| French > English |
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| n'est-ce pas |
| 1. Phrase. Used as an expression of affirmation after a statement, often translated into English as a tag question. |
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| Bizarre, n'est-ce pas ? - Strange, isn't it? |
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| French > French |
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| n'est-ce pas |
| 1. loc. Est-ce que c'est vrai ? Dites-moi si je me trompe (marqueur de question-tag). |
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| Analysis |
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| ne |
| 1. part. (literary) not (used alone to negate a verb; now chiefly with only a few particular verbs: see usage notes) |
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| 2. part. not, no (used before a verb, with a coordinating negative element usually following; see Usage Notes, below) |
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| 3. part. (Used in a subordinate clause before a subjunctive verb (especially when the main verb expresses doubt or fear), to provide extra overtones of doubt or uncertainty (but not negating its verb); the so- |
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| 4. part. In comparative clauses usually translated with the positive sense of the subsequent negative |
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| Apprendre le français est plus facile qu'on ne pense. - Learning French is easier than you (might) think. |
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| est |
| 1. adj. east |
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| 2. n-m. east |
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| 3. v. third-person singular present indicative of être |
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| être |
| 1. v. to be |
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| Vous devez être plus clairs. - You must be clearer. |
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| 2. v. (auxiliary) Used to form the perfect and pluperfect tense of (including all reflexive verbs) |
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| Après être allé au yoga, je suis rentré chez moi. - After having gone to yoga, I came back home. |
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| 3. v. (semi-auxiliary) to be (Used to form the passive voice) |
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| ce |
| 1. det. this, that |
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| 2. pron. (subject of être, with predicative adjectives or relative clauses, singular only) it, this, that (see § Usage notes, below) |
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| C'est beau ! - It is beautiful! |
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| est-ce que...? - is it that...? |
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| ce dont je parlais - that which I was speaking of |
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| pas |
| 1. n-m. step, pace, footstep |
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| 2. n-m. (geography) strait, pass |
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| Pas de Calais - Strait of Dover |
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| 3. n-m. thread, pitch (of a screw or nut) |
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| 4. adv. The most common adverb of negation in French, typically translating into English as not, don't, doesn't, etc. |
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