Function of the "Pour"

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on October 25, 2012 at 8:39pm

I would say only the first example (" C'est mon passeport") could be translated as "this is my passsport".

"Pour" means "for"  and so "C'est pour mon passeport" would just mean ""this is for my passport" as far as I know. 

I am not sure what "C'est de mon passeport"  might mean .Of course "de" means "of"  but I can't think of a context in which you could use this expression.("c'est de mon passeport que vous parlez ?" might be possible  although I think "c'est mon passeport dont vous parlez?"  would be more correct for "are you talking about my passport?" )

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Permalink Reply by Neil Coffey on October 25, 2012 at 10:20pm

Hi George -- As it happens, it's the other way round: "C'est de mon passeport que vous parlez?" is grammatical, but the version with "dont" isn't.

In general, these types of "cleft" sentences are formed with:

"C'est ... qui/que ..."

and elements other than "qui" or "que" aren't generally possible. (For "c'est" you can use any of the simple tenses: "C'était..", "Ce sera...", "Ce serait...", "Ce fut...". Subjunctives just about possible with the right context: "Je veux que ce soit ... qui ....".)

P.S. As a side note, you might I suppose occasionally hear:

"C'est mon passeport, CE DONT je parle."

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Permalink Reply by Tinyturtle on October 25, 2012 at 11:12pm

Thanks Neil!

Could you let me know which sentence a native speaker would say? 

"C'est mon passeport" or "C'est pour mon passeport"

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on October 26, 2012 at 12:22am

Thanks .That is what happens when I start making things up!

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Permalink Reply by Tinyturtle on October 25, 2012 at 10:35pm

Thanks George!

I understand the "pour" means "for" but I don't understand why we need to use the "pour" in the sentence. 

I do not know which sentence a native speaker would say

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EducatorPermalink Reply by George Hunt on October 26, 2012 at 12:20am

No problem!

I don't know how  you came across that sentence in the first place ("C'est pour mon passeport").

I can't see how it could be used to mean  anything  close to "This is my passport"

The only context that would come to my mind would be if you had taken a passport photo of yourself and then  "it would be for the passport" ("ce serait pour le passeport")

 

So no there is no need for "pour " in that sentence and I am sure a native speaker could just say "C'est mon passeport".

Alternative expressions are :

"Voici /voilà mon passeport"

"Ceci est mon passeport"

"Celui-ci est mon passeport" (ie this one is my passport when you probably have  3 or 4  similar documents in your hand!)

Tiens! Mon passeport" (Hey this is my passport!)

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Permalink Reply by Tinyturtle on October 26, 2012 at 4:37am

I got it. Thank you so much George!

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