Transcript

"Among" is always, always, used without "s".

I come to sing you the ballad, the ballad of happy people. Hi everyone, welcome to this new French video.

As you know, French is a very difficult language, with many rules and also many exceptions. The French themselves, when they write, sometimes and even often ask questions about the spelling of certain words or about grammar. Today, we are going to see together the ten most searched queries on the Internet concerning spelling or grammar rules in French.

To make this video, I based it on a study done in 2019 called the "Voltaire barometer". I put the source in the description of the video. Before I begin, I would like to tell you about the sponsor of this video who is called Neeva.

You know that it's thanks to the sponsors that I can continue to make quality videos. Neeva is an ad-free, private and of course free search engine.

When you use a classic search engine there are a lot of ads and it can be difficult for us to know which sites are really interesting and which ones have paid to be there. Neeva is also private, which means that it doesn't follow your path. When you are on a classic search engine and, for example, you are looking to buy a vacuum cleaner. I guess you've already noticed. Afterwards, when you go to other sites, you will get advertisements for vacuum cleaners because the search engines will share your searches, share your data with advertisers, with sites.

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You also have a space where you can classify your favorite sites. For example, I made a directory to progress in French with sites that I find interesting. This search engine you can add as an extension to your Chrome or Firefox browser, but you can also download it as an application on your Android or iOS phone.

Let's go back to the top ten most searched spelling questions on the Internet.

The first is "can we?" "can we?" or "can we?". When you ask a question, when you make an interrogative sentence with a question mark, you're going to reverse the verb and the subject and you have to systematically put a dash. This is always the case. If you invert the verb and the subject, you need a dash. For example, if I say, "Can you learn French while sleeping?"

You must put a dash between "can" and "we". The subject of this sentence is in the third person singular "on" so "can" will of course be written with a "t". You will never find an "x" ending in the third person singular, it doesn't exist.

So can we with a "t" and a dash?

The second question that many ask is about, of course. Is it written in one word? Can it be written in two words? Does it need a circumflex on the u?

Can I get a glass of water? Sure, make yourself at home. Of course is always written in two words. And when "on" is an adjective synonymous with certain, that is sure and certain, we will always put a circumflex accent, precisely to distinguish it from the preposition "on". "I am on the terrace". On the other hand, "I'm sure of myself with a hat".

The third query we'll look at is on time for me. This is a debatable scripture. Au temps pour moi is exactly "my bad" in English. So it's used to acknowledge that you've said or made a mistake. I passed all my exams, except for geography. Oh no, my bad, I also failed sports. The only spelling validated by the French Academy is "au temps" T E M P S.

The origin of au temps comes from a military expression used when a soldier did not make his move in time and had to start from the beginning.

Ride with one "L" or ride with two "Ls"?

This one, I don't know why, I can never remember it. Every time I have to write the word "stroll", I go back to the internet.

Both are correct with one "L" and with two "L", but they don't mean the same thing. The walk with one "L" means the walk. I go for a walk with my dog or I go for a walk in the mountains.

Ballad with two "L" we will use it to speak about a musical or poetic work. I play a ballad on the guitar. You may know this music. I've come to sing you the ballad, the ballad of happy people. To help you remember, if you need one "L" or two "L's" you can use this. When you like a music, it's very difficult not to listen to it twice.

Let's move on to "among" or "parmis".

Do you spell it with an "S" or without an "S"?

Well, it may seem illogical because it is always used with a plural or at least a singular, but which has a collective value. But "among" as a preposition is always, always, always used without "S".

There is no "s" in among. Among means in the middle of, in. Of all the singers, Beyoncé is my favorite. I look for my friend among the crowd.

Welcome with an "E" or without an "E"?

Both spellings are correct, but they are not used in the same way. When you want to welcome someone by showing joy or several people, you should write "welcome" with an "E".

Welcome is always written with the U E ending. Even if you're talking to more than one person, if you're talking to a boy, it's always U E because what's implied is "I welcome you" or "I welcome you". It is a noun and it is invariable, welcome. For example, I can say welcome to new subscribers to the channel.

By the way, if you are not yet a subscriber, please consider doing so right away and activate the bell so you don't miss any of my videos. On the other hand, "welcome" can also be used as a noun to qualify someone or something that is welcomed with joy.

Breakfast would be nice, I'm very hungry. So here, though, it will change in gender and number. "Welcome" can also be used as an adjective. For example, a raise would be welcome because the cost of gas has gone up. Your opinion would be welcome, I don't know which car to choose. This adjective is used to talk about something that would be timely, that comes at the right time. So it would be necessary at that time.

Seventh most searched query is "when" with a "D" or with a "T".

Again, both spellings are correct, but the two words do not mean the same thing. When with a "D" is a synonym for when. There is a notion of time. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. If you can replace it with "when", then it is a "D".

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. When "when" is used in questions, then you can replace it with "when?"

When do you go on vacation? When do you go on vacation? That's a "D". Quant with a "t" means "with regard to".

As for my vacations, I will leave in July. As for her skirt, I find it beautiful. As for my vacations, I am going in July. As for her skirt, it is beautiful.

The next one is "in view of" with an "e" in "viewed" or without "E".

"In view of" is always written "V U". It is an invariable expression. It means, in view of. You can also replace it with given. In view of my grades, I will repeat a grade. Given my grades, I'll repeat a grade. People often put an "E" in "view" because they confuse it with another expression. They confuse "in view of" with "in view of". In view of them means in order to, in order to.

In order to participate in The Voice, I take singing lessons. So in order to participate in The Voice, I take singing lessons.

Diagnosis with a "C" or "QUE" for ending. When we talk about the name, a diagnosis, that a doctor will make, we always write it with a "C". So a diagnosis, it will be established when we explain the symptoms of a disease. For example, if I say I have a pain in my right ear, I have a headache and I have a fever. The doctor might say "the diagnosis is...you have an ear infection".

On the other hand, of course, you know, French is never simple. The verb "to diagnose" is well written "Q U E R" in ending. So he diagnoses, if I say, the doctor diagnoses an ear infection, then it's going to be written with "Q U E".

Let's move on to the 10ᵉ most searched query. I send you, "O I E" or "O I S"?

So it's very important to understand that "send" is not the same as "see".

"Send" is a first group verb that ends in "ER", which is not the case for "see". First group verbs in the first person singular of the present indicative always end in "E".

I send, "O I E". So the ending "O I S" does not exist at all. We will write I send 'O I E', you send "O I E S", he sends "O I E" and so on.

That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed this video. If you liked it, of course, put a like and if you are not yet a subscriber, subscribe right away.

See you soon.