Learn Hardcore French: Elle préfère un yaourt nature quand elle se couche tôt. - She prefers a plain yogurt when she goes to bed early.

In food contexts, nature means “plain, without added flavorings or toppings.” So un yaourt nature is “a plain yogurt.” If you want to say “natural,” you’d usually use naturel (e.g., ingrédients naturels). Note that nature in this sense is typically invariable: des yaourts nature (not “natures”).

Why is nature placed after yaourt?

Most French adjectives follow the noun, and food descriptors like “plain/with [X]” almost always do. So you say un yaourt nature, un yaourt aux fraises, un café noir. Only a small set of adjectives (like beau, petit, grand) typically come before the noun.

Why is it un yaourt and not du yaourt?

Un yaourt refers to one serving/container (a cup of yogurt), which is how people commonly consume it.
Du yaourt means “some yogurt” as a substance, for instance taken from a large tub.
Both are correct; the sentence with un implies choosing one individual yogurt.

Could it be le yaourt nature to express a general preference?

Yes, if you mean a category-level preference: Elle préfère le yaourt nature (aux yaourts aux fruits). In the original sentence, un yaourt nature sounds like a specific choice she makes at those times she goes to bed early.

What’s the nuance of préfère vs something like aime mieux?

Both convey preference. Préférer is the straightforward verb “to prefer” and works with nouns or infinitives. Aimer mieux is a common, slightly more colloquial way to say “prefer,” but it usually pairs with infinitives: Elle aime mieux manger un yaourt nature.

Can I say Elle préfère manger/prendre un yaourt nature?

Yes. With a verb, you specify the action: préférer + infinitive.

Elle préfère un yaourt nature = She prefers a plain yogurt (as her choice).
Elle préfère manger/prendre un yaourt nature = She prefers to eat/have a plain yogurt.

Why is it se coucher and not just coucher?

Se coucher is reflexive and means “to go to bed.” Without the reflexive pronoun, coucher is transitive (“to put [someone] to bed”): Elle couche son enfant. With herself as the subject, you need the reflexive: elle se couche.

What does tôt mean and where does it go?

Tôt means “early” and it’s an adverb, so it usually goes after the verb phrase: elle se couche tôt. A common synonym is de bonne heure: elle se couche de bonne heure (slightly more formal/old-fashioned).

Is quand the best choice? What about lorsque or si?

Quand and lorsque both mean “when,” with lorsque being a bit more formal/literary. You can say lorsqu’elle se couche tôt with the same meaning.
Si means “if,” which changes the meaning (conditional rather than temporal): si elle se couche tôt = “if she goes to bed early.”

Why is the present tense used after quand? Shouldn’t it be future?

For general or habitual facts, French uses the present in both clauses: Elle préfère … quand elle se couche tôt. If you’re talking about a specific future time, French uses the future in both clauses: Quand elle se couchera tôt, elle préférera un yaourt nature.

Can I put the quand clause first, and do I need a comma?

Yes: Quand elle se couche tôt, elle préfère un yaourt nature. When the time clause comes first, a comma is standard. When it follows the main clause, a comma is usually omitted.

Any pronunciation tips for this sentence?

quand elle: there’s a common liaison, pronounced like “kɑ̃-tɛl.”
préfère: the è is open “eh” (préh-fair).
yaourt: often two syllables “ya-ourt”; the final -t is usually silent in casual speech.
tôt: pronounced “toh”; the final -t is silent.
couche: “koosh” (ch = [ʃ]).

Does quand contract before a vowel, like lorsqu’elle?

No. Quand never contracts. Lorsque does: lorsqu’elle, lorsqu’il, etc.

How do plural and gender work with yaourt nature?

Yaourt is masculine: un yaourt, le yaourt; plural des yaourts.
Nature (meaning “plain”) stays invariable: des yaourts nature (not “natures”).

Is there subject-pronoun repetition on purpose (the two elle)?

Yes. French generally requires explicit subject pronouns in each clause. You can avoid repeating it only by restructuring: Quand elle se couche tôt, elle préfère… (still two elle).

How would I express “prefer X to Y” in French?

Use préférer X à Y or préférer X plutôt que Y:

Elle préfère un yaourt nature à un dessert sucré.
Elle préfère un yaourt nature plutôt qu’un dessert sucré.

How would this work in the past?

With a pronominal verb in the passé composé, use être and make the past participle agree with the subject:

Hier, elle s’est couchée tôt et elle a préféré un yaourt nature.
Note the agreement: couchée takes -e because the subject is feminine.