Learn Hardcore French: Quand je lis ce genre de magazine de mode, ma concentration est moins bonne que d’habitude. - When I read that kind of fashion magazine, my concentration is worse than usual.

Why is quand followed by the present tense (je lis) when in English we might say “when I read” or “when I’m reading”? Could we use another tense or lorsque instead?

In French, quand + present is the normal way to talk about something that happens regularly or every time a certain condition is met.

Quand je lis ce genre de magazine de mode…
= “When(ever) I read this kind of fashion magazine…”

You could also say:

Lorsque je lis ce genre de magazine de mode…

Quand and lorsque are almost interchangeable here; lorsque just sounds a bit more formal or literary.

Using another tense would slightly change the meaning:

Quand je lisais… → “When I used to read / whenever I was reading…” (past, repeated)
Quand je lirai… → “When I read / when I will read…” (future event)

For a general, habitual statement (a fact about yourself), quand + présent is the natural choice.

Why is it ce genre de magazine de mode and not something like ce genre des magazines de mode?

The pattern ce genre de + noun has a specific structure:

ce genre de + singular noun is the default:
- ce genre de magazine = “this kind of magazine”
- ce genre de film = “this kind of film”

You can also put a plural noun after de:

ce genre de magazines = “this kind of magazines / these kinds of magazines”

Both ce genre de magazine and ce genre de magazines are possible. The singular tends to focus more on the type, the plural a bit more on the actual items, but in practice they’re both very common and often interchangeable.

You do not use des after genre de:

❌ ce genre des magazines
✅ ce genre de magazines

Why is it ce genre and not cet genre or cette genre?

Because genre is:

masculine: le genre
starts with a consonant sound: [ʒɑ̃ʀ]

So you use the masculine demonstrative adjective ce:

ce genre (“this/that kind”)

You would use:

cet before a masculine noun starting with a vowel sound: cet homme, cet article
cette before a feminine noun: cette idée, cette voiture

Why do we say magazine de mode and not magazine à la mode or magazine de la mode?

These expressions mean different things:

magazine de mode
= “fashion magazine” (a magazine whose subject is fashion)
Structure: noun + de + field/topic
Other examples:
- film d’horreur = horror film
- roman de science-fiction = science-fiction novel
magazine à la mode
= “trendy / fashionable magazine” (a magazine that is currently popular), not a magazine about fashion as a topic.
magazine de la mode is grammatically possible but sounds heavier and is not the usual way to say “fashion magazine.” You’d only use it in certain stylistic or very specific contexts.

Why is magazine singular here? Could we say Quand je lis ce genre de magazines de mode instead?

Both forms are acceptable:

ce genre de magazine de mode (singular)
ce genre de magazines de mode (plural)

In practice:

Singular after genre highlights the type/category (“this kind of fashion magazine in general”).
Plural sounds slightly more concrete, as if you are thinking about actual magazines you might pick up.

In everyday speech, French speakers use both; there is no big difference in meaning.

Why do we say ma concentration and not just la concentration?

In French, for personal qualities, feelings, and mental or physical states, it’s very common to use a possessive:

ma concentration = “my concentration”
ma patience, mon énergie, mon attention, etc.

If you said la concentration est moins bonne, it would sound more like a general statement about concentration as a concept, not specifically your concentration in that situation. Using ma makes it clearly personal and concrete: my ability to concentrate is worse.

Is concentration feminine or masculine in French? How do we know?

Concentration is feminine in French:

la concentration
ma concentration
bonne agrees with it: ma concentration est moins bonne

How to know:

Many abstract nouns ending in -tion are feminine (and almost always so):
la nation, la situation, la solution, la conversation, la concentration.

A good rule: if it ends in -tion, assume it’s feminine.

Why is it moins bonne and not pire or plus mauvaise?

Several options exist in French:

moins bonne que d’habitude = “less good than usual”
plus mauvaise que d’habitude = “worse than usual”
pire que d’habitude = “worse than usual”

All three are grammatically correct, but:

moins bon / moins bonne is very common and neutral, especially in careful, polite speech.
pire is stronger and can sound more dramatic or negative, depending on context.
plus mauvais / plus mauvaise is also correct but often feels heavier or less natural than pire in everyday speech.

In a calm, neutral observation about your own concentration, moins bonne que d’habitude sounds very natural.

Why do we use bonne and not bien in ma concentration est moins bonne?

Because we’re describing a noun (ma concentration) with an adjective:

bon / bonne is an adjective → describes nouns:
- une bonne idée
- un bon livre
- ma concentration est bonne / moins bonne
bien is usually an adverb → describes verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs:
- je me concentre bien / moins bien
- il parle bien français

You could rephrase the sentence using bien with a verb:

Quand je lis ce genre de magazine de mode, je me concentre moins bien que d’habitude.

Here, moins bien modifies the verb se concentrer, so bien (adverb) is correct.

What exactly does d’habitude mean, and why do we say que d’habitude?

D’habitude is a set expression:

Literally: “of habit”
Meaning: “usually / as usual”

It comes from de + habitude → d’habitude (because habitude starts with a vowel).

In moins bonne que d’habitude:

que introduces the comparison: “less good than usual”
d’habitude means “usual(ly)”

So que d’habitude = “than usual.”

Full structure:
ma concentration est moins bonne que d’habitude
= “my concentration is less good than it usually is.”

Can we move parts of the sentence around? For example, can we put the quand‑clause second, or move d’habitude?

Yes, French word order is flexible here, as long as the grammar stays correct. All of these are possible:

Quand je lis ce genre de magazine de mode, ma concentration est moins bonne que d’habitude.
Ma concentration est moins bonne que d’habitude quand je lis ce genre de magazine de mode.

You can also shift d’habitude, but its usual place is inside the comparative:

Most natural: … est moins bonne que d’habitude.
Less common and changes nuance:
- … est d’habitude moins bonne quand je lis… (suggests it’s usually worse in that situation, slightly different meaning)

The original version is the most straightforward and idiomatic for “When I read this kind of fashion magazine, my concentration is worse than usual.”