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How to Say ‘I can't manage to come up with a central question.’ in French

Je n'arrive pas à trouver de problématique.

zhuh n ah-REEV pah ah troo-VAY duh proh-blay-mah-TEEK

[zhuh n ah-REEV pah ah troo-VAY duh proh-blay-mah-TEEK]

🇫🇷 In France: The problématique is the central question a French essay must set out in its introduction. Teachers grade heavily on it, so asking for help with it is very normal.

Phrase Breakdown

Je n'arrive pas

zhuh n ah-REEV pah

I can't manage

Expresses difficulty doing something. 'N'arrive' sounds like 'na-riv'.

Example

Je n'arrive pas à comprendre.

I can't understand.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

[n]

not

Shortened form of 'ne' used in negation before a vowel.

Example

Il n'y a plus rien ici.

There is nothing left here anymore.

arrive

[ah-REEV]

manage (to)

With 'à' + verb, 'arriver' means to manage to do something.

Example

J'arrive à comprendre.

I manage to understand.

pas

[pah]

not

Used with 'ne' to form a negative.

Example

Je ne comprends pas.

I do not understand.

à trouver de problématique.

ah troo-VAY duh proh-blay-mah-TEEK

to find a central question.

'À' follows 'arriver'. 'De' is used instead of 'une' because the sentence is negative.

Example

J'ai du mal à trouver de problématique.

I'm struggling to find a central question.

Words in this phrase

[ah]

Used with infinitive verbs to indicate purpose.

Example

Elle commence à chanter.

She begins to sing.

trouver

[troo-VAY]

to find

Verb meaning to find or locate something.

Example

Je ne peux pas trouver mes clés.

I can't find my keys.

[duh]

any

Replaces 'une' after a negative verb.

Example

Je n'ai pas de stylo.

I don't have any pen.

problématique

[proh-blay-mah-TEEK]

central question

The key question an essay sets out to answer.

Example

Ta problématique est claire.

Your central question is clear.

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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