Learn Hardcore French: Dans le grenier, nous retrouvons des dossiers et des photos de famille. - In the attic, we find folders and family photos.

Retrouver usually means “to find again” or “to come across something you knew about before.” Trouver is simply “to find (for the first time).” In an attic context, nous retrouvons suggests rediscovery; if you’re discovering them for the first time, say nous trouvons.

Can nous retrouvons mean “we meet up”?

Only with people, and either with a direct object or reflexively: Nous retrouvons Paul (“we’re meeting Paul again”) or Nous nous retrouvons (“we’re meeting up”). In your sentence it’s transitive with things, so it means “we (re)find.”

Why dans le grenier and not au grenier?

Both are possible. Dans le grenier emphasizes being physically inside the space. Au grenier (à + le) is also common for locations (“up in the attic”) and sounds a bit more general. Avoid sur le grenier (“on top of the attic”), which is wrong here.

Can I move the location to the end: “Nous retrouvons … dans le grenier”?

Yes. Both orders are fine: Dans le grenier, nous retrouvons… (scene-setting) and Nous retrouvons… dans le grenier (neutral order). The comma after the fronted phrase is standard.

Why is it des dossiers / des photos and not les?

Des is the plural indefinite article (“some”). Use les only if you mean specific, already-known items (“the files and the family photos”).

Does de famille mean “family” or “of the family”? How is it different from de la famille or familiales?

des photos de famille = “family photos” (type/genre; idiomatic)
des photos de la famille = “photos of the family” (of that specific family)
des photos familiales = also “family photos,” with the adjective; a bit more formal.

Does de famille modify both dossiers and photos?

As written, it attaches only to photos. To make it clear for both, repeat it: des dossiers de famille et des photos de famille. Otherwise, readers will assume it applies just to the last noun.

What are the genders (and plurals) of these nouns?

le grenier (masc.; plural: greniers)
un dossier (masc.; plural: dossiers)
une photo (fem.; plural: photos)
la famille (fem.; plural: familles). In photos de famille, famille stays singular because it labels the type.

Pronunciation tips?

grenier ≈ “grə-NYAY” (final -er like “yay”)
nous retrouvons ≈ “noo rə-troo-VOHN” (final -ons is a nasal sound)
dossiers ≈ “doe-SYAY”
photos ≈ “foh-TOH”
famille ≈ “fa-MEE” (final “-ille” like “ee” with a slight y-glide) No required liaisons in this sentence.

Can I drop the second des and say des dossiers et photos?

It’s better style to keep or share the article explicitly: des dossiers et des photos (repeat) or sometimes des dossiers et photos in headlines/notes. In careful prose, repeat the article.

How would I replace “des dossiers et des photos” with a pronoun?

Use en: Nous en retrouvons (“We’re finding some”). In the past: Nous en avons retrouvé (“We found some”).

How do I put this in the past?

Use passé composé: Dans le grenier, nous avons retrouvé des dossiers et des photos de famille. If it’s a habitual/ongoing past action, use imparfait: nous retrouvions.

How do I say “We’re not finding any files or photos”?

Nous ne retrouvons pas de dossiers ni de photos (de famille). After negation, the plural indefinite becomes de, and ni… ni… joins the two nouns.

Is dossier the same as a computer “file”?

Not exactly. Un dossier is a folder (physical or digital). A computer “file” is un fichier.

Could I use on instead of nous?

Yes. On retrouve… is more common in speech for “we.” The verb stays 3rd person singular with on.

Why not say “family photos” as famille photos?

French doesn’t stack nouns that way. Use a noun + de + noun (photos de famille) or an adjective (photos familiales). Also remember most adjectives follow the noun.