Breakdown of Je doute qu'on ait parlé au chroniqueur à l'antenne.
je
I
on
one / we (informal)
avoir
to have
parler
to speak
à
at / to / in (general locations) / about (what one thinks about / reacts to)
douter que
to doubt that
le chroniqueur
the columnist
l'antenne
the air (f)
Questions & Answers about Je doute qu'on ait parlé au chroniqueur à l'antenne.
Why is this translated as a passive ("was spoken to") when the French uses on?
In English, we can make an indirect object the subject of a passive sentence ("the columnist was spoken to"). In French, verbs that take the preposition à, like parler à, cannot be made passive. You can never say le chroniqueur a été parlé. Instead, you must use the active voice with the indefinite pronoun on: on a parlé au chroniqueur (literally: one spoke to the columnist).
Why is the verb form ait parlé used here instead of the standard passé composé a parlé?
The phrase Je doute que expresses uncertainty, which requires the following verb to be in the subjunctive mood. Because the speaking happened in the past, we need the past subjunctive, which is formed with the subjunctive of avoir (ait) plus the past participle (parlé).
Why is it au chroniqueur rather than just le chroniqueur?
The verb parler must be followed by the preposition à when you specify who is being spoken to (parler à quelqu'un). Here, à and the masculine definite article le contract to form au.
Learn Je doute qu'on ait parlé au chroniqueur à l'antenne 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