Learn French: Mon frère est méfiant à cause de cette guirlande. - My brother is suspicious because of this garland.

Mon frère est méfiant à cause de cette guirlande.

My brother is suspicious because of this garland.

Breakdown of Mon frère est méfiant à cause de cette guirlande.

Questions & Answers about Mon frère est méfiant à cause de cette guirlande.

English uses "suspicious" for both someone who is wary and something that looks shady. Does French do the same?

No, French distinguishes between the two. Use méfiant for a person who is wary or distrustful, like the brother in this sentence. If the garland itself looked dangerous or shady, you would describe the garland as suspecte.

Why do we use à cause de here instead of parce que?

Parce que (because) must be followed by a full clause with a subject and a verb, such as parce que la guirlande est bizarre. Because cette guirlande is just a noun phrase, you must use the prepositional phrase à cause de (because of).

Could we use grâce à instead of à cause de?

It would sound very strange here. Grâce à translates to "thanks to" and is strictly used for positive outcomes. Since being suspicious is generally a negative or uncomfortable state, à cause de (which is used for negative or neutral causes) is the correct choice.

How could we expand this sentence using the current lesson's focus, pour peu que?

You could use it to describe a minimal condition that triggers his suspicion. For example: Mon frère est méfiant pour peu que cette guirlande clignote (My brother is suspicious if this garland so much as blinks). Remember that pour peu que must be followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood!