Log inSign up

Le salon est sombre, alors j'allume la cheminée.

Le salon est sombre, alors j'allume la cheminée.
The living room is dark, so I am lighting the fireplace.
From Lesson 111:Negative pronouns (ne... rien)·French

Questions & Answers about Le salon est sombre, alors j'allume la cheminée.

Does le salon mean a hair salon?
No, le salon is a classic false friend for English speakers. In the context of a house, it means the living room or the lounge. If you want to talk about a hair salon, you would say un salon de coiffure.
Can the verb allumer be used for things other than a physical fire?
Yes! While here it means to light a fire, allumer is also the standard French verb for turning on lights or electronic devices. For example, you would use it to say you are turning on the TV (j'allume la télé) or your computer.
Does la cheminée mean the fire itself, the fireplace, or the chimney on the roof?
La cheminée refers to the physical structure, so it can mean both the fireplace inside the room and the chimney outside. In this sentence, it means the fireplace. If you wanted to talk about the actual fire, you would say le feu.
How would I say "I am lighting nothing" to practice this lesson's negative pronouns?
You would frame the verb with ne and rien (meaning nothing or not anything). Because the verb allume starts with a vowel, the ne shortens to an n'. You would say: Je n'allume rien.

Learn Le salon est sombre, alors j'allume la cheminée 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
Start learning French →