Last time he came, he didn’t behave himself.

Richard M.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Last time he came, he didn’t behave himself.

I continually get tripped up with this. I interpret the statement as being the last (previous) time so I enter ‘la fois dernière’ which is marked as incorrect. If the correct answer is ‘la dernière fois’ what is it about the statement that tells me that it’s the last (final) time?

Asked 1 year ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

Richard, it is not a choice between last or final here. There is a clause following la dernière fois - ‘ La dernière fois qu’il est venu….’. 

Have another look at the section in the lesson on special case, the subsection headed ‘But’ …  - when there is a clause following, only “ la dernière fois “ preceding the clause is correct

 Dernier = final/previous (French Adjectives that change meaning according to position)

Last time he came, he didn’t behave himself.

I continually get tripped up with this. I interpret the statement as being the last (previous) time so I enter ‘la fois dernière’ which is marked as incorrect. If the correct answer is ‘la dernière fois’ what is it about the statement that tells me that it’s the last (final) time?

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Clever stuff happening!