Learn French: Moins de deux cinémas projettent ce film, donc c'est un échec. - Fewer than two cinemas are screening this movie, so it is a failure.

Moins de deux cinémas projettent ce film, donc c'est un échec.

Fewer than two cinemas are screening this movie, so it is a failure.

Breakdown of Moins de deux cinémas projettent ce film, donc c'est un échec.

a / an (masculine)

le cinéma

the movie theater / the cinema

this (before a noun)

of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)

Questions & Answers about Moins de deux cinémas projettent ce film, donc c'est un échec.

Why is projettent plural when moins de deux implies only one or zero cinemas?

This is a classic French grammar paradox! Even though moins de deux logically means one or zero, grammatical agreement in French is strictly mathematical based on the number written. Since deux is plural, the noun cinémas and the verb projettent must also be plural.

If the sentence said "More than one cinema is screening this movie", would the verb still be plural?

No, it would be singular! Just like with moins de deux, French grammar focuses on the number in the phrase. Since plus d'un uses the number one (un), you must use a singular noun and verb: Plus d'un cinéma projette ce film.

Why does projettent have two Ts when the infinitive projeter only has one?

Projeter is a stem-changing verb. When the ending is silent (like the -ent for the third person plural), the t doubles so the preceding e makes an "eh" sound. You only use a single t when the ending is pronounced, like in nous projetons.

Why do we say c'est un échec instead of il est un échec for "it is a failure"?