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When I use Google to translate these 2 sentences into French, “to Australia” is translated differently: “en Australie” and “à l'Australie”. Why?

distance from Chicago to Australia; distance from London to Australia

are translated into (by Google translate)

distance de Chicago en Australie; distance de Londres à l'Australie

Also if I write in this form: distance Chicago-Australie, then I can omit l' in front of Australie?

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  • 2
    Just don't use google translate, it is not reliable. You have already asked a question on this subject, edit it if you want to modify it. Moreover I already gave you the answer in a comment under this question closed as duplicate. If you do not read comments you can edit and modify this closed question and ask for it to be reopened, I'll make an answer. Although you have already accepted an answer that does not answer neither your first question nor this new one. – Laure SO - Écoute-nous Aug 31 '16 at 6:01
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The first suggestion:

Distance de Chicago en Australie

is wrong, it translates to "Distance of Chicago, Australia"

the second one:

Distance de Chicago à l'Australie

is technically correct but sounds odd. I would only use it between two similar entities:

Distance de Chicago à New-York

Distance de la Terre à la Lune

The issue is the form de ... à somewhat convey the idea the distance between both locations depend on which direction it is measured. As it is usually not the case, I would prefer to use the more symmetrical entre ... et which is usable between whatever entities:

Distance entre Chicago et l'Australie.

Distance entre les États-Unis et l'Australie.

Distance entre Chicago et Sidney

Distance entre la Terre et le Soleil

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  • Même si la dernière solution distance entre A et B sonne juste, j'aurais plutôt tendance à dire distance A-B, distance Chicago-Australie, car on dit distance Terre-Lune. – Larme Aug 31 '16 at 10:02
  • @larme Pourquoi pas en effet, ça peut se dire aussi. – jlliagre Aug 31 '16 at 10:45
  • I noticed the these is no l' in front of Australie in distance Chicago-Australie. So I can omit l' with the format distance A-B? Thanks. – Tony Sep 2 '16 at 0:04
  • You actually need to omit the article when using that construct. – jlliagre Sep 2 '16 at 0:06
  • Thanks! I will write distance Chicago-Australie. Much easier for me to do. – Tony Sep 2 '16 at 0:26

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