Question 1

Why do we use à elle here instead of the indirect object pronoun lui?

Accepted Answer

Normally, to say "to her," you would use the indirect object pronoun lui placed before the verb. However, s'attacher is a pronominal verb (it has that reflexive s'). French pronominal verbs that take à do not allow you to use lui or leur for people. Instead, they are "non-cliticizing," meaning you must leave the preposition à after the verb and follow it with a stressed pronoun (like moi, toi, lui, or elle).

Question 2

If he were getting attached to a place or an object, would we still use a stressed pronoun?

Accepted Answer

No. The rule about keeping à and using a stressed pronoun applies to human beings. If he were getting attached to a new city, a project, or an idea, you would replace à + [thing] with the pronoun y. It would move in front of the verb: Il s'y attache (He is getting attached to it).

Question 3

I see même si (even if) used with the indicative (est). Shouldn't expressions of concession trigger the subjunctive?

Accepted Answer

It is a very common trap! While similar expressions of concession like bien que or quoique (although) strictly require the subjunctive, même si is an exception. It always takes the indicative mood, so you treat it exactly like a regular si (if) clause.

Question 4

Since elle is feminine, why doesn't loin take an "e" at the end to agree with her?

Accepted Answer

Loin (far) is an adverb, not an adjective. Even though it comes right after the verb être to describe her location, adverbs are always invariable in French. They never change their spelling to match gender or number.

Il s'attache à elle, même si elle est loin.

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