Breakdown of Je vérifie ma nouvelle montre avant de partir.
je
I
ma
my
avant
before
de
of
partir
to leave
nouveau
new
vérifier
to check
la montre
the watch
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Questions & Answers about Je vérifie ma nouvelle montre avant de partir.
Why is there no apostrophe in je before vérifie?
In French you only elide je to j’ when the following word begins with a vowel or mute h. Since vérifie starts with a consonant sound /v/, you keep the full form je. For example, it’s je parle but j’aime.
Why is it ma nouvelle montre and not mon nouveau montre?
Because montre is a feminine noun. Possessive adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun: ma (feminine singular) and nouvelle (feminine singular). Also, nouveau/nouvelle falls into the BAGS category (Beauty, Age, Goodness, Size), so it normally comes before the noun.
What exactly does vérifier mean in this context?
Vérifier means to check or to verify that something is correct, working, or in order. Here it implies looking at your watch to make sure it’s set correctly or to note the time.
Why do we use avant de + infinitive instead of just avant + infinitive?
In French, when a preposition precedes an infinitive, certain words require de. Avant is one of them: you must say avant de + infinitive. You cannot drop de. Compare with après, which takes avoir or être + past participle (e.g., après avoir mangé).
Could we say avant que je parte instead of avant de partir?
Yes, but with a different construction. Avant de partir uses the same subject (je) and takes the infinitive. Avant que requires a subordinate clause and the subjunctive: avant que je parte. Both mean “before I leave,” but avant que triggers the subjunctive mood.
Why is the sentence in the present tense? Can I use another tense?
The present Je vérifie describes an action you do right before leaving or a habitual action. For a past event, use the passé composé: J’ai vérifié ma nouvelle montre avant de partir. For a future action, you could say Je vérifierai ma nouvelle montre avant de partir.
How do I pronounce vérifie correctly?
Vérifie is pronounced /ve.ʁi.fje/:
- vé like English “veh”
- ri like “ree”
- fie like “fye”
The r is the French guttural /ʁ/.