Always enjoy Friday’s French!! Another good one – I remember being so confused by “si” when I first arrived (I had taken Spanish at University). Phew!
Rosemary Kneipp
February 7th, 2014 at 9:55 am
Ah yes, the Spanish confusion went even further for me. My first home in France was in the Pyrenees. I had never heard the southern accent before and it took me a while to realise they couldn’t all be Spanish immigrants!
*puts hand up* I know another one!
Sometimes, “si” can be used to indicate emphasis. For example, “Il est si mignon” means “he is so cute”. Squeak the kitten hears me say it French friends all the time (because he really is so cute).
Hi Rosemary! Very good explanation, you are spot on!
One small addition: “si” can be used to oppose strongly (this is in the case you call ‘refuting a negative’) as in:
-Tu ne sortiras pas ce soir ! (you won’t go out tonight!)
– Si ! (oh yes I will!)
and one small “rectification” about “Si lui est aimable, sa femme est arrogante” you are correct in your translation/explanation but this is coming from the “lui” used in the sentence… I don’t think this form we use (quite often!) is correct. Take the femine form it will be “si elle est aimable” so the masculine has to be “(si il) s’il est aimable” not “lui”.
So if you say “si elle est aimable, son mari est arrogant” you have absolutely no way to know unless “par contre” is added. “”si elle est aimable, son mari, par contre, est arrogant” then there is no ambiguity….
Another way to say the same thing will be “il est aimable (tandis que/alors que) sa femme est arrogante”.
I’m not sure my english is very clear…. but I am sure you understand, so if you want to rephrase it for your readers…
To add to Wendy’s “si” meaning “so” I will suggest “si” in “except that…”
“je serai bien venu si ce n’est que je suis en vacances”
(I would have come, except that I am on holiday”)
Bon oui-quinde 🙂
Rosemary Kneipp
February 9th, 2014 at 11:26 pm
Hi Ago, and thanks for your two suggestions.
I checked with my French translators’ list (tlsfrm) and there is a general consensus that Si lui est aimable, sa femmes est arrogante is correct, attested by the Grand Robert and Racine.
« Mais lui, voyant en moi la fille de son frère,
Me tint lieu, chère Élise, et de père, et de mère. »
Love your Friday French posts, Rosemary – thanks for yet another interesting and helpful look into the language.
I’m still working on ‘oui, je veux bien’ vs. ‘oui, merci’ 🙂
Cheers.
Thanks Carolyn! I’m sure you’ll master it soon …
Always enjoy Friday’s French!! Another good one – I remember being so confused by “si” when I first arrived (I had taken Spanish at University). Phew!
Ah yes, the Spanish confusion went even further for me. My first home in France was in the Pyrenees. I had never heard the southern accent before and it took me a while to realise they couldn’t all be Spanish immigrants!
Oh dear! I don’t ever think I’ll get a handle on the French language. Two years of high school French just doesn’t cut it!
*puts hand up* I know another one!
Sometimes, “si” can be used to indicate emphasis. For example, “Il est si mignon” means “he is so cute”. Squeak the kitten hears me say it French friends all the time (because he really is so cute).
Thanks Wendy!
Hi Rosemary! Very good explanation, you are spot on!
One small addition: “si” can be used to oppose strongly (this is in the case you call ‘refuting a negative’) as in:
-Tu ne sortiras pas ce soir ! (you won’t go out tonight!)
– Si ! (oh yes I will!)
and one small “rectification” about “Si lui est aimable, sa femme est arrogante” you are correct in your translation/explanation but this is coming from the “lui” used in the sentence… I don’t think this form we use (quite often!) is correct. Take the femine form it will be “si elle est aimable” so the masculine has to be “(si il) s’il est aimable” not “lui”.
So if you say “si elle est aimable, son mari est arrogant” you have absolutely no way to know unless “par contre” is added. “”si elle est aimable, son mari, par contre, est arrogant” then there is no ambiguity….
Another way to say the same thing will be “il est aimable (tandis que/alors que) sa femme est arrogante”.
I’m not sure my english is very clear…. but I am sure you understand, so if you want to rephrase it for your readers…
To add to Wendy’s “si” meaning “so” I will suggest “si” in “except that…”
“je serai bien venu si ce n’est que je suis en vacances”
(I would have come, except that I am on holiday”)
Bon oui-quinde 🙂
Hi Ago, and thanks for your two suggestions.
I checked with my French translators’ list (tlsfrm) and there is a general consensus that Si lui est aimable, sa femmes est arrogante is correct, attested by the Grand Robert and Racine.
« Mais lui, voyant en moi la fille de son frère,
Me tint lieu, chère Élise, et de père, et de mère. »
(Racine, Esther, Acte I, scène 1)