Question 1

Why does this sentence use 'ce que' instead of 'ce qui' for 'what'?

Accepted Answer

In indirect questions, you use ce que when 'what' is the object of the verb, and ce qui when it's the subject of the verb. Here, the cell is the one doing the action (the subject), and we are trying to determine what it is doing (the object). Therefore, we need the object pronoun ce que.

Question 2

Why is the word order ce que fait la cellule instead of ce que la cellule fait?

Accepted Answer

Both are grammatically correct! However, in French, when an indirect question or relative clause begins with ce que and the subject is a noun (like la cellule), it is very common to put the verb before the subject for a better flow. This is called stylistic inversion, and you will often see it when the verb is short.

Question 3

Could I say C'est difficile de instead of Il est difficile de?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in everyday spoken French, you will often hear C'est difficile de déterminer. However, Il est difficile de is the standard, grammatically formal form for impersonal expressions (where 'it' doesn't refer to a specific object) in written French. Be careful not to confuse this with C'est difficile à, which is used when 'it' refers to a specific noun mentioned earlier.

Question 4

Why does the adverb précisément come after the verb déterminer?

Accepted Answer

In French, adverbs that modify a verb usually go immediately after it. This applies to infinitive verbs like déterminer just as it does to conjugated verbs. Unlike English, where you might say 'to precisely determine', French generally keeps the adverb firmly after the verb.

Il est difficile de déterminer précisément ce que fait la cellule.

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