Questions & Answers about Ce ressort est non seulement petit, mais aussi très résistant.
Where exactly do we place non seulement and mais aussi in this sentence?
Just like in English, they go directly before the elements they are emphasizing. Here, non seulement comes right before the first adjective (petit), and mais aussi comes right before the second adjective phrase (très résistant). They act as a balanced pair connecting two traits of the spring. Could I write mais il est aussi instead of just mais aussi here?
Yes, you could say Ce ressort est non seulement petit, mais il est aussi très résistant. However, since the subject (ce ressort) and the verb (est) are exactly the same for both adjectives, dropping il est and keeping mais aussi together is much more natural and concise. I thought the French word for "spring" was printemps. Why is it ressort here?
Le printemps only refers to the season. For a mechanical spring—the coiled piece of metal—you must use le ressort. It is related to the verb ressortir (to spring back out or emerge). Why is "strong" translated as résistant rather than fort?
While fort means "strong" in terms of muscular power, force, or intensity (like a strong person or a strong wind), résistant is used for materials and objects that can withstand pressure, wear, or tension without breaking. For a metal spring, résistant is the most precise choice. Do I pronounce the "s" at the end of mais in this sentence?
Yes, you should make a liaison here. Because mais ends in a consonant and aussi begins with a vowel sound, you pronounce them together with a "z" sound: "mè-z-aussi". Learn Ce ressort est non seulement petit, mais aussi très résistant and more in French
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