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Ce matin, l'ascenseur est en panne.

Ce matin, l'ascenseur est en panne.
This morning, the elevator is out of order.
FromLesson 24inHardcore French

Questions & Answers about Ce matin, l'ascenseur est en panne.

What does en panne literally mean, and where else can I use it?

It literally means in breakdown/out of order and is an idiomatic state for machines, devices, or services.

  • La voiture est en panne. The car broke down.
  • Le distributeur est en panne. The vending machine is out of order.
  • Internet est en panne. The internet is down.
  • With resources: en panne de + nom = out of … (e.g., La voiture est en panne d’essence.; Je suis en panne d’idées.)
What’s the difference between être en panne and tomber en panne?
  • être en panne describes the state: it is out of order.
  • tomber en panne is the event: to break down. Example: Ce matin, l’ascenseur est en panne (state). Ce matin, l’ascenseur est tombé en panne (the breakdown happened this morning).
Why is it l’ascenseur and not le ascenseur?
Because of elision: le becomes l’ before a vowel sound (the word ascenseur begins with a). Also, ascenseur is masculine: un ascenseur, l’ascenseur, les ascenseurs.
How do you pronounce the sentence naturally?

Approximate IPA: [sə ma.tɛ̃, la.sɑ̃.sœʁ ɛ.t‿ɑ̃ pan]

  • Ce matin: [sə ma.tɛ̃] (final nasal vowel in -tin).
  • l’ascenseur: [la.sɑ̃.sœʁ] (the sc before e sounds like s).
  • est en panne: [ɛ.t‿ɑ̃ pan]; make the liaison: a light [t] between est and en. The final e in panne is usually silent in connected speech.
Should there be a liaison between est and en?
Yes, in careful speech you normally make it: est_en with a [t] sound, [ɛ.t‿ɑ̃]. In rapid or informal speech you might hear it dropped.
Why ce matin and not cet matin?
matin is masculine and starts with a consonant, so use ce. Use cet only before masculine nouns starting with a vowel or silent h, e.g., cet après-midi, cet hiver.
If I say this in the afternoon or evening, does ce matin still mean earlier today?
Yes. Ce matin always means this morning (earlier the same day). For the previous day’s morning, say hier matin. In storytelling about a specific morning already mentioned, use ce matin-là.
What’s the difference between matin and matinée?
  • matin names the part of the day: ce matin.
  • matinée highlights the duration/experience: J’ai travaillé toute la matinée (all morning long). Note the gender: la matinée.
Can I move ce matin to the end? Is the comma necessary?

Both orders are fine:

  • Ce matin, l’ascenseur est en panne.
  • L’ascenseur est en panne ce matin. When you front a time expression, a comma is common but not mandatory.
Do I have to use the article? Why not just say ascenseur est en panne?
French normally requires a determiner. You need l’ (definite), or another determiner like mon/un. Ascenseur est en panne without an article is ungrammatical in standard French (outside of headlines or labels).
How do I put this in the past, and what changes in meaning?
  • State in the past: Ce matin, l’ascenseur était en panne. (Imparfait: ongoing state earlier this morning.)
  • Completed state/time-bounded: Ce matin, l’ascenseur a été en panne (pendant deux heures).
  • Breakdown event: Ce matin, l’ascenseur est tombé en panne.
How do I negate it or say still/again/no longer?
  • Not broken: Ce matin, l’ascenseur n’est pas en panne.
  • Still: Ce matin, l’ascenseur est encore en panne.
  • Again: Ce matin, l’ascenseur est de nouveau/à nouveau en panne.
  • No longer: Ce matin, l’ascenseur n’est plus en panne.
  • Still not (negative emphasis): Ce matin, l’ascenseur n’est toujours pas réparé.
What are natural alternatives to en panne?
  • hors service (neutral/formal; very common on signs)
  • ne marche pas / ne fonctionne pas (colloquial/neutral)
  • cassé (physically broken)
  • détraqué (malfunctioning)
  • en rade (informal) Abbreviation on notes/signs: HS for hors service.
Does en panne change in the plural?
No, it’s invariable: Les ascenseurs sont en panne.
Can I use ascenseur for an escalator?
No. ascenseur = elevator/lift. An escalator is un escalator (very common) or un escalier mécanique.
Any spelling pitfalls here?
  • ascenseur: sc-eu-eur; the sc is pronounced like s.
  • panne: double n; final e often mute.
  • The apostrophe in l’ascenseur is required (elision).
  • Ce matin uses ce, not cet.
  • en panne is two words (no hyphen).
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“How does grammatical gender work in French?”
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

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