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How to Say ‘Did you start by carefully analysing the terms of the topic?’ in French

Vous avez commencé par bien analyser les termes du sujet ?

voo ah-VAY koh-mahn-SAY pahr byan ah-nah-lee-ZAY leh tehrm dyoo sue-ZHAY

[voo ah-VAY koh-mahn-SAY pahr byan ah-nah-lee-ZAY leh tehrm dyoo sue-ZHAY]

🇫🇷 In France: Breaking down each word of the question is the expected first step in French essay method. A teacher will almost always ask this first.

Phrase Breakdown

Vous avez commencé

voo ah-VAY koh-mahn-SAY

Did you start

The question is shown by rising intonation, not by word order. Link the words: 'vou-za-vé'.

Example

Vous avez commencé à lire ?

Have you started reading?

Words in this phrase

Vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

avez

[ah-VAY]

have

Auxiliary 'avoir' (vous form) used to build the past tense.

Example

Vous avez mangé ?

Have you eaten?

commencé

[koh-mahn-SAY]

started

Past participle of 'commencer', to begin.

Example

Le film a commencé.

The film has started.

par bien analyser

pahr byan ah-nah-lee-ZAY

by carefully analyzing

'Commencer par' means to start by doing something. It is followed by an infinitive.

Example

Commencez par bien lire.

Start by reading carefully.

Words in this phrase

par

[pahr]

After 'commencer', it introduces the first step.

Example

Commence par lire.

Start by reading.

bien

[byan]

indeed / really

Used to confirm or check something is correct.

Example

C'est bien ton sac ?

Is that really your bag?

analyser

[ah-nah-lee-ZAY]

to analyse

To examine something in detail.

Example

Il faut analyser le texte.

You must analyse the text.

les termes du sujet ?

leh tehrm dyoo sue-ZHAY

the terms of the topic?

Raise your voice at the end for the question. 'Les termes' sounds like 'lé-tèrm'.

Example

Tu as compris les termes du sujet ?

Did you understand the terms of the topic?

Words in this phrase

les

[leh]

the

Used before plural nouns to denote particularity.

Example

Les années passent vite.

The years pass quickly.

termes

[tehrm]

terms

Words or key expressions.

Example

Définis les termes importants.

Define the important terms.

[dyoo]

of the

Contraction of de and le, used before masculine singular nouns.

Example

Du pain est sur la table.

Some bread is on the table.

sujet

[sue-ZHAY]

topic

The subject or question of an assignment.

Example

Le sujet est difficile.

The topic is hard.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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