Marie chante doucement dans le jardin.

Marie sings softly in the garden.

Breakdown of Marie chante doucement dans le jardin.

• Marie: Marie
• dans: in
• le jardin: the garden
• chanter: to sing

Questions & Answers about Marie chante doucement dans le jardin.

What tense is the verb chante, and what time frame does it express?

It’s the present indicative. In French, the present can mean both English “sings” (habit, general fact) and “is singing” (action happening now). Context usually tells you which is meant.

Why is it chante and not chantes/chantez/chantent?

Because the subject is third-person singular (Marie = elle). Present of chanter:

• je chante
• tu chantes
• il/elle/on chante
• nous chantons
• vous chantez
• ils/elles chantent Note that several of these sound alike in speech, but the spelling shows person/number.

How would I say “Marie is singing (right now)” if I want to emphasize the ongoing action?

French often just uses the present: Marie chante. To stress “right now/in the middle of,” use: Marie est en train de chanter (dans le jardin).

Where should the adverb doucement go? Can I move it?