Learn Hardcore French: On trouve le brouillard mystérieux, surtout au lever du soleil. - We find fog mysterious, especially at sunrise.

In French, On is an indefinite subject pronoun that often means "one," "people," or even "we" in informal contexts. It allows the statement to be generalized rather than referring to a specific person or group.

How should we interpret trouve le brouillard mystérieux? Does trouve imply a personal opinion?

Yes, trouve comes from the verb trouver, which means "to find" or "to consider." Here it indicates that the fog is perceived or considered mysterious by whoever is implied by On. It’s an expression of an opinion or observation rather than a physical act of finding something.

Why is the adjective mystérieux placed after the noun brouillard?

In French, most descriptive adjectives are positioned after the noun they modify. Placing mystérieux after brouillard follows the standard word order, emphasizing the quality of the fog in a natural, descriptive manner.

What role does the word surtout play in the sentence?

Surtout means "especially" or "particularly." It emphasizes that the mysterious quality of the fog is most notable at a specific time—in this case, at the moment of sunrise.

How is the expression au lever du soleil constructed, and what does it mean exactly?

The expression au lever du soleil literally means "at the sunrise." It is formed by the contraction of à + le into au, followed by lever, which functions as a noun (meaning "sunrise"), and du, which is a contraction of de + le before soleil ("the sun"). Together, it precisely indicates the time when the sun rises.

Does the sentence suggest that the fog is only mysterious at sunrise, or is it inherently mysterious with sunrise intensifying that quality?

The sentence implies that the fog is generally perceived as mysterious, but its mysterious quality becomes even more pronounced or striking at sunrise. The adverb surtout highlights that while the fog carries a mysterious aura at all times, sunrise offers a particularly enchanting or evocative moment.