Question 1

What is the difference between ensuite and puis? Both mean 'then'.

Accepted Answer

They are very similar and often interchangeable when listing steps! However, ensuite usually means 'afterwards' or 'next in a logical sequence', while puis is a simple 'then'. Also, ensuite can be placed at the end of a sentence, whereas puis almost always goes at the beginning of a clause.

Question 2

Does il cache mean he is hiding himself, or hiding something else?

Accepted Answer

Here, it means he is hiding something else (the hole). If he were hiding himself, you would need the reflexive pronoun se to make it il se cache. Because he is hiding a direct object (le trou), we use the regular verb cacher.

Question 3

Can I put ensuite somewhere else in the sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes! While it is very common to start a sentence with ensuite to introduce the next step, you can also put it after the conjugated verb. For example, you could say Il cache ensuite le trou.

Question 4

The word cache looks like the English word 'cache'. Are they related?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they are! The English noun 'cache' (meaning a hidden store of things, like your computer's browser cache) comes directly from this French verb cacher, which means 'to hide'. This makes it an easy verb to remember!

Ensuite, il cache le trou.

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