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Marie hésite à répondre.

Marie hésite à répondre.
Marie hesitates to answer.
FromLesson 8inHardcore French
…

Breakdown of Marie hésite à répondre.

Marie
Marie
à
to
répondre
to answer
hésiter
to hesitate

Questions & Answers about Marie hésite à répondre.

Why is the preposition à used before the infinitive répondre in this sentence?
In French, certain verbs require a specific preposition when followed by an infinitive. With hésiter, the standard construction is hésiter à + infinitive. This structure indicates the action that the subject is hesitant to perform, which in this case is répondre.
What tense and form is used for the verb hésite in the sentence?
The verb hésite is in the present tense, conjugated in the third person singular. It corresponds to the English hesitates, showing that the action is happening right now.
How is the sentence Marie hésite à répondre structured grammatically?

The sentence consists of three main parts: • Marie – the subject.
• hésite – the main verb in the present tense.
• à répondre – an infinitive phrase acting as a complement, introduced by the preposition à.
This structure clearly shows that Marie is experiencing hesitation regarding the action of answering.

What is the nuance between saying Marie hésite à répondre and simply stating Marie does not answer?
Marie hésite à répondre implies that Marie is reluctant or uncertain about answering—it suggests an internal conflict or delay before taking action. On the other hand, Marie does not answer is a straightforward statement that she is not answering, without any implication of hesitation or indecision.
Are there other French verbs that require the à + infinitive construction, similar to hésiter?

Yes, quite a few French verbs follow this pattern. For example: • commencer à (to start to)
• apprendre à (to learn to)
• se mettre à (to begin to)
Each of these verbs is followed by à before an infinitive, indicating the action related to the main verb. Learning these constructions can help you understand and form sentences more accurately in French.

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