Breakdown of J'entends le vieux camelot qui interpelle quelqu'un.
je
I
qui
who
entendre
to hear
vieux
old
quelqu'un
someone
le camelot
the street vendor
interpeller
to call out to
Questions & Answers about J'entends le vieux camelot qui interpelle quelqu'un.
Why use qui interpelle instead of the infinitive interpeller after the perception verb entendre?
Both are grammatically correct, but they have a slightly different feel. Using the predicative relative qui interpelle emphasizes the action in progress right at that moment, similar to the English "-ing" form ("calling out"). The infinitive interpeller usually implies observing the action as a whole from start to finish.
Could we use the present participle interpellant here to mean "calling out"?
In French, it is much more natural to use a qui clause after a perception verb to express an action in progress. While the present participle interpellant exists, using it here would sound very formal or literary. For everyday speech, stick to qui interpelle or the infinitive.
What exactly does interpeller mean, and how is it different from appeler?
Learn J'entends le vieux camelot qui interpelle quelqu'un 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