Question 1

Why is marcher in the infinitive after veux?

Accepted Answer

In French, vouloir (to want) is followed directly by the infinitive form of the verb. You don’t insert a preposition (like to in English) in between. So you say Je veux marcher, not Je veux de marcher.

Question 2

Why do we say dans le jardin instead of au jardin?

Accepted Answer

Dans le jardin literally means in the garden, suggesting you are physically walking inside its boundaries. Au jardin might be used in certain contexts (like referring to an event at the garden), but for physically moving around inside the garden, dans le jardin is preferred.

Question 3

Why is there no article before chaussures in sans chaussures?

Accepted Answer

When you use sans (meaning “without”) in French, you usually don’t add an article if you’re just saying you’re without something in general (e.g., sans chaussures = without shoes). Adding an article sounds like you’re referencing specific shoes.

Question 4

Can we say sans des chaussures?

Accepted Answer

Generally, no. Saying sans des chaussures would suggest “without some specific shoes,” and it’s not common in general statements. The usual expression is simply sans chaussures.

Question 5

Are there alternative ways to say 'I want to walk in the garden without shoes'?

Accepted Answer

Yes! One common expression involves going barefoot: Je veux marcher pieds nus dans le jardin. This literally means “I want to walk with bare feet in the garden.”

Je veux marcher dans le jardin sans chaussures.

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