Breakdown of Je n'ai pas trouvé mon billet, il avait glissé de ma poche.
je
I
il
he
avoir
to have
ne
not (used before the verb)
pas
not (used after the verb)
de
of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)
le billet
the ticket
trouver
to find
mon
my (mon, ma, mes)
glisser
to slip
la poche
the pocket (f)
Questions & Answers about Je n'ai pas trouvé mon billet, il avait glissé de ma poche.
Why do we use the plus-que-parfait (avait glissé) here instead of the passé composé?
The plus-que-parfait is used to talk about an action in the past that happened before another past action. The ticket slipping out of the pocket (avait glissé) happened earlier than the moment you realized you couldn't find it (n'ai pas trouvé).
Since the ticket isn't a person, why do we use il to say 'it had slipped'?
Isn't glisser a verb of motion? Why does it use avoir instead of être as its helping verb?
Why is the preposition de used in de ma poche?
The preposition de frequently indicates origin, separation, or movement away from something. In this context, it translates naturally to 'from' or 'out of' your pocket.
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