chatnappers

[tepid kelp]

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.

[heady stag]

Être + adjective + à = the thing being described by the adjective is before the adjective
Être + adjective + de = the thing being described by the adjective is what follows

C'est difficile à manger ≈ Quelque chose est difficile à manger

C'est difficile de manger ≈ Manger est difficile

In the first case, with à, "ce" represents an actual thing, in the second, it's just a dummy subject for the verb, it doesn't represent anything real

[maiden agate]

Okay, so both prepositions are grammatically valid, the choice of which preposition to use just depends on what meaning you want to convey

[heady stag]

Yes, they mean different things

There are some sentences where only one works (such as in your original sentence)

Probably a lot of them tbh

[maiden agate]

Yeah I came across sentences where they use either à or de + infinitif to extend the sentence

[heady stag]

This rule is very specifically être + adjective + à/de, prepositions pop up all the time elsewhere

With à the original item has to be the implied direct object of the verb that follows, which "organiser une fête" already has a direct object so it wouldn't work (and many verbs simply can't have direct objects)

[maiden agate]

Right, those intranstive verbs

[heady stag]

"Ce serait chouette à organiser" would work since you move "une fête" to "ce"

Yep

[maiden agate]

Alright, I think that answers my question. Merci beaucoup albatros 🫰

[heady stag]

De rien~!

[thorny lynx]

With à, the infinitive basically imitates the passive structure, so that means the thing being done has to be in the subject position, or at least before this.
Une fête serait chouette à organiser is essentially "a party would be sweet to be organized/had".

Of course "une fête" can be replaced with "ce" and we get "ce serait chouette à organiser".
And since subject/object reduplication is common in casual French, you can even keep "une fête" before or after the sentence, separated by a comma:

Une fête, ce serait chouette à organiser.
Ce serait chouette à organiser, une fête.
So don't mistake it with the structure used in your screenshot.

[true echo]

On this topic, if I say "une fête est difficile de organiser", is this still valid? Does it change the meaning from "une fête est difficile à organiser"?

[thorny lynx]

Not grammatically correct.

In "c'est difficile d'organiser une fête", ce is impersonal, it doesn't refer to anything. Because it's just the other way to say "organiser une fête est difficile".