Breakdown of Marie travaille dans une agence publicitaire.
Marie
Marie
travailler
to work
dans
in
l'agence
the agency
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Questions & Answers about Marie travaille dans une agence publicitaire.
Why is the adjective publicitaire placed after the noun agence?
In French, descriptive adjectives that indicate the type or function of a noun usually follow the noun. In this case, publicitaire describes the kind of agency, so it comes after agence following the standard word order.
Does the adjective publicitaire change its form when used with a feminine noun like agence?
No, publicitaire is one of those adjectives that remains the same regardless of whether it is modifying a masculine or feminine noun, or if it is singular or plural.
What role does the preposition dans play in the sentence?
Dans is used to indicate location. Here, it means “in” or “inside,” showing that Marie works within the premises or organization of an advertising agency.
Why is the indefinite article une used before agence publicitaire rather than a definite article like l’?
The indefinite article une is used because the sentence refers to an advertising agency in a general sense, not to a specific agency that has been identified before. It conveys that Marie works at one (unspecified) advertising agency.
How can I tell that agence is a feminine noun in French?
The use of the article une, which is the feminine form of the indefinite article, indicates that agence is feminine. In French, articles often reveal the gender of the noun they modify.