Learn Hardcore French: Paul passe par l'école pour aller en ville. - Paul passes by the school to go to the city.

It means that Paul takes a route that goes by or through a particular location—in this case, the school—on his way to town. The phrase emphasizes the path he chooses rather than indicating that the school is his destination.

Why is the definite article l' used in l'école instead of an indefinite article like une?

Using l'école implies that the school is a specific, known place within the context. Just as in English we say “the school” when referring to a particular institution, the definite article here signals that the listener is expected to know which school is being mentioned.

What is the function of pour aller en ville in the sentence?

The phrase pour aller en ville is a purpose clause. It explains why Paul is passing by the school by stating his intention—to go to town. The construction uses the infinitive aller to indicate the action he intends to carry out.

Why is the preposition en used in en ville rather than à?

In French, en ville is an idiomatic expression that means “to town” or “into town.” The preposition en is commonly used with general locations or when referring to the concept of town in a broad sense. Using à would typically be reserved for more specific locations or when naming a particular city.

Could this sentence be misunderstood as saying that Paul is going to the school rather than passing by it?

There is no real ambiguity here because the purpose clause pour aller en ville clarifies that Paul’s destination is town. The mention of the school is solely to describe the route he takes—it is a landmark along the way rather than his final destination.