Je ferme le volet de la fenêtre.

I close the window shutter.

Breakdown of Je ferme le volet de la fenêtre.

• je: I
• la fenêtre: the window
• de: of
• fermer: to close

Questions & Answers about Je ferme le volet de la fenêtre.

What does volet mean, and how is it different from rideau?

A volet is a solid shutter—usually made of wood, metal or plastic—fixed on the outside (or sometimes inside) of a window and swung open or shut. A rideau, on the other hand, is a curtain or drape made of fabric, hung inside in front of the window. They serve different purposes: shutters (volets) block light, wind or intruders; curtains (rideaux) mainly filter light and provide decoration or privacy indoors.

Why is there no preposition between ferme and le volet?

Fermer is a transitive verb in French, which means it takes a direct object without any linking preposition. You simply say fermer + something (e.g. fermer la porte, fermer les yeux, fermer le volet). In English we also say “to close something” without a preposition.

How do you form the first-person singular of fermer in the present tense?

Fermer is a regular -ER verb. To conjugate:

1. Remove -er from the infinitive → ferm-
2. Add the je ending -e → je ferme

So you get je ferme for “I close” or “I am closing.”

Why is it le volet de la fenêtre and not or ?