La multiprise sert à brancher l’ordinateur et l’enceinte.

Questions & Answers about La multiprise sert à brancher l’ordinateur et l’enceinte.

What does multiprise mean exactly?

Une multiprise is a power strip or multi-outlet extension block: something with several sockets so you can plug in more than one device.

It is made from:

  • multi- = multiple
  • prise = socket/outlet

So the word literally suggests multiple sockets.

Why is it la multiprise?

Because multiprise is a feminine singular noun.

So:

  • la multiprise = the power strip
  • une multiprise = a power strip

In French, nouns have grammatical gender, so you have to learn multiprise as feminine.

What does sert à mean?

Sert à comes from the verb servir à, which means to be used for or to serve to.

So:

  • La multiprise sert à brancher... = The power strip is used to plug in...

Useful pattern:

  • servir à + infinitive
  • Ce bouton sert à ouvrir la porte. = This button is used to open the door.
  • Un couteau sert à couper. = A knife is used for cutting / is used to cut.
Why is there an à before brancher?

Because the verb is servir à. That à is part of the normal construction.

Pattern:

Examples:

  • Cette boîte sert à rangement
  • Cette boîte sert au rangement
  • Cette boîte sert à ranger des papiers.

So in your sentence, à brancher means for plugging in / to plug in.

What does brancher mean here?

Here, brancher means to plug in or to connect, especially to electricity.

So:

  • brancher l’ordinateur = plug in the computer
  • brancher l’enceinte = plug in the speaker

Depending on context, brancher can also mean connect more generally, but with multiprise, the electrical meaning is the natural one.

Why do we get l’ordinateur and l’enceinte instead of le ordinateur and la enceinte?

Because in French, le and la become l’ before a vowel sound.

So:

  • le ordinateurl’ordinateur
  • la enceintel’enceinte

This is called elision.

Even though both become l’, the nouns still keep their gender:

  • ordinateur is masculine
  • enceinte is feminine

You can see that in other forms:

  • un ordinateur
  • une enceinte
Does enceinte really mean speaker? I thought it meant pregnant.

Yes — enceinte can mean pregnant, but it can also mean speaker/loudspeaker when used as a noun.

So:

  • une femme enceinte = a pregnant woman
  • une enceinte = a speaker

In your sentence, the context is electrical equipment:

  • multiprise
  • brancher
  • ordinateur

So l’enceinte clearly means the speaker.

Why is the article repeated: l’ordinateur et l’enceinte?

In French, when two separate nouns are joined by et, each noun normally keeps its own article.

So:

  • l’ordinateur et l’enceinte = the computer and the speaker

You would not usually say:

  • l’ordinateur et enceinte

Repeating the article is the normal, natural structure.

Could I say sert pour brancher instead of sert à brancher?

In this sentence, sert à brancher is the standard and most natural choice.

French normally uses:

So:

  • La multiprise sert à brancher...

Using pour is possible in other kinds of expressions, but after servir, à is what learners should expect and use.

Why is brancher in the infinitive and not conjugated?

Because it comes after sert à and expresses the purpose of the power strip.

So the structure is:

Here:

  • La multiprise = subject
  • sert à = is used to
  • brancher = plug in

French often uses an infinitive after another verb or expression like this:

  • Je veux partir.
  • Il aime lire.
  • Cette clé sert à ouvrir la porte.

So brancher stays in the infinitive because it is not the main conjugated verb of the sentence.

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How does grammatical gender work in French?
Every French noun is either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives used with it. "Le" is used with masculine nouns and "la" with feminine ones. Adjectives also change form to match — for example, "petit" (masc.) becomes "petite" (fem.).

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