Function of the "Pour"

[Tinyturtle]

Hi everyone,

I would like to say "This is my passport" in French and I found that there are several ways to say that

1. C'est mon passeport

2. C'est pour mon passeport

3. C'est de mon passeport

Please help me explain the function of the "pour" in the second sentence! Does it make any difference from the first sentence?

Is the third sentence in correct grammar? Does the third sentence have any different meaning from the two first sentences?

Thank you so much in advance!

[George Hunt]

I would say only the first example (" C'est mon passeport") could be translated as "this is my passsport".

"Pour" means "for"  and so "C'est pour mon passeport" would just mean ""this is for my passport" as far as I know. 

I am not sure what "C'est de mon passeport"  might mean .Of course "de" means "of"  but I can't think of a context in which you could use this expression.("c'est de mon passeport que vous parlez ?" might be possible  although I think "c'est mon passeport dont vous parlez?"  would be more correct for "are you talking about my passport?" )

[Neil Coffey]

Hi George -- As it happens, it's the other way round: "C'est de mon passeport que vous parlez?" is grammatical, but the version with "dont" isn't.

In general, these types of "cleft" sentences are formed with:

"C'est ... qui/que ..."

and elements other than "qui" or "que" aren't generally possible. (For "c'est" you can use any of the simple tenses: "C'était..", "Ce sera...", "Ce serait...", "Ce fut...". Subjunctives just about possible with the right context: "Je veux que ce soit ... qui ....".)

P.S. As a side note, you might I suppose occasionally hear:

"C'est mon passeport, CE DONT je parle."

[Tinyturtle]

Thanks Neil!

Could you let me know which sentence a native speaker would say? 

"C'est mon passeport" or "C'est pour mon passeport"

[George Hunt]

Thanks .That is what happens when I start making things up!

[Tinyturtle]

Thanks George!

I understand the "pour" means "for" but I don't understand why we need to use the "pour" in the sentence. 

I do not know which sentence a native speaker would say

[George Hunt]

No problem!

I don't know how  you came across that sentence in the first place ("C'est pour mon passeport").

I can't see how it could be used to mean  anything  close to "This is my passport"

The only context that would come to my mind would be if you had taken a passport photo of yourself and then  "it would be for the passport" ("ce serait pour le passeport")

 

So no there is no need for "pour " in that sentence and I am sure a native speaker could just say "C'est mon passeport".

Alternative expressions are :

"Voici /voilà mon passeport"

"Ceci est mon passeport"

"Celui-ci est mon passeport" (ie this one is my passport when you probably have  3 or 4  similar documents in your hand!)

Tiens! Mon passeport" (Hey this is my passport!)

[Tinyturtle]

I got it. Thank you so much George!