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Questions & Answers about Ferme doucement la porte.
Why is there no subject pronoun in Ferme doucement la porte?
Because it’s the imperative. In French, commands normally omit the subject pronoun:
- Ferme = the imperative for tu (informal singular)
- Fermez = the imperative for vous (formal singular or plural)
- Fermons = the imperative for nous (“let’s close”)
Is Ferme informal? How do I say it politely or to several people?
- Informal singular: Ferme doucement la porte.
- Formal singular or plural: Fermez doucement la porte. You can also add politeness:
- Fermez doucement la porte, s’il vous plaît.
- Very polite/impersonal (signs/instructions): Veuillez fermer la porte doucement.
Why doesn’t Ferme end with an s?
For most -er verbs, the imperative with tu drops the final s:
- Present: tu fermes
- Imperative: Ferme ! Exception: you add back an s before y or en for ease of pronunciation, e.g. Vas‑y !, Parles‑en ! (not relevant here because there’s no y/en).
Could I use the infinitive instead (like on signs)?
Yes. French often uses the infinitive for impersonal instructions:
- Fermer la porte doucement. = “Close the door gently” (as a general instruction on a notice or in a manual) It feels less like you’re addressing someone directly than the imperative does.
What exactly does doucement mean here—slowly, gently, or quietly?
Doucement is an adverb meaning “gently/softly/quietly,” and depending on context it can also imply “slowly.” With a door, it usually means “gently/quietly (so it doesn’t make noise).”
- If you specifically mean slow speed: lentement
- Other near‑synonyms by nuance: calmement, sans bruit, en douceur
Is the word order with doucement fixed? Can I put it elsewhere?
Both are natural:
- Ferme doucement la porte.
- Ferme la porte doucement. Style preference varies; meaning is the same. For emphasis, you could front the adverb with a comma: Doucement, ferme la porte.
Why do we need the article la before porte? In English we can say “Close door.”
French normally requires an article with singular countable nouns, even when English would drop it. So you say la porte, not just porte. Without context, Ferme porte is incorrect.
How would I replace la porte with a pronoun?
In the affirmative imperative, object pronouns follow the verb with hyphens:
- Ferme‑la doucement. = “Close it gently.” (referring to a feminine noun like la porte) In the negative imperative, pronouns go before the verb:
- Ne la ferme pas (doucement).
How do I say “Don’t close the door (gently)”?
- General “Don’t close the door”: Ne ferme pas la porte.
- “Don’t close the door gently” (i.e., close it firmly): Ne ferme pas doucement la porte. (You can also say Ne ferme pas la porte doucement.)
Is doucement an adverb or an adjective? Why not douce?
Doucement is an adverb modifying the verb ferme (“close gently”). Douce is an adjective and would modify a noun (e.g., une voix douce). You can’t use douce to modify the action of closing.
Any pronunciation tips for the sentence?
- Ferme: the final e is very light or silent; think “ferm.”
- doucement: the c sounds like s; the final -ment is a nasal sound, roughly “doo‑smah(n).”
- porte: the final e is not pronounced; think “port.” Say it smoothly: “ferm doo‑smah(n) la port.”
Should I use an exclamation mark?
It’s common with imperatives:
- Ferme doucement la porte ! But it’s not mandatory in everyday writing; without it, it just looks a bit calmer.
Can I make it even softer or stronger?
- Softer/more gentle: Ferme la porte tout doucement. / Ferme la porte très doucement.
- Emphasize “properly”: Ferme bien la porte. (“close it properly/firmly,” not necessarily gently)
- “Close it again”: Referme doucement la porte.
Is there any risk of ambiguity with Ferme‑la?
Yes. Ferme‑la ! by itself can mean “Shut it!” and colloquially can be heard as “Shut up!” in the right (or wrong) context. With la porte stated, Ferme doucement la porte is unambiguous.
Can I add “please”? Where does it go?
Yes:
- Informal: Ferme doucement la porte, s’il te plaît.
- Formal/plural: Fermez doucement la porte, s’il vous plaît.