Dans ce virage, il vaut mieux ne pas accélérer, parce qu’on ne peut pas doubler facilement.

On this bend, it is better not to speed up, because you cannot overtake easily.

Breakdown of Dans ce virage, il vaut mieux ne pas accélérer, parce qu’on ne peut pas doubler facilement.

• ne ... pas: not
• parce que: because
• ce: this
• pouvoir: to be able to

Questions & Answers about Dans ce virage, il vaut mieux ne pas accélérer, parce qu’on ne peut pas doubler facilement.

What does dans ce virage mean, and why is dans used here?

Dans ce virage means in this bend/curve/turn.

French uses dans because it often expresses being in a place or situation. With roads, curves, bends, intersections, etc., French commonly uses dans where English might sometimes prefer on, at, or simply no preposition depending on the wording.

• dans ce virage = in this bend
• dans cette rue = in this street
• dans un tunnel = in a tunnel

Here, ce virage is masculine singular, so the demonstrative adjective is ce.

Why is it ce virage and not cet virage?

French uses:

• ce before a masculine singular noun beginning with a consonant
• cet before a masculine singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute h

Since virage begins with v, a consonant, it is:

• ce virage

Compare:

• cet accident
• cet hôtel

What does il vaut mieux mean?