questions & Answers about Sans autorisation, j'ai souvent un doute.
Why is there no article like une or l' between sans and autorisation?
This is a key rule for sans (without)! When sans is followed by a general noun, we usually drop the article (le, la, un, une). We just say sans autorisation directly, much like how in English we say "without authorization" instead of "without the authorization". Do you pronounce the "s" at the end of sans here?
Normally the "s" in sans is silent. However, because the next word, autorisation, starts with a vowel, you make a spoken connection (a liaison). The "s" is pronounced as a "z" sound, linking the two words together smoothly. Why is souvent placed right after the verb ai?
In French, short adverbs like souvent (often) go immediately after the conjugated verb. English speakers frequently want to put it before the verb like in English ("I often have"), but in French, that is incorrect. It must be j'ai souvent (literally "I have often"). How do you use un doute compared to English?
While in English you might say "I'm unsure" or "I am in doubt," the most natural way to express this in French is avoir un doute (to have a doubt). Just remember that doute is a masculine noun, so it takes un. Learn Sans autorisation, j'ai souvent un doute and more in French
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