miketuan

[viscid pumice]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[iron hornet]

not all of those are the same type of inversion.
There first two with "elle demande" are stylistic inversions.
When a noun phrase follows a relative pronoun, subject-verb inversion is optional. ("que" and "où" are relative pronouns)
"Elle demande où se trouve le bureau" is the exact same as "Elle demande où le bureau se trouve"

"Dites-nous quand vous reviendrez." is imperative construction. This is not inversion.
You're not inverting the subject and the verb, rather, "nous" is the object. In the imperative, the subject is always conveyed through conjugation with no pronoun, and if there is an object, it is added after the verb. https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/imperative-mood/

[bold flower]

Sorry for the confusion, but in the final example, I relate to "vous reviendrez" (not "dites-nous") as non inverted to compare it to the above two examples where inversion in "discours indirect" is made

[iron hornet]

I see. Stylistic inversions cannot be done with subject pronouns, only nouns.
"Dites-nous quand vous reviendrez" cannot have one because the subject of the relative clause "vous" is a pronoun.
Let's replace it with someone's name for the example.
"Dites-nous quand Marc reviendra" is a correct sentence.
"Dites-nous quand reviendra Marc" is a correct sentence with the exact same meaning.

[bold flower]

Can I write "Dites-nous pourquoi reviendra Mac"?
https://tools.e-exercises.com/doku.php?id=fr:grammaire:construction_phrase:phrase_complexe:discours_indirect:inversion_sujet_verbe
This source says that we cant do that

remarque 1

[jolly quail]

that's not discours indirect afaik

[modern gale]

"dites-nous pourquoi reviendra Marc" est correct en soi, vous pouvez tout à fait dire ceci à l'oral.

*I didn't read the site but we can say that in french, I can say that in french for example.

[bold flower]

I see

[bold flower]

Hi Flynn! I found something contradicting in my textbook' s lesson about passé antérieur: « Elle était déjà venue dans ce quartier 5 ans plus tôt, et à peine eut-elle retrouvé la maison aux volets bleus que de tendres souvenirs lui revinrent à l'esprit. » Is this also stylistic inversion as you mentioned? If so why is there a subject pronoun "elle"?

[jolly quail]

https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/23472/la-syntaxe/le-sujet-dans-la-phrase/inversion-sujet-verbe-apres-des-adverbes-comme-peut-etre-en-tete-de-phrase

[bold flower]