Question 1

Could I use pourtant instead of cependant in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Both cependant and pourtant can mean "however" or "yet", and they express opposition. In this sentence, they are practically interchangeable. Cependant is slightly more formal and often states a factual contrast, while pourtant can carry a stronger sense of surprise, implying that the beast really should have attacked since it saw the prey.

Question 2

Can I put cependant at the end of the sentence like we do with "though" in English?

Accepted Answer

No. In French, cependant usually comes at the beginning of the clause it introduces, right after a comma or semi-colon. You can sometimes place it directly after the conjugated verb, but you cannot put it at the very end of the sentence.

Question 3

What does the l' in ne l'attaque pas stand for?

Accepted Answer

The l' is the direct object pronoun la, which stands for la proie (the prey). Because the verb attaque starts with a vowel, the a in la gets dropped (an elision). Notice how the negative words ne and pas act like a sandwich, wrapping around the entire pronoun-verb block.

Question 4

I learned that bête means "stupid". Why is it translated as "beast" here?

Accepted Answer

The word bête is both a noun and an adjective. As a noun (une bête), it literally means a beast or an animal. As an adjective, it means stupid or silly, stemming from the old idea of comparing a foolish person to a dumb animal. In this sentence, la bête sauvage clearly means the wild beast.

La bête sauvage voit la proie, cependant elle ne l'attaque pas.

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