Breakdown of Autant le cyclisme demande de l'endurance, autant la plongée exige de l'agilité.
de la
some (partitive, feminine)
autant
as much, as many
demander
to ask (for) / to require / demand
exiger
to require
l'endurance
the endurance (f)
la plongée
the scuba diving
le cyclisme
the cycling
l'agilité
the agility (f)
Questions & Answers about Autant le cyclisme demande de l'endurance, autant la plongée exige de l'agilité.
Why doesn't the structure autant... autant... trigger the subjunctive in this sentence?
The structure autant... autant... is used to contrast two observed facts or realities, translating to "as much as [fact A], so much [fact B]." Because it states facts rather than expressing doubt, emotion, or uncertainty, both clauses use the indicative mood (demande and exige), not the subjunctive.
Why do we use the definite articles le and la before cyclisme and plongée?
In French, you must use a definite article (le, la, les) when talking about a noun in a general, overarching sense. Since this sentence discusses cycling and scuba diving as general sports categories, they require the definite article.
Why is it de l'endurance and de l'agilité instead of just endurance or l'endurance?
The verbs demander (to demand) and exiger (to require) take a direct object. Because endurance and agility are uncountable, abstract qualities, French requires the partitive article (de l') to express that the sports require "some amount of" these traits. You cannot leave a noun completely bare in this context.
What is the difference in nuance between demande and exige here?
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