Log inSign up

J'observe le producteur qui pèse les légumes sur la balance.

J'observe le producteur qui pèse les légumes sur la balance.
I observe the producer weighing the vegetables on the scale.
From Lesson 409:Perception verbs with relative clauses (qui)·French

Questions & Answers about J'observe le producteur qui pèse les légumes sur la balance.

Why do we use qui pèse instead of a present participle like pesant to mean "weighing"?
After verbs of perception like observer, voir, or entendre, French strongly prefers using a relative clause with qui to describe an action you are witnessing. While the present participle pesant exists, using qui pèse is the standard, natural way to translate this English "-ing" form.
Could I use the infinitive peser here instead of qui pèse?
Yes! With perception verbs, using the infinitive is another very common structure. J'observe le producteur peser les légumes is perfectly correct and means the same thing. The qui pèse structure just places a slightly stronger focus on the ongoing, unfolding nature of the action.
Does producteur only refer to someone who makes movies or music?
Not at all. In French, a farmer, agricultural grower, or manufacturer is routinely called un producteur. In the context of a market and vegetables, it simply means the farmer or grower.
Wait, does balance mean the same thing in French and English?
It is a partial false friend! While it looks exactly like the English word, une balance specifically refers to a weighing scale. If you want to talk about "balance" in the sense of physical equilibrium or work-life balance, you would use l'équilibre.

Learn J'observe le producteur qui pèse les légumes sur la balance 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 →