Breakdown of Le lavabo est propre, et le miroir brille maintenant.
être
to be
et
and
maintenant
now
briller
to shine
propre
clean
le miroir
the mirror
le lavabo
the sink
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Questions & Answers about Le lavabo est propre, et le miroir brille maintenant.
What exactly does lavabo mean? Is it the bathroom sink?
Yes. Le lavabo is the bathroom sink/washbasin. Contrast:
- l’évier: the kitchen sink
- un lave-mains: a small hand-washing basin, often in a toilet room
- une vasque: a bowl-style bathroom sink (design/fixture term)
Why is it le lavabo and le miroir (not feminine)?
Both nouns are masculine in French: le lavabo, le miroir. Their plural forms are les lavabos and les miroirs. You have to use a determiner (like le, la, les, un, mon) with common nouns in French.
Does propre mean “clean” or “own”? I’ve seen both.
Both, depending on position:
- After the noun or after a linking verb like être: it means “clean.” Example: un lavabo propre, Le lavabo est propre.
- Before the noun: it means “own.” Example: son propre miroir = “his/her own mirror.”
Why is it est propre and not est propres?
Agreement. Propre is an adjective. It agrees with the noun it describes:
- Masculine singular: propre (Le lavabo est propre.)
- Feminine singular: propre (La salle de bain est propre.)
- Plural (masc/fem): propres (Les lavabos sont propres.)
Why use the verb brille instead of saying est brillant?
- briller is an intransitive verb meaning “to shine.” Le miroir brille is natural and common.
- brillant is an adjective meaning “shiny” (for objects) or “brilliant” (for people’s talent). Le miroir est brillant is possible but sounds more static/descriptive; brille suggests a visible gleam.
- Idiomatic: Le miroir brille de propreté = “The mirror is sparkling clean.”
Is briller transitive? Can I say “I shine the mirror”?
No—briller is intransitive. To “make something shine,” use:
- faire briller le miroir
- astiquer le miroir
- polir le miroir
Where can I put maintenant? Is the end of the sentence the only option?
It’s flexible:
- Le miroir brille maintenant. (neutral, common)
- Maintenant, le miroir brille. (sets the time frame up front)
- Le miroir brille, maintenant. (more conversational/pausal, less formal) All are fine in speech; the first two are safest in writing.
Is the comma before et necessary in French?
No. In French, you typically do not put a comma before et. Here, most writers would prefer:
- Le lavabo est propre et le miroir brille maintenant. A comma may appear before et to mark a deliberate pause or separate long/complex clauses, but it’s optional and less common in short sentences.
Can I drop the article and write Lavabo est propre?
No. In French, common nouns almost always need a determiner. Say Le lavabo est propre, Mon lavabo est propre, or Ce lavabo est propre.
How do I pronounce the tricky words here?
- lavabo: la-va-bo [la.va.bo]
- est: [ɛ] (the final -t is silent here)
- propre: [pʁɔpʁ] (both r’s are the French uvular r; final -e is not a full vowel)
- miroir: [miʁwaʁ] (oi = [wa]; final r pronounced)
- brille: [bʁij] (ll = y sound; like “bree-yee” shortened)
- maintenant: commonly [mɛ̃(t)nɑ̃]; the internal t is pronounced, the final -t is silent; the -en/-an are nasal
Are there any liaisons or elisions I should make in this sentence?
None are obligatory here:
- est propre: no liaison (next word starts with a consonant)
- brille maintenant: no liaison If est were followed by a vowel sound (e.g., est élégant), you would make a liaison: [ɛ.t‿e…].
What tense is this? Does French need a special “-ing” form for “is shining”?
It’s the present tense, which covers both English simple and progressive meanings. Le miroir brille maintenant can mean “The mirror shines now” or “The mirror is shining now.” Avoid être en train de here; it’s used for ongoing actions, and sounds odd with briller.
Can I use à présent instead of maintenant?
Yes. À présent is a bit more formal/literary but often interchangeable with maintenant:
- Le miroir brille à présent.
What’s the nuance between propre and “cleaned” (past action)?
- propre describes the result/state: Le lavabo est propre = “The sink is (now) clean.”
- To emphasize the cleaning action (passive), use a passive perfect: Le lavabo a été nettoyé = “The sink has been cleaned.”
Is miroir ever feminine? I’ve heard la glace used.
Miroir is always masculine. However, une glace can also mean “a mirror” (besides “ice” or “ice cream” in other contexts). Both are correct: le miroir / la glace (meaning a mirror).
How would I make one plural statement about both objects?
Make a plural subject and match the verb/adjective:
- Le lavabo et le miroir sont propres maintenant.