FR: Après en avoir éliminé les extrémités

J

je_t'aime

New Member
Scotland
Scotland English
Hello everyone!! I'm new to this group!
My french isn't very good, but I try to read lots of french magazines and literature to improve it.
Yesterday I was reading a recipe written in french, and it said:
"Aprés en avoir éliminés les extrémités; lavez les courgettes..."

I know that the whole sentence means "after one has chopped off the ends, wash the courgettes,..." But I would like some more information on the use of "en avoir" . I searched for it in the dictionary, but that just confused me!!!
Thanks
Rosie
 
    • Hi,
    en avoir sometimes does appear as one, but here en is the pronoun which replaces de les courgettes =>des courgettes, I think.
    Therefore, it is actually apres avoir éliminés les extrémités (des courgettes); lavez les courgettes..."

    Note that en can replace de le monde = >du monde or de la eau => de l'eau, etc.

    As for en avoir (as an item, so to speak), there is a previous thread. Please use the search key.

    I am just a French student. The native speakers will tell us if I am not correct or if they have something further to add.
     
    There are two different grammar items in your question :

    1) en (pronoun) = de + nominal group

    je n'en veux pas = je ne veux pas de viande

    2) avoir goes with the past participle to form the past infinitive (ENGLISH : After removing : in English a gerund is used because the verb is placed after a preposition)

    je vous prie de m'excuser d'avoir oublié le rendez-vous : I apologize for forgetting the appointment

    Je vous remercie d'avoir répondu aussi vite : Thank you for replying to me so promptly
     
    je_t'aime said:
    "Aprés en avoir éliminés les extrémités; lavez les courgettes..."
    Click to expand...
    Hello Rosie,

    I'm going to deal with "en" separately

    avoir éliminé is the "infinitif passé" of the verb "éliminer"
    This tense is often used after "après"
    So "avoir" here, is an auxiliary verb wich works with "éliminer"


    "en" stands for "des courgettes", i.e. to avoid saying :
    après avoir éliminé les extrémités des courgettes, lavez les courgettes
    you replace the first "des courgettes" by "en" and there you are
    "en" is always put to replace "de+ noun" (and "y" to replace à+noun)
    Tu as de l'argent ?
    Oui, j'en ai

    Il a une belle maison. Il est fier de sa maison
    should be transformed into
    Il a une belle maison. Il en est fier

    Hope this helps

    EDIT : I tried my best to hurry but Jean-Michel beat me to it all the same.
     
    Rosie, there are some excellent explanations above, but just to put things in a slightly simpler way "en" literally stands for "of it" or "of them".

    So "after of them having eliminated the extremities" = "after having cut off their ends".

    Cheers

    Tim.
     
    timpeac said:
    Rosie, there are some excellent explanations above, but just to put things in a slightly simpler way "en" literally stands for "of it" or "of them".

    So "after of them having eliminated the extremities" = "after having cut off their ends".
    Click to expand...

    (1) Now this is what I call a very useful guide to the English-speaking students.
    (2) When you see "de" something, think "en", our teacher said, and vice-versa. There are exceptions, of course, as in everything, but it did help me pass through several tests and exam. when I started to learn French. I hope this will help you too.
     
    Dear Rosie
    Might I suggest you take a look at my earlier thread on this: I found the replies very helpful. Rex
     
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