Avant de me coucher, je ferme la fenêtre pour éviter ce bruit.

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Breakdown of Avant de me coucher, je ferme la fenêtre pour éviter ce bruit.

• la fenêtre: the window
• avant: before
• de: of
• fermer: to close
• pour: in order to
• éviter: to avoid
• le bruit: the noise

Questions & Answers about Avant de me coucher, je ferme la fenêtre pour éviter ce bruit.

What does Avant de me coucher mean, and why is the reflexive pronoun me used with coucher?

It means "before I go to bed." In French, the verb se coucher is reflexive when referring to going to bed. The reflexive pronoun me shows that the action is being performed by the subject on themselves.

Why is the infinitive form coucher used after avant de instead of a conjugated verb?

In French, after the preposition avant de the verb must always be in the infinitive form. This grammatical rule simplifies the expression of actions that occur before another action, as seen in this sentence.

What is the purpose of the phrase pour éviter ce bruit in the sentence?

The phrase pour éviter ce bruit indicates the reason or purpose behind closing the window. Pour means "in order to," so it explains that the speaker closes the window to avoid the noise.

Why is the definite article la used in la fenêtre instead of an indefinite article like une?

The definite article la specifies a particular window—presumably the one known to both the speaker and the listener. Using la makes it clear that it’s that specific window being closed, rather than any window in general.

How does using the present tense in je ferme la fenêtre affect the meaning of the sentence?

The present tense in je ferme la fenêtre can suggest a habitual action (something the speaker does regularly) or narrate the action as if it’s happening right now. It gives the sentence a clear and straightforward description of the sequence of actions.

Could we replace Avant de me coucher with Avant que je me couche? What are the differences between these two constructions?

Yes, you could use Avant que je me couche, but the structure would change. Avant de me coucher uses an infinitive construction, which is common and simple. In contrast, Avant que je me couche forms a subordinate clause and requires the subjunctive mood. Both convey the idea of "before I go to bed," but the infinitive structure is generally preferred in everyday speech due to its simplicity.