Breakdown of Les premiers secours sont nécessaires après l’arrêt cardiaque.
être
to be
après
after
nécessaire
necessary
les premiers secours
first aid
Questions & Answers about Les premiers secours sont nécessaires après l’arrêt cardiaque.
Why is it les premiers secours and not just premier secours?
Because premiers secours is a fixed French expression meaning first aid. It is normally used in the plural.
So French treats it as a set of emergency actions rather than one single help. That is why you say:
- les premiers secours
- not usually le premier secours
This is similar to how some ideas are naturally plural in one language but not in another.
Why is premiers plural?
Because it agrees with secours.
In les premiers secours:
- les = plural
- secours = plural noun
- premiers = plural adjective
So premier becomes premiers to match the noun.
Why is it sont nécessaires and not est nécessaire?
Because the subject is plural: les premiers secours.
In French, the verb must agree with the subject:
- singular: Le secours est nécessaire
- plural: Les premiers secours sont nécessaires
The adjective after the verb also agrees with the subject:
- singular masculine: nécessaire
- plural masculine: nécessaires
So sont nécessaires matches les premiers secours.
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