Log inSign up

Si tu chauffes l'argile trop vite, elle cassera.

Si tu chauffes l'argile trop vite, elle cassera.
If you heat the clay too fast, it will break.
From Lesson 221:Until (jusqu'à ce que)·French

Questions & Answers about Si tu chauffes l'argile trop vite, elle cassera.

Why is it chauffes (present tense) but cassera (future tense)?
This is a classic "si clause" (if/then sentence) that states a likely future outcome. In French, just like in English, the condition after si (if) is in the present tense (tu chauffes), and the result is in the future tense (elle cassera).
Why does the sentence use elle? Does it mean "she will break"?
Elle literally means "she", but here it translates to "it". In French, all nouns have a gender, and l'argile (clay) is feminine. Because argile is feminine, you must use the feminine pronoun elle to replace it, even when talking about inanimate objects.
Could I use trop rapide instead of trop vite?
No, because you need an adverb here. Vite means "fast" or "quickly" and describes how you perform the action of heating (the verb chauffes). Rapide is an adjective meaning "fast" or "rapid", which is used to describe a noun (like a fast car).
The current lesson is about conjunctions like jusqu'à ce que taking the subjunctive. Why isn't the subjunctive used after si here?
Unlike jusqu'à ce que (until) and certain other conjunctions, si (if) never triggers the subjunctive in French. Even though it introduces a condition that hasn't happened yet, si must be followed by an indicative tense, such as the present tense (tu chauffes) used here.

Learn Si tu chauffes l'argile trop vite, elle cassera 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 →