[Originally posted on 12/13/18 on the Duolingo French for English speakers forum by Sitesurf]
Confusing Verbs
Used transitively, savoir and connaître both mean “to know”, but in different ways. Savoir implies understanding of subjects, things, or skills, while connaître indicates familiarity with people, animals, places, things, or situations.
- Je sais les paroles. — I know the lyrics (I can recite or sing them by heart).
- Je connais le garçon. — I know the boy. (I am acquainted to him)
Attendre means “to await”, which is why it does not need a preposition.
- Il attend son ami. — He is awaiting (or “waiting for”) his friend.
One Each or One Shared
When the verb has a plural subject and a singular object, the object does not always refer to just one thing. Depending on the nature of the object, it can refer to one thing for each subject or one thing shared by the subjects.
- Paul et Ben attendent leur femme: Each of them is waiting for his own wife.
- Ils portent un manteau vert.: They each wear one green coat.
- Julie et Paul ont une nouvelle voiture: They have one common, new car.
Ah, L’Amour !
Love is tricky in France. For people and pets, aimer means “to love”, but if you add an adverb, as in aimer bien or aimer beaucoup, it means “to like”. For everything else, aimer only means “to like”. Adorer means “to love” or “to adore”, though it tends to be more coy than aimer.
Please note that bien acts as a softener when used with aimer + people or things.
- J’aime Marc. — I love Marc.
- J’aime bien Marc. — I like Marc.
- J’aime beaucoup Marc. — I like Marc a lot.
- J’aime (bien) le chocolat. — I like chocolate.
- J’adore le chocolat. — I love (adore) chocolate.
In love, less is sometimes more!
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