Quand ouvre-t-on les cadeaux?

Celena P.B1Kwiziq community member

Quand ouvre-t-on les cadeaux?

What is the meaning of the ‘t’ in the phrase ‘ouvre-t-on’?

Asked 4 years ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

No meaning. It is there for pronunciation purposes only when forming inverted verbs ending in a vowel with il/elle/on.  

https://french.kwiziq.com/revision/grammar/forming-questions-by-inverting-in-the-present-tense-il-elle-on-forms  

Ozan D.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

I think That it may have two meanings 
 Quand ouvre-t-on les cadeaux?(when do we open the gifts=because "on" can be  used for "we")
Quand ouvre-t-on les cadeaux?( when  are the gifts opened= because "on" can be used for anonymous subjects in passive sentences

Deirdre L.A2Kwiziq community member

Its just a liaison for pronunciation because there are two vowels together otherwise 

lipika k.A1Kwiziq community member

When noun is ending with vowel and subject is starting with vowel we have to add -t- in between them.

Quand ouvre-t-on les cadeaux?

What is the meaning of the ‘t’ in the phrase ‘ouvre-t-on’?

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
Let me take a look at that...