Log inSign up

Le propriétaire expulse l'intrus.

Le propriétaire expulse l'intrus.
The owner expels the intruder.
From Lesson 311:The indefinite pronoun (quiconque)·French

Questions & Answers about Le propriétaire expulse l'intrus.

Since the current lesson is about 'quiconque', how could we rewrite this sentence to say 'The owner expels whoever intrudes'?
You could use the verb s'introduire (to intrude / to break in) and say Le propriétaire expulse quiconque s'introduit. Notice that quiconque acts as a third-person singular subject for the verb that immediately follows it.
Does expulse mean 'to expel' physically, or 'to evict' legally?
Expulser covers both meanings. It translates to 'to expel' (throwing a trespasser out) and 'to evict' (legally removing a tenant). Given that the subject is a propriétaire (owner/landlord), it can easily refer to a formal eviction if the 'intruder' is an unwanted tenant, or physical removal if it's a sudden trespasser.
How would the spelling change if the intruder was known to be a woman?
The noun un intrus has a regular feminine form: une intruse. If the owner were expelling a specific female intruder, the sentence would become Le propriétaire expulse l'intruse.
Is propriétaire the standard word for 'landlord' as well as 'owner'?
Yes, in everyday French, le propriétaire (often shortened to le proprio in casual speech) is the standard term for a landlord. French doesn't use a separate, specific word for a property lessor in everyday conversation.

Learn Le propriétaire expulse l'intrus and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning French →