Question 1

How exactly does sinon work in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

The word sinon translates to 'otherwise' or 'if not'. It connects a condition to its consequence. Here, it introduces what will happen if you don't follow the command to read without looking at your phone. Note that it is always written as a single word in this context, not as si non.

Question 2

Why does French use the infinitive regarder after sans?

Accepted Answer

In English, we say 'without looking', using an '-ing' verb. However, in French, almost all prepositions (like sans, pour, and de) must be followed by the infinitive (the basic, unconjugated form) of the verb. That is why it is sans regarder.

Question 3

I thought commands in the tu form drop the final 's'. Why does Lis have one?

Accepted Answer

You only drop the final 's' in the tu command form for verbs that end in '-er' (like regarde or mange). Because lire (to read) is an '-re' verb, its tu form keeps the 's' in the imperative: Lis.

Question 4

Why is the consequence tu sors in the present tense instead of the future tense?

Accepted Answer

While you could use the future tense (tu sortiras) to mean 'you will go out', using the present tense (tu sors) makes the consequence sound much more immediate and certain. It acts almost like a strict rule: if you look at your phone, you are leaving right now.

Lis sans regarder ton portable, sinon tu sors.

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