Question 1

Why is négligente spelled with "-ent" instead of "-eant" like the verb négliger?

Accepted Answer

This word is an adjectif verbal (verbal adjective), not a participe présent (present participle). For verbs ending in "-ger", the present participle is négligeant (keeping the "e" to maintain the soft "g" sound), but the verbal adjective drops the "a" and changes to an "-ent" ending, becoming négligent (or négligente in the feminine).

Question 2

Why does négligente have an "-e" at the end here?

Accepted Answer

Because it is acting as a verbal adjective describing the feminine singular noun mère. Unlike present participles, which are invariable and never change their endings, verbal adjectives act like normal adjectives and must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

Question 3

How would the sentence change if I used the present participle négligeant instead?

Accepted Answer

If you wrote Une mère négligeant ses bébés, the word would act as an active verb meaning "neglecting" rather than describing a general character trait ("neglectful"). It would also turn this into an incomplete sentence fragment ("A mother neglecting her babies...") because perd would no longer be the main verb of the sentence.

Question 4

Just as a refresher, why is it ses bébés and not sa bébés or leurs bébés?

Accepted Answer

In French, possessive adjectives agree with the thing being owned, not the owner. Since bébés is plural, you must use the plural possessive ses, even though the mother is singular and feminine. You would only use leurs if there were multiple owners (for example, if the parents lost their babies).

Une mère négligente perd ses bébés.

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