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Questions & Answers about La rue est large.
Does French large mean the same as English “large”?
No. In French, large means “wide/broad” (or “loose” for clothing), not “big.” For “big,” use grand(e) (overall size/importance) or gros(se) (thick/fat).
- La rue est large. = The street is wide.
- Un grand bâtiment. = A big building.
- Un pantalon trop large. = Pants that are too loose.
Why is it la rue and not le rue?
Because rue is a feminine noun, so it takes the feminine article la. Its indefinite article is une: une rue. Memorize gender; many nouns ending in -e are feminine (e.g., la route, la ville), but there are exceptions (e.g., le lycée).
Can I say Cette rue est large instead of La rue est large? When do I use each?
- La rue est large. = “The street is wide” (a specific street both speakers can identify from context).
- Cette rue est large. = “This/that street is wide” (you’re pointing to or newly introducing the street). Without prior context, cette often sounds more natural.
Does the adjective large agree with rue? Why isn’t there an extra -e?
Yes, adjectives must agree, but here masculine singular and feminine singular are both large. Only the plural adds -s: larges.
- Singular: La rue est large. / Le boulevard est large.
- Plural: Les rues sont larges. / Les boulevards sont larges. Note: The final -s in speech is usually silent.
Where does large go: before or after the noun?
For literal width, it normally goes after the noun: une rue large. Placing it before (une large rue) is uncommon and tends to be figurative, as in une large majorité (“a broad majority”).
How do you pronounce La rue est large?
Roughly: [la ry ɛ larʒ].
- La: “la.”
- rue: French u ([y])—purse lips as for “oo” but say “ee.”
- est: “eh” (the final -t is silent).
- large: “larzh” (the g before e is like the s in “measure”; the final -e is silent). Also, French r is uvular (in the throat), not like the English r.
Could I say C’est large here?
Not to describe a specific street already identified. Use Elle est large if you mean la rue. C’est large comments on something unspecific or on an idea/situation (“That’s wide/broad”), e.g., looking at a gap: C’est large, on peut passer.
What would La rue est grande mean? Is it acceptable?
It can suggest the street is “big/long/important,” but it doesn’t mean “wide.” For width, use large. Note: la Grande Rue is a common proper name meaning “Main Street.”
What’s the opposite of large for streets?
étroit/étroite (narrow):
- La rue est étroite.
- Plural: Les rues sont étroites.
How do I make comparisons or superlatives with large?
- Comparative: plus/moins/aussi + adjective + que
- Cette rue est plus large que l’autre.
- Cette rue est aussi large que celle-ci.
- Superlative: le/la/les plus/moins + adjective
- C’est la rue la plus large du quartier.
How do I say “The street is 10 meters wide”?
Use faire or avoir, not être:
- La rue fait dix mètres de large.
- La rue a une largeur de dix mètres. Avoid: ✗ La rue est dix mètres de large.
How does the sentence change in the plural?
Les rues sont larges. Both rues and larges take -s in writing, but the -s is silent in speech.
Can I drop the article and just say Rue est large?
No. French usually requires an article with common nouns. You can omit the article mainly in titles, headlines, or proper names (e.g., Rue Victor Hugo as a street name), but not in a normal sentence.
Is rue the right word? What’s the difference between rue, route, chemin, avenue, boulevard, ruelle?
- rue: city street.
- route: road connecting places, often outside towns (or a designated route).
- chemin: path/lane, smaller or rural.
- avenue: wide urban street, often tree-lined.
- boulevard: a broad urban thoroughfare.
- ruelle: narrow alley.
Why is it est? Which form of être is that?
Est is the 3rd person singular of être (to be), matching the singular subject la rue. Present tense:
- je suis, tu es, il/elle/on est, nous sommes, vous êtes, ils/elles sont.
How do I negate the sentence?
Wrap the verb with ne … pas:
- La rue n’est pas large. In casual speech, ne is often dropped: La rue est pas large. (informal)
How do I intensify or soften it?
Place an adverb before the adjective:
- La rue est très/assez/plutôt/vraiment/si/tellement large.
- To soften: La rue n’est pas très large. Colloquial: La rue est bien large. (fairly/quite wide, depending on region)