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Le moment où le char passe est magique.

Le moment où le char passe est magique.
The moment when the float passes is magical.
From Lesson 125:Relative pronouns of place and time (où)·French

Questions & Answers about Le moment où le char passe est magique.

Why is the word où used here? Doesn't it mean where?
Yes, où usually means where. But in French relative clauses, où is also used to refer to a point in time. When referring back to a time-related noun like le moment or le jour, you use où to mean when.
Could I use quand instead of où in this sentence?
No. While both can translate to when in English, quand is a conjunction used to connect two events. When linking back to a specific noun that represents time, like le moment in this sentence, you must use the relative pronoun où.
Does char mean chariot or tank?
It can mean both of those! However, in the context of a parade, festival, or carnival, un char is the specific word used for a parade float.
Since le moment is masculine, why does magique end with an e?
Some French adjectives naturally end in an e in their base masculine form. Magique is one of these words, so it keeps the exact same spelling whether the noun it describes is masculine or feminine.

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