ELONIO
Log inSign up

Paul brise la fenêtre.

Paul brise la fenêtre.
Paul breaks the window.
FromLesson 11inHardcore French

Breakdown of Paul brise la fenêtre.

Paul
Paul
la fenêtre
the window
briser
to break

Questions & Answers about Paul brise la fenêtre.

What tense is the verb brise in, and how is it conjugated for Paul?
The verb brise is in the present indicative tense of the verb briser. Since Paul is third-person singular, brise is the appropriate form, meaning Paul breaks (or is breaking) in English.
Is briser a regular verb in French, and what does that imply for its conjugation?
Yes, briser is a regular -er verb. This means it follows a predictable pattern in most tenses, making it easier to conjugate once you learn the standard endings for -er verbs.
Why is the definite article la used before fenêtre?
In French, every noun has a gender. The noun fenêtre is feminine, so it takes the feminine definite article la. Also, since the sentence refers to a specific window, the definite article is appropriate.
Does the sentence Paul brise la fenêtre follow the same word order as English? How?
Yes, it does. Both French and English typically use a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order. In this sentence, Paul is the subject, brise is the verb, and la fenêtre is the object, mirroring the structure found in English.
How would you form the negative version of this sentence?
To form the negative, you wrap the verb with ne and pas. The negative version is: Paul ne brise pas la fenêtre. This construction negates the action of breaking the window.
What role does the subject Paul play in the sentence?
Paul is the subject of the sentence, meaning that he is the one performing the action indicated by the verb. Here, he is the person who breaks the window.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How does grammatical gender work in French?”
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning French

Master French — from Paul brise la fenêtre to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning French→