Breakdown of Les enfants jouent dans la cour.
dans
in
l'enfant
the child
la cour
the courtyard
jouer
to play
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Questions & Answers about Les enfants jouent dans la cour.
What does the subject Les enfants mean, and why is it important in this sentence?
Les enfants means the children and serves as the subject of the sentence. Its use in plural form dictates that the verb is conjugated in the third-person plural, ensuring proper subject-verb agreement.
How is the verb jouent conjugated in this sentence, and why is that form used?
Jouent is the third-person plural present tense form of the verb jouer (to play). It is used because it agrees with the plural subject les enfants, following the standard French conjugation rules.
What role does the phrase dans la cour play in the sentence?
Dans la cour is a prepositional phrase that indicates location. It tells us where the action is taking place—specifically, in the courtyard or in the yard.
Why is the definite article les used with enfants instead of an indefinite article?
The definite article les is used to refer to a specific or known group of children. In French, definite articles (le, la, les) are commonly employed when the speaker assumes the listener is familiar with or can identify the particular group being mentioned.
How does the structure of this French sentence compare to a typical English sentence?
The sentence follows a similar word order in both languages: a subject (Les enfants), a verb (jouent), and an adverbial phrase indicating location (dans la cour). This mirrors the English sentence The children play in the courtyard, making it relatively straightforward for English speakers in terms of structure.
Why is there no direct object in the sentence, and is that normal in French?
There is no direct object because the verb jouer (to play) does not require one when describing the act of playing. Instead, the location is provided by the prepositional phrase dans la cour, which fully contextualizes the action. This construction is perfectly normal in French.