Je n’ose pas y aller seul, alors j’attends mon ami pour le voyage.

I do not dare go there alone, so I am waiting for my friend for the trip.

Breakdown of Je n’ose pas y aller seul, alors j’attends mon ami pour le voyage.

• je: I
• mon: my
• l'ami: the friend
• aller: to go
• pour: for
• alors: so
• n'... pas: not
• oser: to dare
• y: there
• seul: alone
• attendre: to wait
• le voyage: the trip

Questions & Answers about Je n’ose pas y aller seul, alors j’attends mon ami pour le voyage.

What does "oser" mean in French, and how is it used in this context?

Oser literally means to dare. In this sentence — Je n’ose pas y aller seul — it tells us that the speaker does not dare (or doesn’t feel brave enough) to do something. The phrase n’oser pas forms the negation, showing that they’re reluctant or afraid to perform the action mentioned (in this case, going somewhere alone).

What does "y" refer to in "y aller"?

The pronoun y usually replaces a previously mentioned location or idea in French. Here, y likely means there, indicating a place the speaker doesn’t dare to go alone. Instead of repeating the full place name, French uses y to stand in for that location.

Why is "seul" used here, and does it agree with the speaker’s gender?

Seul means alone or by oneself. When describing a male speaker, you'd use seul (masculine singular). For a female speaker, you’d use seule (feminine singular). If the speaker is male, seul is correct; if female, seule should be used.

How does "alors" function in the sentence?

Alors here means so or therefore, connecting the two parts of the sentence. It explains that because the speaker doesn’t dare to go alone, the consequence is that he or she is waiting for a friend for the trip.

What does "pour le voyage" mean, and can it be replaced with another phrase?

Pour le voyage means for the trip or for the journey. It indicates the purpose for waiting: the speaker wants the friend to accompany them on the journey. You could use alternatives like pour partir ensemble (to leave together) or pour faire le trajet ensemble (to make the trip together), but pour le voyage is perfectly natural here.