Learn French 100% free Get 1 free lesson per week // Add a new lesson
Log in!

> Log in <
New account
Millions of accounts created on our sites.
JOIN our free club and learn French now!




Get a free French lesson every week!

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Print
  • Guestbook
  • Report a bug


  •  



    Help/Why is...

    Forum > English only || Bottom

    [POST A NEW REPLY] [Subscribe to this topic]


    Help/Why is...
    Message from trauzeur posted on 06-01-2016 at 10:15:41 (D | E | F)
    Hello !
    Please could you help with this phrase I came across this morning while reading a book.
    Thank you.
    Why is that people can't change ?
    My problem is , I would like to know if we can also say :why can't people change ?
    Are the two questions the same ?

    -------------------
    Edited by lucile83 on 06-01-2016 10:23


    Re: Help/Why is... from lucile83, posted on 06-01-2016 at 10:32:14 (D | E)
    Hello,

    Why is that people can't change? is more informal than Why can't people change?
    You can read below a few other ways of meaning the same thing:
    Why does it happen that ...?
    How does it happen that ...?
    How come ...?
    How can it be that ...?
    What kind of a world is it where ...?
    etc.



    Re: Help/Why is... from gerondif, posted on 06-01-2016 at 12:10:03 (D | E)
    Herllo,
    I think there is a word missing:
    Why is it that people can't change ?

    Of course, if you consider that : "People can't change! Why is that ?" could become: "Why is that that people can't change ?" and if you miss out the second that, you end up with your sentence: "Why is that people can't change ?" But I find it awkward because my brain originally didn't decide which "that " was missing, which is why "it" would do the job and avoid a repetition of that.

    examples of that structure found on google to complete the following post:
    "Why is it that in India saying 'I love you' is not as big a deal .."
    Why is it that I love her............
    why is it that - Traduction française – Linguee
    Link




    Re: Help/Why is... from lucile83, posted on 06-01-2016 at 12:35:00 (D | E)
    Hello

    Why is that is sufficient here.No need to add 'it'.
    Why: asking for reasons
    When we ask for reasons in speaking, we can use the phrase why is that? In informal conversations we often say why’s that?:
    A:Look, the moth is attracted to the light.
    B:Why is that?
    A:I’m not sure.
    A:She’s not going to college this year.
    B:Why’s that?
    A:She says she wants to travel for a while.
    Link




    Re: Help/Why is... from trauzeur, posted on 06-01-2016 at 15:24:28 (D | E)
    Hello !

    Thank you all for your replies !
    But I must say that the phrase was : Why is it that people can't change ? I missed out the word "it".But as I imagine there is no big difference unless I got it wrong.



    Re: Help/Why is... from lemagemasque, posted on 06-01-2016 at 15:36:33 (D | E)
    Hello!

    "Why is that people can't change?" sounds good to me.
    Link

    However, I disagree with lucile's latest post. The explanation is right but is off the topic since trauzer doesn't talk about the demonstrative.
    I did a bit of searching and I think this comes from "the reason why is that" (or "that's why").

    See you!

    -------------------
    Edited by lemagemasque on 07-01-2016 18:24





    Re: Help/Why is... from lucile83, posted on 06-01-2016 at 21:42:30 (D | E)
    Hello lemage
    Why is that you say I am off the topic??
    I don't understand your problem. You could have guessed I was answering gerondif's message.




    [POST A NEW REPLY] [Subscribe to this topic]


    Forum > English only