Comment on Okay this is getting a bit real now Duo, thanks 💔

gregorum@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

• degen@midwest.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

  I took a few years of French forever ago. Never really understood when to use ce over il, along with all the hyphenated forms ce is pushed into.

  Personally, I always tried to translate back literally, so qu’est-ce que c’est -> what is it/this that it/this is. But I’ve also felt like this isn’t the best approach given it’s through the lens of an English speaker.

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  • gregorum@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

    I think ce Is formal, so I use it in that context?

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    • degen@midwest.social ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

      That makes sense. I always took it as ce is a more general “it” while il refers more to people or places, but I’m sure that doesn’t always hold true. And apparently ce is only used as a subject with être for the most part. I’m too analytical to just understand without digging in lol

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      • gregorum@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

        french is such a headache, but, then again, so is english. it’s just that english is more forgiving when you mess up.

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