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Questions & Answers about Le travail est stressant.
Why is the definite article le used with travail in this sentence?
In French, when referring to a general concept or a whole category, the definite article is required. Here, le travail means “work” in general rather than a specific instance of work, so le is used to express that broad, abstract idea.
What does the noun travail specifically refer to in this context?
Travail translates to “work” or “labor.” In this sentence, it generally refers to the concept of work (such as the working environment or the nature of job-related tasks) rather than a particular job or piece of work.
How is the adjective stressant functioning in this sentence?
Stressant is an adjective that describes the noun travail. It attributes the quality of being “stressful” to work. Since it follows the linking verb est, it serves as a predicate adjective in the sentence.
Does the adjective stressant change form based on the noun's gender or number?
Yes, adjectives in French must agree with the noun they modify in gender and number. Here, travail is masculine singular, so stressant appears in its masculine singular form. In other contexts, if the noun were feminine or plural, the adjective might change (for example, it could become stressante, stressants, or stressantes).
What role does the verb est play in this sentence?
Est is the third person singular form of the verb être, which means “to be.” It acts as a linking verb that connects the subject (le travail) with the predicate adjective (stressant), much like “is” in the English sentence “Work is stressful.”
How does the structure of “Le travail est stressant.” compare to similar English sentences?
The structure is very similar to the English equivalent “Work is stressful.” Both use a subject-linking verb-adjective pattern. This common structure makes the sentence straightforward for English speakers, as the grammatical pattern is nearly identical in both languages.
Are there alternative adjectives or expressions that can be used instead of stressant to describe work?
Yes, depending on the nuance you want to convey, other adjectives like épuisant (exhausting) or anxiogène (anxiety-inducing) might be used. However, stressant is a direct and common translation of “stressful” and is widely understood in everyday French.
How should one pronounce travail and stressant?
Travail is typically pronounced roughly as “trah-vai” with a soft ending, while stressant is pronounced approximately as “streh-sahnt,” with a nasalized ending on the “ant.” Listening to native speakers or using a pronunciation guide can help you perfect these sounds.