Questions & Answers about La rapidité de Paul me surprend.
Why is it la rapidité de Paul and not something like la rapidité de Paul's or Paul's rapidité?
French does not use the English ’s possessive structure. Instead, it almost always uses the preposition de to show possession or relationship.
- English: Paul’s speed
- French: la rapidité de Paul (literally: the speed of Paul)
So the structure is:
- la rapidité = the speed (a noun)
- de Paul = of Paul / Paul’s
You never say Paul’s rapidité in French; mixing the English possessive with a French noun is incorrect. The natural French order is always [the thing] de [the owner].
Why is the article la used with rapidité? How do I know it’s feminine?