Learn Hardcore French: Marie lit surtout le livre dans le jardin. - Marie especially reads the book in the garden.

Surtout is an adverb that means “especially” or “mainly.” In this sentence, it emphasizes that among possible things Marie could have read, the book is the one she primarily read. In French, many adverbs (especially those modifying the verb's action) are placed immediately after the conjugated verb and before the direct object, which is why surtout comes right after lit and before le livre.

What tense is the verb lit, and how can I tell?

The verb lit is in the present tense, third person singular form of lire. In French, the present tense forms for lire are je lis, tu lis, il/elle lit, nous lisons, vous lisez, ils/elles lisent; thus, with Marie as the subject, lit clearly corresponds to “reads” in English.

Why is the definite article le used with livre?

In French, definite articles like le are commonly used when referring to a specific, known item. Here, le livre indicates that a particular book—or the book that is the focus of the action—is being read by Marie. This is similar to using “the book” in English when the item is identifiable in context.

How does the word order in this sentence differ from English, and what should I note about it?

French typically follows a structure similar to Subject + Verb + (Mid-position adverb) + Object + (Adverbial phrase). In this sentence, Marie (subject) + lit (verb) + surtout (adverb) + le livre (object) + dans le jardin (adverbial phrase of place). While English can be more flexible with adverb placement, French often places adverbs like surtout immediately after the conjugated verb to modify the action directly.

What does the phrase dans le jardin specify, and how does it relate to the rest of the sentence?

Dans le jardin is an adverbial phrase that tells us where the action takes place—it specifies the location of Marie’s reading. Its placement at the end of the sentence is typical in French for adverbial phrases of place, clearly indicating that Marie was reading the book in the garden.