The reason French uses "et" instead of "and" is because French and English are different languages with different grammatical structures.
Here's a breakdown:
* "And" is a conjunction in English. It connects words, phrases, or clauses.
* "Et" is the equivalent conjunction in French. It also connects words, phrases, or clauses.
So, it's not that the French "put their and together," but rather that they use a different word for "and" that reflects the grammatical rules of the French language.