Learn Hardcore French: Regarde, cette assiette est rayée parce que le couteau était trop affûté. - Look, this plate is scratched because the knife was too sharp.

Regarde is the imperative form of the verb regarder, which means "look" or "observe." It is used to grab the listener's attention before introducing the rest of the information.

What does rayée mean, and why is the plate described this way?

Rayée literally means "scratched" in this context. Although it can sometimes mean "striped," here it indicates that the plate has been damaged by scratches, which is explained by the fact that the knife was too sharp.

What does affûté mean, and how is it used in the sentence?

Affûté comes from the verb affûter and means "sharp" or "sharpened." In the sentence, saying the knife was "trop affûté" (too sharp) explains the cause of the scratches on the plate.

Why is the adjective trop affûté used to describe the knife?

The word trop means "too" in English. By saying "trop affûté," the sentence emphasizes that the knife was excessively sharp, which is why it unintentionally scratched the plate.

Why is the imperfect tense (était) used for the description of the knife?

The imperfect tense (était) is used to describe a past state or condition. In this sentence, it sets the background by explaining that at the time, the knife was in a state of being too sharp, which led to the mishap with the plate.

What role does the conjunction parce que play in this sentence?

Parce que means "because," and it functions as a causal connector. It links the observation that the plate is scratched with the reason behind it—the knife being too sharp.

Could rayée be interpreted as "striped" instead of "scratched," and how can one tell?

Yes, rayée can mean "striped" in other contexts (such as describing a pattern). However, in this sentence, the clause "parce que le couteau était trop affûté" makes it clear that the markings on the plate are accidental scratches rather than intentional stripes.