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Questions & Answers about Peux-tu allumer la télévision pour regarder les nouvelles, et allumer aussi la radio pour la musique?
What does Peux-tu mean in this sentence?
Peux-tu is the inverted form of “tu peux,” meaning "can you". It’s used to politely ask someone if they are able to do something—in this case, turning on the television and the radio.
What is the role of the verb allumer and why is it used twice?
The verb allumer means "to turn on" or "to switch on." It is used twice to clearly indicate that both the television and the radio need to be turned on. Repeating the verb helps avoid any ambiguity, emphasizing that the action must be performed separately for each device.
Why do we specify "pour regarder les nouvelles" after mentioning the television?
The phrase "pour regarder les nouvelles" (to watch the news) explains the purpose of turning on the television. In French, using pour followed by an infinitive (here, regarder) is a common way to indicate the intended use or goal of an action.
Why is "les nouvelles" in the plural when referring to news?
In French, the word for news is "les nouvelles" and it is always used in the plural form—even though in English “news” is treated as an uncountable noun. This is simply a feature of the French language.
Why does the sentence say "la radio pour la musique" instead of something like "pour écouter la musique"?
While saying "pour écouter la musique" (to listen to the music) would be more specific, the context in informal conversation is often enough to imply that the radio is meant for listening. By simply stating "la musique," the sentence assumes that you understand the radio’s purpose is to play music, keeping the request concise.