French grammar - More impersonal verbs - rester and manquer |
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Two more very useful impersonal verbs are rester and manquer. Both are regular -ER verbs. • rester means 'to remain' or 'to have (something) left' • manquer means 'to miss' or 'to lack' or 'to be short of' Both of these verbs can take both a direct and indirect object. -- So we can say 'someone (indirect) lacks something (direct)' or 'something (direct) remains for someone (indirect)'. Note that both of these verbs can also be used normally - conjugated for the first, second and third person - though the meanings are different. -- The many permutations of the verb manquer will be covered in a later topic. -- The verb rester means 'to stay' or 'to remain' when not used impersonally. For example Je reste à la maison ce week-end. |
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Il reste deux tomates.
There are two tomatoes left.
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Il me reste dix euros.
I have ten euros left.
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Reste-t-il des pommes ?
Are there any apples left? |
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Il ne reste pas de pain.
There is no bread left. |
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Il me reste assez de temps.
I have enough time left. |
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Il reste trente minutes avant le décollage d'avion.
There are thirty minutes left before the takeoff of the plane.
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Il manque un cinquième couvert à la table.
A fifth place setting is missing at the table.
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Il manque des pages dans ce livre.
There are pages missing from this book. |
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Il manque encore dix euros.
There are still ten euros missing. |
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Il nous manque de la farine.
We are short of flour. |
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C'est tout ce qui reste.
That's all that is left. |
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Voilà tout ce qui me reste.
Here is all I have left. |
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Il ne manque pas d'un certain charme.
It does not lack a certain charm.
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Il ne manque pas un bouton de guêtre.
An idiom meaning 'Everything is where it belongs.'
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