Learn French: Avez-vous trouvé le code de ce cadenas ? - Have you found the code for this padlock?

Avez-vous trouvé le code de ce cadenas ?

Have you found the code for this padlock?

Breakdown of Avez-vous trouvé le code de ce cadenas ?

of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)

Questions & Answers about Avez-vous trouvé le code de ce cadenas ?

Why is it ce cadenas and not ces cadenas if the word ends in an 's'?

Some French nouns naturally end in -s even in their singular form, and cadenas (padlock) is one of them. We know it is singular in this sentence because it uses the singular word for 'this' (ce) rather than the plural 'these' (ces).

The English translation says 'code FOR this padlock', but the French uses de. Why not pour?

When expressing that one thing belongs to, operates, or is a part of another, French usually uses de (of). While it feels natural to say 'the code for the padlock' in English, French speakers literally say 'the code of this padlock'.

If I wanted to answer 'Yes, I found the code for it', could I use the pronoun y that we are learning right now?

Not quite! The pronoun y replaces inanimate objects introduced by the preposition à. Since this sentence connects the padlock using de (le code de ce cadenas), you need the pronoun en instead. You would answer: Oui, j'en ai trouvé le code.

Is Avez-vous trouvé a formal way to ask this question?

Yes, swapping the verb and the subject pronoun (called inversion) makes the question sound formal. In everyday spoken French, you are much more likely to hear the statement word order spoken with a rising tone: Vous avez trouvé le code de ce cadenas ?