Learn Hardcore French: L’eau est très pure ici ; vous pouvez la boire sans crainte. - The water is very pure here; you can drink it without fear.

La is the feminine direct object pronoun that replaces l’eau. Since l’eau is a feminine noun, French requires using la to refer back to it when substituting the noun later in the sentence.

Why is l’eau written with an apostrophe instead of as la eau?

When a feminine singular noun begins with a vowel, the definite article la contracts to l’ for smoother pronunciation. That’s why la eau becomes l’eau.

What does sans crainte mean, and how is it used here?

Sans crainte translates to without fear or without worry. In this sentence, it reassures the listener that the water is safe to drink, indicating that there is no cause for concern.

What is the role of the semicolon in the sentence?

The semicolon links two closely related independent clauses. The first clause describes the quality of the water, while the second clause advises that the water can be drunk safely. This punctuation choice shows the close connection between the ideas without breaking them into separate sentences.

How does the sentence structure handle adjectives, specifically in "L’eau est très pure ici"?

In this sentence, très pure is a predicate adjective following the linking verb est. This construction is used to describe the subject (l’eau) after the verb rather than placing the adjective directly before the noun.

How would the sentence change if addressing someone informally?

If you were speaking informally, you would replace vous with tu. The sentence would then read: L’eau est très pure ici ; tu peux la boire sans crainte.

What is the function of très in the sentence?

Très is an adverb that modifies the adjective pure, intensifying its meaning to indicate that the water is very pure. This adds emphasis to the quality of the water.