French Phrase
J'ai regardé les salaires du secteur.
Meaning
I looked at the salaries of the sector. The speaker is indicating that they have examined wage data for a particular industry or professional field.
When to use
Use this sentence in business meetings, reports, or casual conversations when you want to share that you have checked or analyzed salary information for a specific sector.
✦Grammar Breakdown
J'airegardélessalairesdusecteur.
Passé composé with avoir
The verb 'regarder' forms the passé composé with the auxiliary 'avoir' (j'ai regardé). The past participle does not agree with the subject.
Past participle agreement
When the direct object precedes the verb, the past participle agrees; here the object follows, so no agreement is added.
Contraction du + le = du
'du' is the mandatory contraction of 'de le' before a masculine singular noun.
Plural noun agreement
'salaires' is plural, so the article 'les' and any adjectives would also be plural.
🗨In Conversation
J'ai regardé les salaires du secteur.
I looked at the sector's salaries.
Et qu'est-ce que tu en penses ?
And what do you think about it?
✕Common Mistakes
J'ai regardée les salaires du secteur.
Do not add an 'e' because the auxiliary is 'avoir' and the direct object follows the verb.
J'ai regardé les salaires de le secteur.
Do not separate the contraction; it must stay as 'du'.
J'ai regardé le salaires du secteur.
If you refer to a single salary, use the singular 'salaire'.
↔Alternatives
J'ai examiné les salaires du secteur.
I examined the sector's salaries.
J'ai étudié les salaires du secteur.
I studied the sector's salaries.
J'ai analysé les salaires du secteur.
I analyzed the sector's salaries.
Cultural Tip
In French business communication, precise terminology like 'salaires du secteur' is preferred over colloquial expressions. When presenting data, it’s common to preface your findings with a short statement such as this one, then follow with the numbers or trends you observed.