Question 1

Why is it décharger (to unload) instead of a word ending in -ant to match the English "unloading"?

Accepted Answer

When using a verb of perception like voir (to see), entendre (to hear), or sentir (to feel/smell), the action being perceived is always in the infinitive. While English often uses an "-ing" word ("we see him unloading"), French requires the infinitive: voir le docker décharger.

Question 2

What is the grammar behind En arrivant?

Accepted Answer

This is the French gerund (le gérondif), formed by combining the preposition en with the present participle of the verb (arrivant). It is used to show that two actions are happening simultaneously by the same subject, translating to "upon arriving," "on arriving," or "while arriving."

Question 3

Does the word order have to be nous voyons le docker décharger? Can the infinitive come first?

Accepted Answer

The order is very important here! The standard structure is voir + [person doing the action] + [infinitive]. If you swapped them to say nous voyons décharger le docker, it would actually mean "we see the docker being unloaded," because a noun placed right after the infinitive is treated as the object receiving the action.

Question 4

Is le docker an English loanword, and do I pronounce the "r" at the end?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is borrowed directly from the English word "docker" (a dockworker or longshoreman). Because it is a borrowed noun and not a French -er verb, you do pronounce the final "r"! It sounds roughly like "doh-kerr."

En arrivant, nous voyons le docker décharger la cargaison.

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