Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

This highlights the exact difference between a present participle and a verbal adjective. The present participle of intriguer is intriguant (it keeps the "u" and never changes form). But here, the word acts as an adjective. As a verbal adjective, it drops the "u" to become intrigant. Because it describes a feminine subject in this sentence, it adds an -e to become intrigante.

Question 2

Could this sentence be about a group of human women?

Accepted Answer

Almost certainly not. In French, the noun femelle is strictly used for female animals (and plants). While "female" is sometimes used as a noun for humans in English, using femelle for a woman in French is considered highly offensive and dehumanizing. For humans, you would use femmes.

Question 3

Why use Laquelle instead of Quelle or Lequel here?

Accepted Answer

Quelle is an adjective that must be placed directly next to a noun (like Quelle femelle...). Because we need a pronoun meaning "which one" followed by "of these...", we must use a form of lequel. Since the pronoun replaces one of the feminine femelles, it must agree in gender and number, becoming the feminine singular Laquelle.

Question 4

Why is there a la in front of plus intrigante?

Accepted Answer

That la is what turns the comparative "more intriguing" (plus intrigante) into the superlative "the most intriguing" (la plus intrigante). Because it refers back to Laquelle (a single female), the definite article used for the superlative must also be feminine singular.

Laquelle de ces femelles est la plus intrigante ?

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