Log inSign up

Le mannequin sert le thé tout en attendant le créateur.

Le mannequin sert le thé tout en attendant le créateur.
The model serves the tea while waiting for the designer.
From Lesson 443:Verbs that change meaning with prepositions·French

Questions & Answers about Le mannequin sert le thé tout en attendant le créateur.

Why is sert used directly with its object here, and how would prepositions change its meaning?
In this sentence, sert is from servir used as a direct transitive verb, meaning to serve a food or drink. This fits the current lesson's theme: if you add the preposition à (servir à), the meaning shifts to 'to be used for' or 'to be useful'. If you use the reflexive form with de (se servir de), it shifts again to mean 'to use'.
Why isn't there a French word for 'for' before le créateur?
The verb attendre (to wait) is a direct transitive verb in French. This means it connects directly to its object without a preposition. While English speakers naturally want to translate 'wait for' word-for-word, adding pour before le créateur is a classic mistake to avoid.
What does the word tout add to en attendant?
The phrase en attendant is a gerund meaning 'while waiting'. Putting tout in front of it emphasizes the strict simultaneity of the two actions. It stresses that the model is serving tea at the exact same time as waiting, much like saying 'all while waiting' or 'at the very same time' in English.
Does le mannequin change to feminine if the model is a woman?
No, le mannequin is always a masculine noun, regardless of the actual gender of the person it describes. Even if the fashion model is female, you must use masculine articles and masculine adjectives to agree with the grammatical gender of the word itself.

Learn Le mannequin sert le thé tout en attendant le créateur 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
Start learning French →