Breakdown of Voici un poteau de trois mètres de haut.
un
a / an (masculine)
de
of / from / any (in negative sentences) / about (concerning)
trois
three
voici
here is, this is
haut
high, tall
le mètre
the meter
le poteau
the post (pole)
Questions & Answers about Voici un poteau de trois mètres de haut.
Why are there two des in un poteau de trois mètres de haut?
In French, when describing the dimensions of an object directly after the noun, you use a specific pattern: [Noun] + de + [Measurement] + de + [Dimension]. The first de links the object (un poteau) to its measurement (trois mètres), and the second de introduces the specific dimension being measured (haut).
Could I use the noun hauteur instead of the adjective haut here?
Why can't I just say un poteau trois mètres haut like in English?
French requires prepositions to connect these ideas, whereas English often just strings them together. Without the first de, the measurement isn't connected to the noun, and without the second de, the dimension isn't connected to the measurement. Translating "three meters high" word-for-word simply doesn't work in French grammar.
If I wanted to make a full sentence using a verb to describe the height, how would I do it?
Instead of using Voici to point out the post, you could use the verbs faire or mesurer. For example, you could say Ce poteau fait trois mètres de haut or Ce poteau mesure trois mètres. Notice that with mesurer, you often don't need to specify the dimension if it's obvious, but with faire, you still need de haut (or de hauteur).
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