Question 1

Is inhabitable a false friend here?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In English, 'habitable' and 'inhabitable' both mean a place is fit to live in. In French, the prefix in- is strictly negative. Habitable means livable, and inhabitable means uninhabitable (impossible to live in).

Question 2

How can I apply this lesson's rule about multiple conditions to this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Since this sentence doesn't contain an 'if' clause yet, you could create one to practice. If you want to say 'If the planet is too cold and (if) it doesn't have a greenhouse, it is uninhabitable', you must avoid repeating si. Instead, use que + subjunctive for the second condition: Si la planète est trop froide et qu'elle n'ait pas de serre, elle est inhabitable.

Question 3

I've seen the word serre used a lot when talking about climate change. Is that the same word?

Accepted Answer

Exactly. Une serre literally means a greenhouse. At a B2 level, you will frequently encounter it in environmental contexts like l'effet de serre (the greenhouse effect) or les gaz à effet de serre (greenhouse gases).

Question 4

Why is it sans la serre instead of just sans serre?

Accepted Answer

Generally, when sans (without) is followed by a non-specific noun, the article is dropped, like saying 'without a greenhouse' (sans serre). Because the definite article la is included here, the speaker is referring to a specific, previously mentioned greenhouse.

La planète est inhabitable sans la serre.

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