Question 1

Why does ci-incluses have an -es at the end?

Accepted Answer

This is the core of your current lesson! Words like ci-inclus (enclosed) and ci-joint (attached) agree with the noun they modify only when they come after it. Since the adjective follows les factures, which is a feminine plural noun, it takes the feminine plural ending -es to become ci-incluses.

Question 2

Would ci-inclus still agree if it were placed before the noun?

Accepted Answer

No, and that is the tricky exception with these administrative words. If placed before the noun without a determiner, or at the very beginning of a sentence, they act as adverbs and are invariable (they do not change). For example, if you started the clause with it, you would write: ci-inclus les factures.

Question 3

Why is quand même translated as "still" here instead of toujours?

Accepted Answer

Toujours means "still" when referring to time or an ongoing state (like "I am still waiting"). Quand même means "still" in the sense of "anyway", "nevertheless", or "all the same". This sentence implies that despite some prior objection or excuse, you must pay the invoices anyway.

Question 4

Why isn't there a preposition like pour after payer?

Accepted Answer

In English we "pay for" a bill, but in French, payer takes a direct object when referring to the bill, invoice, or item being purchased. You directly "pay the invoices" (payer les factures). You would only use pour if you were paying on behalf of someone else or for a favor, like payer pour un ami (to pay for a friend).

Tu dois quand même payer les factures ci-incluses.

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