Breakdown of Quand je commence à éternuer, je cherche toujours un mouchoir dans mon sac.
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Questions & Answers about Quand je commence à éternuer, je cherche toujours un mouchoir dans mon sac.
Why is it quand je commence à éternuer and not quand je suis commence à éternuer or something with être?
In French, commencer is a normal verb that conjugates by itself, so you simply say je commence for I begin / I start. You do not add être in front of it.
So:
- je commence = I begin / I start
- je suis = I am
French does not form the present progressive the way English does with I am starting. In this sentence, je commence à éternuer naturally means I start to sneeze or I begin sneezing.
Why is there an à after commence?
The verb commencer is commonly followed by à + infinitive when you say that someone starts doing something.
So:
- commencer à faire quelque chose = to start doing something
- commencer à éternuer = to start sneezing
This is just the pattern that this verb uses. It is similar to how some English verbs naturally take to, as in to begin to sneeze.
Why is the verb éternuer in the infinitive form?