Log inSign up

Les acrobates sautent dans le filet moins rapidement que nous.

Les acrobates sautent dans le filet moins rapidement que nous.
The acrobats jump into the net less quickly than us.
From Lesson 120:Comparative adverbs (plus... que)·French

Questions & Answers about Les acrobates sautent dans le filet moins rapidement que nous.

Why do we use rapidement instead of rapide here?
Because we are describing how they jump, which is an action (a verb). Therefore, we need the adverb rapidement (quickly). If we were describing the acrobats themselves (a noun), we would use the adjective rapide (fast). The structure for comparing how an action is done in this lesson is moins + adverb + que (less + adverb + than).
How is the adverb rapidement formed?
Most French adverbs are formed by adding -ment (the equivalent of the English "-ly") to the feminine form of an adjective. Since the adjective rapide (fast) already ends in an -e, its masculine and feminine forms are identical. You simply add -ment to the end to get rapidement (quickly).
Why do we use nous at the very end of the sentence?
In French comparisons, the pronoun that comes after que must be a stressed pronoun (like moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles). Here, we use nous to mean "us". It looks exactly the same as the subject pronoun nous (we), but it is playing a different role here!
Does dans mean "in" or "into" here?
It translates to "into" in this sentence. French doesn't have a separate word for "into". The common preposition dans covers both being "in" a location and movement "into" a location. The action verb sautent (jump) makes it clear that the acrobats are moving into the net.

Learn Les acrobates sautent dans le filet moins rapidement que nous 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 →