French for English Speakers Lesson 12: "her"
Section A (Detailed French-English Interlinear Text)
12.1 Sa her mère mother travaille works à at l'hôpital the-hospital
12.2 Je I connais know son her frère brother depuis since longtemps long-time
12.3 Elle she a has perdu lost ses her clés keys hier yesterday
12.4 Marie Marie lui to-her donne gives un a cadeau gift
12.5 Il he la her regarde watches avec with admiration admiration
12.6 Son her chat cat noir black dort sleeps sur on le the canapé sofa
12.7 Paul Paul lui to-her écrit writes une a lettre letter chaque each semaine week
12.8 Sa her voiture car est is garée parked devant in-front-of la the maison house
12.9 Les the enfants children adorent adore ses her histoires stories drôles funny
12.10 Je I la her vois see tous all les the matins mornings
12.11 Elle she cherche searches-for son her téléphone phone partout everywhere
12.12 Le the professeur teacher lui to-her explique explains la the leçon lesson
12.13 Sa her sœur sister habite lives à in Paris Paris
12.14 Nous we la her rencontrons meet au at-the café café
12.15 Ses her amis friends viennent come pour for son her anniversaire birthday
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Section B (Complete French Sentences with English Translation)
12.1 Sa mère travaille à l'hôpital. Her mother works at the hospital.
12.2 Je connais son frère depuis longtemps. I have known her brother for a long time.
12.3 Elle a perdu ses clés hier. She lost her keys yesterday.
12.4 Marie lui donne un cadeau. Marie gives her a gift.
12.5 Il la regarde avec admiration. He watches her with admiration.
12.6 Son chat noir dort sur le canapé. Her black cat sleeps on the sofa.
12.7 Paul lui écrit une lettre chaque semaine. Paul writes her a letter every week.
12.8 Sa voiture est garée devant la maison. Her car is parked in front of the house.
12.9 Les enfants adorent ses histoires drôles. The children love her funny stories.
12.10 Je la vois tous les matins. I see her every morning.
12.11 Elle cherche son téléphone partout. She is looking for her phone everywhere.
12.12 Le professeur lui explique la leçon. The teacher explains the lesson to her.
12.13 Sa sœur habite à Paris. Her sister lives in Paris.
12.14 Nous la rencontrons au café. We meet her at the café.
12.15 Ses amis viennent pour son anniversaire. Her friends are coming for her birthday.
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Section C (French Text Only)
12.1 Sa mère travaille à l'hôpital.
12.2 Je connais son frère depuis longtemps.
12.3 Elle a perdu ses clés hier.
12.4 Marie lui donne un cadeau.
12.5 Il la regarde avec admiration.
12.6 Son chat noir dort sur le canapé.
12.7 Paul lui écrit une lettre chaque semaine.
12.8 Sa voiture est garée devant la maison.
12.9 Les enfants adorent ses histoires drôles.
12.10 Je la vois tous les matins.
12.11 Elle cherche son téléphone partout.
12.12 Le professeur lui explique la leçon.
12.13 Sa sœur habite à Paris.
12.14 Nous la rencontrons au café.
12.15 Ses amis viennent pour son anniversaire.
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Section D (Grammar Explanation for English Speakers)
Understanding "her" in French requires mastering several different forms, as French distinguishes between possessive and object pronouns:
1. Possessive Adjectives (her = belonging to her):
sa (feminine singular): sa mère (her mother), sa voiture (her car)
son (masculine singular OR before vowel): son frère (her brother), son amie (her friend)
ses (plural): ses clés (her keys), ses amis (her friends)
Key difference from English: The possessive adjective agrees with the object possessed, NOT with the possessor. So "her brother" is "son frère" (masculine) even though the possessor is female.
2. Direct Object Pronoun (her = receiving action directly):
la: Je la vois (I see her)
Placed BEFORE the verb in French (unlike English)
Becomes l' before vowels: Je l'aime (I love her)
3. Indirect Object Pronoun (to her/for her):
lui: Je lui parle (I speak to her)
Used with verbs that take "à" (to): donner à, parler à, écrire à
4. Stressed Pronoun (after prepositions):
elle: avec elle (with her), pour elle (for her)
Common mistakes English speakers make:
Using "sa" with masculine nouns (should be "son")
Placing object pronouns after the verb like in English
Forgetting that "son" is used before feminine words starting with vowels
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Section E (Cultural Context)
In French culture, the various forms of "her" reflect important social nuances:
1. Formality and Politeness: French speakers are very conscious of proper pronoun usage. Using the wrong form can sound awkward or even rude. For example, when referring to someone's possessions, especially in formal situations, French speakers might use "Madame" instead of pronouns: "la voiture de Madame" rather than "sa voiture."
2. Gender Agreement: The French obsession with grammatical gender extends to possessives. English speakers often struggle because we think of "her" as inherently feminine, but in French, "son livre" (her book) uses the masculine form because "livre" is masculine. This reflects the French language's emphasis on harmony and agreement.
3. Pronoun Placement: The placement of object pronouns before the verb (je la vois) rather than after reflects French's more structured word order. This pattern dates back to Latin and is found in other Romance languages.
4. Social Relationships: The choice between different pronouns can indicate social distance or intimacy. Using stressed pronouns (elle) can add emphasis or create distance, while the more integrated forms (la, lui) suggest routine interaction.
5. Regional Variations: In Quebec French, you might hear slight variations in pronunciation, but the grammar remains consistent. In informal speech across the Francophone world, pronouns are sometimes dropped or contracted, but learners should master the standard forms first.
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Section F (Literary Citation)
From "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
"Le petit prince s'en fut revoir les roses. 'Vous n'êtes pas du tout pareilles à ma rose, vous n'êtes rien encore,' leur dit-il. 'Personne ne vous a apprivoisées et vous n'avez apprivoisé personne. Vous êtes comme était mon renard. Ce n'était qu'un renard semblable à cent mille autres. Mais j'en ai fait mon ami, et il est maintenant unique au monde.'"
Part F-A (Interlinear Analysis)
'Vous you n'êtes are-not pas not du at tout all pareilles similar à to ma my rose rose, vous you n'êtes are rien nothing encore,' yet leur to-them dit-il said-he. 'Personne no-one ne not vous you a has apprivoisées tamed et and vous you n'avez have-not apprivoisé tamed personne no-one.
Part F-B (Complete Translation)
"'You are not at all like my rose, you are nothing yet,' he said to them. 'No one has tamed you and you have tamed no one. You are like my fox was. He was only a fox like a hundred thousand others. But I have made him my friend, and now he is unique in the world.'"
Part F-C (Original French Text)
"'Vous n'êtes pas du tout pareilles à ma rose, vous n'êtes rien encore,' leur dit-il. 'Personne ne vous a apprivoisées et vous n'avez apprivoisé personne. Vous êtes comme était mon renard. Ce n'était qu'un renard semblable à cent mille autres. Mais j'en ai fait mon ami, et il est maintenant unique au monde.'"
Part F-D (Grammatical Notes)
This passage beautifully illustrates "leur" (to them), the plural form of "lui." Note how "leur dit-il" (he said to them) shows the indirect object pronoun before the verb. The passage also contains "ma rose" (my rose), showing the first-person possessive for comparison. The feminine agreement in "apprivoisées" shows that "vous" refers to the feminine plural "roses." The pronoun "en" in "j'en ai fait" (I made of him) is another way French handles pronouns, referring back to "mon renard."
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Genre Section: Romance Novel Excerpt
Section A (Detailed French-English Interlinear Text)
12.16 Il he prit took sa her main hand délicatement delicately dans in la the sienne his-own
12.17 Son her cœur heart battait was-beating si so fort hard qu'elle that-she craignait feared qu'il that-he l'entende it-hear
12.18 Elle she sentit felt ses her joues cheeks rougir redden sous under son his regard gaze intense intense
12.19 Le the parfum perfume de of ses her cheveux hair l'enivrait him-intoxicated comme like un a vin wine précieux precious
12.20 Il he lui to-her murmura whispered des some mots words doux sweet à at l'oreille the-ear
12.21 Sa her robe dress de of soie silk bleue blue dansait danced autour around de of ses her chevilles ankles
12.22 Elle she ne not pouvait could détacher detach son her regard gaze de from lui him
12.23 Il he la her serra held tendrement tenderly contre against lui him
12.24 Ses her lèvres lips tremblaient trembled légèrement slightly quand when elle she parlait spoke
12.25 Le the soleil sun couchant setting illuminait illuminated sa her silhouette silhouette gracieuse graceful
12.26 Il he lui to-her offrit offered son his bras arm pour to descendre descend l'escalier the-staircase
12.27 Son her sourire smile timide timid le him troublait troubled profondément deeply
12.28 Elle she cacha hid son her visage face dans in ses her mains hands délicates delicate
12.29 Il he admirait admired la the courbe curve de of son her cou neck élégant elegant
12.30 Ses her yeux eyes brillaient shone comme like des some étoiles stars dans in la the nuit night
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Section B (Complete French Sentences with English Translation)
12.16 Il prit sa main délicatement dans la sienne. He took her hand delicately in his.
12.17 Son cœur battait si fort qu'elle craignait qu'il l'entende. Her heart was beating so hard that she feared he would hear it.
12.18 Elle sentit ses joues rougir sous son regard intense. She felt her cheeks redden under his intense gaze.
12.19 Le parfum de ses cheveux l'enivrait comme un vin précieux. The perfume of her hair intoxicated him like a precious wine.
12.20 Il lui murmura des mots doux à l'oreille. He whispered sweet words in her ear.
12.21 Sa robe de soie bleue dansait autour de ses chevilles. Her blue silk dress danced around her ankles.
12.22 Elle ne pouvait détacher son regard de lui. She could not take her eyes off him.
12.23 Il la serra tendrement contre lui. He held her tenderly against him.
12.24 Ses lèvres tremblaient légèrement quand elle parlait. Her lips trembled slightly when she spoke.
12.25 Le soleil couchant illuminait sa silhouette gracieuse. The setting sun illuminated her graceful silhouette.
12.26 Il lui offrit son bras pour descendre l'escalier. He offered her his arm to descend the staircase.
12.27 Son sourire timide le troublait profondément. Her timid smile troubled him deeply.
12.28 Elle cacha son visage dans ses mains délicates. She hid her face in her delicate hands.
12.29 Il admirait la courbe de son cou élégant. He admired the curve of her elegant neck.
12.30 Ses yeux brillaient comme des étoiles dans la nuit. Her eyes shone like stars in the night.
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Section C (French Text Only)
12.16 Il prit sa main délicatement dans la sienne.
12.17 Son cœur battait si fort qu'elle craignait qu'il l'entende.
12.18 Elle sentit ses joues rougir sous son regard intense.
12.19 Le parfum de ses cheveux l'enivrait comme un vin précieux.
12.20 Il lui murmura des mots doux à l'oreille.
12.21 Sa robe de soie bleue dansait autour de ses chevilles.
12.22 Elle ne pouvait détacher son regard de lui.
12.23 Il la serra tendrement contre lui.
12.24 Ses lèvres tremblaient légèrement quand elle parlait.
12.25 Le soleil couchant illuminait sa silhouette gracieuse.
12.26 Il lui offrit son bras pour descendre l'escalier.
12.27 Son sourire timide le troublait profondément.
12.28 Elle cacha son visage dans ses mains délicates.
12.29 Il admirait la courbe de son cou élégant.
12.30 Ses yeux brillaient comme des étoiles dans la nuit.
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Section D (Grammar Notes for Romance Genre)
The romance genre beautifully showcases the various forms of "her" in French:
1. Possessive Adjectives in Romantic Description:
Body parts always use possessives: "sa main" (her hand), "ses yeux" (her eyes), "son cœur" (her heart)
Note how "son" is used before feminine nouns starting with vowels: "son oreille" (her ear)
Multiple possessions: "ses mains délicates" shows plural agreement
2. Object Pronouns in Romantic Actions:
Direct object "la": "Il la serra" (He held her)
Indirect object "lui": "Il lui murmura" (He whispered to her)
These pronouns create intimate, immediate connections between characters
3. Reflexive and Reciprocal Uses:
"Elle sentit ses joues rougir" - the possessive refers back to the subject
This self-referential quality is common in describing emotional responses
4. Literary Devices:
French romance often uses "son/sa/ses" repetitively for poetic effect
The alternation between different pronoun forms creates rhythm
Possessives can create intimacy: "la sienne" (his own) emphasizes personal connection
5. Common Romance Phrases:
"lui + verb of communication": lui murmurer, lui dire, lui avouer
"la + verb of physical action": la prendre, la tenir, la regarder
These patterns are essential for romantic narrative
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