Breakdown of Quitte à braver le vent, ces acheteurs déterminés restent dehors.
ce
this (before a noun)
rester
to stay
le
him, it (masculine direct object pronoun)
dehors
outside
le vent
the wind
l'acheteur
the buyer (m)
quitte à
even if it means
déterminé
determined (resolute)
braver
to brave
Questions & Answers about Quitte à braver le vent, ces acheteurs déterminés restent dehors.
How does "quitte à" work here, and is it always followed by an infinitive?
Yes, quitte à is always followed by an infinitive, which is braver in this sentence. It expresses a risk or a negative consequence that someone is willing to accept to achieve a goal. It translates perfectly to "even if it means" or "at the risk of".
Who is doing the "braving" in this sentence, and how do we know?
The determined buyers (ces acheteurs déterminés) are doing the braving. Because quitte à uses an infinitive instead of a conjugated verb, the unspoken subject of that infinitive must be the exact same as the subject of the main clause.
Could I put the "quitte à" part at the end of the sentence instead?
Does the verb "braver" just mean "to be brave"?
Careful, it is a slight false friend! Braver is an action verb that means "to face", "to defy", or "to stand up to" an obstacle (like the wind here). If you just want to describe a person's character as "brave", you would use an adjective like courageux.
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