quelque...que, whatever, as, quelque fortune que vous ayez. Whatever tel, such, tout,. all, every, fortune you may have. tel rit devant qui pleure derrière. Such laugh in company who cry when alone. tout homme est sujet à erreur. Every man is subject to error. 82. The English indefinite adjectives many, few, fewer, so many, etc., are rendered by adverbs in French.-See Adverbs Such a tenez les have been there many a time. y you may have, do not forget from whom you hold que qui them. CHAPTER IV. PRONOUNS. 83. The Pronoun is a word used instead of a noun, to avoid repetition. 84. There are five sorts of pronouns; viz., Personal, Possessive, Demonstrative, Relative, and Indefinite. PERSONAL PRONOUNS. 85. Personal Pronouns are used to represent persons or personified objects. PARTICULAR OBSERVATIONS. 86. GENERAL RULE.-Personal pronouns in French are generally placed before the verb; as, Je vous le donne (literally, I you it give), I give it to you. 87. They are placed after-1. When there is a preposition in French before them; as, Je parle de vous, I speak of you. 2. When the verb is in the imperative affirmative, as parlez lui, speak to him; donnons le lui, let us give it to him. But if the imperative is used with a negative, the general rule is followed; as, ne me parlez pas (literally, to me speak not), do not speak to me. 3. In interrogative sentences the subject of the verb comes after, but the other pronouns precede; as, me parlez-vous? (literally, me speak you), do you speak to me? me le donnes-tu? (me it givest thou), dost thou give it to me? 88. PRONOUNS OF THE FIRST PERSON. toi, Dieu te voit, to thee,, je te parle, is that you. God sees thee. I speak to thee. thee, nous parlons de toi, we speak of thee. 91. OBS.-It is customary in France to use the singular number in addressing father, mother, brother, sister, and other relatives; likewise, when parents address their children; the same form is also generally adopted by school-fellows among themselves. Ex., Papa, prête-moi ta canne. Charles, veuxtu me prêter ton canif. This use of tu, te, toi, is designated by the words tutoiement (substantive) and tutoyer (verb). EXERCISE XXVI. Thou hast broken my pen. I give thee this nosegay. brisé plume(f) donne bouquet (m) love thee. I speak to thee. You love us. We love you. We speak aime parle aimez of you. I bring you a newspaper. apporte journal (m) aimons 92. PRONOUNS OF THE THIRD PERSON. SINGULAR. I parlons EXERCISE XXVII. He speaks German; she sings tastefully. parle allemand chante avec goût. I know her. I write to her. Do you know him? Apply to him. continually of her. They dance. I hear them. I came with dansent. entends sans cesse them. Speak to them. Parlez suis venu avec 93. Reflective, se, soi, himself, herself, itself, themselves. Il se flatte, he flatters himself. Chacun pour soi, each one for himself. OF THE PRONOUNS en, y, AND le. 94. The pronouns en, y, and le always precede the verb unless it be in the imperative affirmative. 95. En is used instead of a word or phrase already expressed, such as, of him, of her, of it, from him, etc., some, any, etc.; as Cette demoiselle vous plait, vous en parlez souvent. Cette maladie est dangereuse; on peut en mourir. Avez-vous de la monnaie? Oui, j'en ai. Voici d'excellentes fraises, en désirez-vous? That young lady pleases you, you often speak of her. This illness is dangerous; one may Have you got any change? Yes, Here are excellent strawberries. 96. Y is used with reference to mentioned; it corresponds to the persons or things already English to him, to her, to it, etc., in it, in them, etc., therein, thereto, etc.; as Je connais cet homme; ne vous y I know that man; do not trust to him. He loves study, and devotes him self entirely to it. I received these letters this morn- I have noticed several mistakes 97. Le (so) is a pronoun of both genders and numbers, which serves to avoid the repetition of an adjective, a substantive used adjectively, and sometimes part of a sentence; as, Vous êtes jeune et je ne le suis pas, you are young, and I am not (so). Etes vous contentes, mesdemoiselles? Oui, nous le sommes. Are you contented, young ladies? Yes, we are (so). 98. When le represents a noun, or an adjective used substantively, it must agree with it in gender and number; as, Etes vous la sœur de Monsieur X.? Oui, je la suis. Are you Mr. X.'s sister? Yes, I am. Etes vous les filles de Madame N.? Oui, nous les sommes. daughters? Yes, we are. Are you Mrs. N.'s EXERCISE XXVIII. 2 1 1 They love one another (themselves) tenderly. To believe one's-self aiment happy is to be happy. heureux c'est être Virtue tendrement * croire is amiable of itself. I have aimable just received his letter, do not speak of it. de recevoir lettre (f) ne parlez pas excellent, will you have any? désirez-vous is (there). I am We are. glad of it. bien aise I am not always (so). Je viens These apples are pomme (f) Is Mrs. X. at home? Yes, she Let us go there. Are you happy? Are you Madame N.? Yes, I am. POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS. N.B.-Let the pupil compare and distinguish well between these pronouns and the adjectives mon, ton, son, etc., page 27. 99. The possessive pronouns must be of the same gender and number as the noun which they represent. au mien, à la mienne, aux miens, aux miennes, etc. |