Breakdown of Marie aime sa promenade matinale.
Marie
Marie
la promenade
the walk
sa
her
aimer
to love
matinal
morning
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching French grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Marie aime sa promenade matinale.
How is the sentence "Marie aime sa promenade matinale" structured in terms of subject, verb, and object?
The sentence follows the standard French subject-verb-object (SVO) order. Marie is the subject, aime is the verb (meaning "loves"), and sa promenade matinale is the object—which itself is composed of the possessive adjective sa, the noun promenade, and the adjective matinale.
What does the verb aime mean, and how is it conjugated in this sentence?
Aime is the third person singular form of the verb aimer, which means "to love" or "to like." It is in the present tense and is conjugated to agree with the subject, Marie.
Why is the possessive adjective sa used here instead of son?
The possessive adjective sa is used because the noun promenade is feminine. In French, possessive adjectives must agree in gender (and number) with the noun they modify. Thus, even though Marie is female, the choice between son and sa depends solely on the gender of promenade.
What does the adjective matinale mean, and why is it placed after the noun?
Matinale translates to "morning," describing something that occurs in the morning (such as a morning walk). In French, adjectives that describe circumstances like time or manner—along with many others—usually follow the noun, rather than precede it as they often do in English.
How should the sentence be translated into English?
The sentence translates as "Marie loves her morning walk." This English rendering preserves both the literal meaning and the natural expression of the idea presented in French.
What grammatical nuances in this sentence might be challenging for English speakers learning French?
One key nuance is the agreement of possessive adjectives with the noun's gender—a concept that does not exist in English. Additionally, the placement of descriptive adjectives like matinale after the noun contrasts with the typical English order, where adjectives usually come before the noun. Understanding these differences is essential for mastering French sentence structure.