see below
Explanation: YOUR FIRST QUESTION Your first two sentences do indeed mean "get me/them the wine". (It does not mean, "buy her the wine". For her , or him for that matter, you would see "lui". In a context where a person might be asked to get some wine when he is about to go out shopping, said then as if to mean, "Don't forget the wine", it could be understood. Strictly speaking, this is not the translation or meaning of your sample sentences). Moreover, the form of the verb in your first examples is the present indicative. There is no reason to use the present subjunctive (aies/ayez) although I think you meant "aie" and "ayez", the imperative forms for commands and orders. "AVOIR" here is being used in the sense of "get" (procure = procurer) in context, "get hold of" "obtain" some wine. Likewise, I would not, as has been suggested, try using this imperative form in a restaurant - you may be asked to leave. Unless, you are in the fortunate position to be well respected by the owner in which case and in certain circumstances, the use of this form is conceiveable if you were asking him if he could get hold of a very special vintage. You would be flattering him. One answer indicated that you cannot say "ayant" as it is the past participle of the verb [avoir]. This is not correct. "Ayant" is not the past participle of "avoir". This verb's past participle is "eu". Its present participle is "ayant". You can of course use "ayant eu" to mean "having had...". You did not of course refer to this anyway in your question - just to set the record straight! YOUR SECOND QUESTION "You don't know what you are talking about". Both the forms you suggest "de quoi" and "ce dont" are certainly used. Whether they are both correct is another matter. Where the English 'what' is the equivalent of 'that of which', then "ce dont" is how it must be expressed in French. The forms are : subject : ce qui direct object : ce que 'that of which' : ce dont with other prepositions : ce à quoi, ce avec quoi, etc. This does not apply to your sentence. Instead, your example "de quoi" is to be preferred. Take a look at this. The forms for "what" in indirect questions are :- subject : ce qui direct object : ce que after preopositions : quoi (à quoi, de quoi, avec quoi etc) Examples : Subject : Dites-moi ce qui vous inquiète =Tell me what is worrying you Direct object : Je me demande ce qu'il va faire =I wonder what he is going to do After prepositions : Dites-moi de quoi vous parlez =Tell me what you were talking about (THIS IS THE ONE WHICH MATCHES YOU EXAMLPE) On ne sait jamais à quoi il pense =One (You) never know what he is thinking (about) Savez-vous avec quoi il a ouvert la boite? =Do you knwo whwat he opened the bow with. I hope that I have made things clearer for you. If you are getting into this, then I can recommend the two classic grammar works below, the first of which is a university classic in England for students of French, the second being a classic for students of English in France. Both are excellent on the subtlties and tricky bits of French and English when trying to represent an idea correctly. All the best, Nikki
A Comprehensive French Grammar, Glanville Price (Byrne & Churchill) 4th ed. 1999, Blackwell's ISBN 0-631-18165-2 L'Anglais de A-Z, Swan & Houdart, 1998, Hatier ISBN 2-21871 797-2
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