Learn French: La femelle intrigante observe le mâle. - The intriguing female observes the male.

La femelle intrigante observe le mâle.

The intriguing female observes the male.

Breakdown of La femelle intrigante observe le mâle.

him, it (masculine direct object pronoun)

her, it (feminine direct object pronoun)

Questions & Answers about La femelle intrigante observe le mâle.

Why is intrigante spelled without a "u", even though the verb is intriguer?

Because intrigante is acting as a verbal adjective here, not a present participle. For verbs ending in -guer (like intriguer or fatiguer), the present participle keeps the "u" (e.g., intriguant), but the verbal adjective drops it (e.g., intrigant).

How can I tell that intrigante is an adjective here and not a present participle?

Two main clues: first, it drops the "u" from the verb stem. Second, it agrees in gender with La femelle by taking an -e at the end. Present participles are always invariable in French, meaning they never change to agree with the noun.

Could intrigante mean something negative here?

Depending on the context, yes. While it often means "intriguing" or "fascinating" (just like in English), it is also commonly used to mean "scheming," "manipulative," or "calculating" when describing someone's character.

Can I use femelle and mâle to describe human men and women?

You generally shouldn't! In French, un mâle and une femelle are the standard terms for male and female animals. Using them as nouns for humans sounds highly clinical, dehumanizing, or derogatory. Stick to un homme and une femme for people.