Question 1

Why is le used twice in le gratte-ciel le moins moderne?

Accepted Answer

In French, when a superlative (like le moins moderne) comes after the noun, you have to repeat the definite article (le, la, or les). You are literally saying 'the skyscraper the least modern'. If the noun were feminine, you would repeat la, as in la maison la moins moderne (the least modern house).

Question 2

Why does the superlative come after the noun here?

Accepted Answer

Superlatives generally follow the same placement rules as the base adjective. Because the adjective moderne normally goes after the noun (un gratte-ciel moderne), its superlative form must also go after the noun. Short, common adjectives that go before the noun (like grand or petit) will keep their superlative form before the noun.

Question 3

I thought il y a meant 'there is' or 'there are'. Why is it translated as 'ago' here?

Accepted Answer

You are right that il y a usually means 'there is' or 'there are'! However, when il y a is directly followed by a period of time, it means 'ago'. Therefore, il y a un an means 'a year ago', and il y a deux jours would mean 'two days ago'.

Question 4

What does the word gratte-ciel literally translate to?

Accepted Answer

It literally means 'scrapes sky' (gratte comes from the verb gratter, to scratch or scrape, and ciel means sky). It is the exact translation of the English word 'skyscraper'! Fun fact: it doesn't change in the plural, so 'the skyscrapers' is simply les gratte-ciel.

J'ai visité le gratte-ciel le moins moderne il y a un an.

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