Level 1 Session 1 - and I already have a question :)
First of all, have to say the program is wonderful. I've learned more in my first night in one hour here than with that other expensive boxed program through the entirety of their first level.
That aside, I have a question that someone might be able to answer - and out of the chute I'll admit it may be a matter of unlearning some of the few things I retained from high school French (and we will NOT say how long ago that was).
The program runs through a conversation and posits a drill asking how are you - "Comment allez vous". The answer the program is looking for is "ça va bien". Now, to me, this doesn't seem logical. The posed question was in the second person formal, so it would seem the answer should be in the first person, not third person. So when put on the spot in the drill, right out the window went the third person view of the sentence and my response was "je suis bien" (yes, I know the verb être hadn't been covered yet - that's where I freely admit I may have some things to unlearn from high school). Yes, the program didn't like that. So next, rather than the verb "to be", I tried the verb "to go," but still put it in first person - "Je vais allez." Program, of course, still complains, and I look at the hint. Ok, third person response. Got it.
But here's the question: Is a third person conjugation of "to go" with the third person pronoun the usual way this question should be answered? And if so, why? Is it a colloquialism or idiomatic way of dealing with the question? Or is it "just the way it is" (I can deal with that too, more curious than anything).
Thanks in advance for anyone's help here.
Status:
Open Jan 31, 2014 - 09:31 AM
French, French > Grammar