| You are trying to make yourself understood. | Vous essayez de vous faire comprendre. |
Comparing French and English Sentence Structure
It can be interesting to look at French sentences and their English translations while comparing the two. Once you have identified corresponding words, you will realize how many similarities there are French and English. You’ll also notice some big differences, and those are worth examining more closely.
Vous = You
Vous is a second person plural or singular pronoun that means you.
Lesson: French subject pronouns
essayez de = are trying
The verb essayer must be followed by de when followed by an infinitive.
Lesson: Verbs followed by de + infinitive
vous faire comprendre = to make yourself understood
The infinitive is se faire comprendre, which is a reflexive verb. The grammatical construction used in this sentence is the faire causative. Use this construction when the subject of the sentence makes someone do something.
Lesson: French faire causative construction
List: Common se faire expressions
Sentence structure chart: Another sentence chart using the faire causative
