French Phrase
Le DSL utilise les lignes téléphoniques.
Meaning
The sentence states that DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) technology makes use of ordinary telephone lines to transmit internet data. It highlights the technical fact that no new wiring is required, only the existing copper phone lines.
When to use
Use this sentence when explaining how broadband internet works, especially in a tech‑oriented conversation or a presentation about internet infrastructure.
✦Grammar Breakdown
LeDSLutiliseleslignestéléphoniques.
Definite Article (Le)
Le is the masculine singular definite article, used before masculine nouns or abbreviations like DSL.
Verb Conjugation (utilise)
Utilise is the third‑person singular present tense of the verb utiliser, meaning ‘to use’.
Plural Definite Article (les)
Les is the plural definite article, used before plural nouns such as lignes.
Noun Gender (lignes téléphoniques)
Lignes is feminine plural; téléphoniques is an adjective that agrees in gender and number.
Word Order
French follows Subject‑Verb‑Object order; adjectives that come after the noun (like téléphoniques) follow the noun.
🗨In Conversation
Le DSL utilise les lignes téléphoniques.
DSL uses telephone lines.
Donc on n’a pas besoin de poser de nouveaux câbles ?
So we don’t need to lay new cables?
✕Common Mistakes
Le DSL utilise les lignes téléphonique.
Adjectives must agree in number and gender; téléphonique should be plural téléphoniques.
Le DSL utilise les lignes téléphoniques
Missing period is fine in speech, but written French requires punctuation at the end of a statement.
Le DSL utilise le lignes téléphoniques.
‘Le’ is singular; use ‘les’ for plural nouns.
↔Alternatives
Le DSL fonctionne grâce aux lignes téléphoniques.
DSL works thanks to telephone lines.
Le DSL se sert des lignes téléphoniques.
DSL makes use of telephone lines.
Le DSL exploite les lignes téléphoniques existantes.
DSL exploits the existing telephone lines.
Cultural Tip
In French technical writing, it’s common to keep the English acronym DSL unchanged, but the article (le) must agree with the gender of the abbreviation, which is treated as masculine. Also, avoid translating ‘telephone lines’ literally as ‘câbles téléphoniques’; the standard term is ‘lignes téléphoniques’. When speaking, keep the sentence concise – French prefers short, clear statements in technical contexts.