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Le gâteau est savoureux.

Le gâteau est savoureux.
The cake is tasty.
FromLesson 16inHardcore French

Breakdown of Le gâteau est savoureux.

être
to be
le gâteau
the cake
savoureux
tasty

Questions & Answers about Le gâteau est savoureux.

What is the function of the definite article le in this sentence?
The article le indicates that the noun gâteau is masculine and specific. It is equivalent to “the” in English and tells the reader that a particular cake is being referenced.
Why is the adjective savoureux placed after the noun gâteau instead of before it?
In French, adjectives describing taste or sensory qualities are typically placed after the noun they modify. While some adjectives come before the noun in French, adjectives like savoureux follow the noun to form a natural-sounding sentence.
How does the adjective savoureux agree with the noun gâteau?
French adjectives must match the noun in gender and number. Since gâteau is masculine and singular, the adjective appears in its masculine singular form as savoureux. If the noun were feminine or plural, the adjective would need to be adjusted accordingly.
What role does the verb est play in this sentence?
The verb est is the third person singular form of être (to be). It serves as a linking verb that connects the subject le gâteau with the descriptive adjective savoureux, thereby forming a complete statement about the cake.
Why does gâteau have a circumflex accent over the a?
The circumflex in gâteau is a remnant of historical spelling. In many cases, it indicates that an s once followed the vowel in older forms of the word. The accent also helps distinguish gâteau from other similar words.
How should one approach pronouncing gâteau and savoureux correctly?
A good approach is to listen to native speakers. Roughly, gâteau is pronounced like “ga-to” (with a soft, nasalized ga and a silent final vowel), and savoureux sounds like “sa-vu-ruh” with emphasis on the first syllable. Practicing these sounds and mimicking native pronunciation can help improve your accent.
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“How does grammatical gender work in French?”
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

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