Language/French/Grammar/Emphasizing-the-reciprocal-use-of-se-by-adding-l'un-l'autre

Emphasizing the reciprocal use of se by adding l'un l'autre

The reciprocal interpretation of se can be made explicit by the addition of one of the phrases l'un(e) l'autre, l'un(e) à l'autre, les un(e)s les autres, les un(e)s aux autres, all with the meaning 'each other', 'one another'. l'un(e) l'autre or l'un(e) à l'autre are used when the subject refers to just two people or things:

• Les deux boxeurs se regardaient fixement l'un l'autre

The two boxers were staring at each other

• Mes deux soeurs se copient l'une l'autre

My two sisters copy one another

les un(e)s les autres and les un(e)s aux autres are used when the subject refers to more than two people or things:

• Les équipiers se connaissent depuis longtemps les uns les autres

The team members have known each other for a long time

• Les enfants se sont donné des petits cadeaux les uns aux autres

The children gave each other small presents

Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Possessive determiners, Omission of the article, Use of indefinite and partitive articles after the negative forms & Number differences between French and English nouns.

Other Lessons

• An adjective agreeing with nouns linked by de
• Punctuation
• Polite Form
• Benefactive me, te, se, nous, vous
• Masculine and feminine forms of adjectives — No change in written or spoken French
• Use of y in constructions where à does not introduce an indirect object
• Easy way of generating the present tense
• Imperative mood
• Adjectives
• Gender of makes of vehicle and machines
• Easy way of generating the present subjunctive
• subjects objects pronouns
• il or ça alternating with clauses or infinitives as subjects
• Differences in the use of numbers in French and English mille milliers milliards
• Use of an année, jour journée, matin matinée, soir soirée