Log inSign up

L'historien lit à tel point qu'il oublie totalement l'heure.

L'historien lit à tel point qu'il oublie totalement l'heure.
The historian reads to such an extent that he totally forgets the time.
From Lesson 331:Extreme consequence (au point que)·French

Questions & Answers about L'historien lit à tel point qu'il oublie totalement l'heure.

What is the difference between à tel point que and au point que in this sentence?
They are very similar, but à tel point que adds a bit more emphasis. While au point que means 'to the point that,' à tel point que is closer to 'to such a point that' or 'to such an extent that.' Both are used to express an intense consequence.
Why is oublie in the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive after que?
We use the indicative here because à tel point que introduces a real, factual consequence: the historian actually forgets the time. Expressions of consequence only take the subjunctive if the result is just a goal or a hypothetical outcome, whereas this is a stated fact.
Why does the French sentence use l'heure instead of le temps for 'the time'?
L'heure refers specifically to clock time (knowing what time of day it is). Le temps refers to time as a general concept or a duration. The phrase oublier l'heure is the standard way to say 'to lose track of time' in the sense of not realizing how late it has gotten.
In English we say 'totally forgets,' so why is totalement placed after the verb here?
In French, an adverb modifying a conjugated verb almost never separates the subject (il) from the verb (oublie). It must be placed immediately after the verb it modifies: il oublie totalement.

Learn L'historien lit à tel point qu'il oublie totalement l'heure 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 →