Le technicien répare l'ordinateur rapidement.

The technician repairs the computer quickly.

Breakdown of Le technicien répare l'ordinateur rapidement.

• l'ordinateur: the computer
• rapidement: quickly
• le technicien: the technician
• réparer: to repair

Questions & Answers about Le technicien répare l'ordinateur rapidement.

What is the overall structure of the sentence "Le technicien répare l'ordinateur rapidement"?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object-Adverb order. "Le technicien" is the subject, "répare" is the verb (in the present tense), "l'ordinateur" is the direct object, and "rapidement" is an adverb that explains how the action is carried out. This structure is very similar to the English equivalent, "The technician repairs the computer quickly."

Why is "l'ordinateur" written with an apostrophe instead of as "le ordinateur"?

In French, when the definite article "le" precedes a noun that begins with a vowel or a mute h, it contracts to "l'" for smoother pronunciation. Since "ordinateur" starts with a vowel sound, "le ordinateur" becomes "l'ordinateur" through elision.

What role does the adverb "rapidement" play in this sentence?

"Rapidement" is an adverb modifying the verb "répare." It tells us the manner in which the technician repairs the computer, indicating that the action is performed quickly. Adverbs in French typically follow the verb they modify.

What tense is the verb "répare" in, and how does it agree with the subject?

"Répare" is in the present tense and is the third-person singular form of the regular -er verb "réparer." It agrees correctly with its singular subject "Le technicien," upholding the subject-verb agreement rule in French.

How does this sentence demonstrate similarities and differences between French and English sentence constructions?

Both French and English commonly use a Subject-Verb-Object structure, which you can see here. However, French features specific nuances such as the elision in the definite article ("l'ordinateur" instead of "le ordinateur") and typical adverb positioning (placing "rapidement" after the verb), which might differ from some English constructions.