Language/French/Grammar/Pronominal-verbs-used-as-passives

From Polyglot Club WIKI
< Language‎ | French‎ | Grammar
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This lesson can still be improved. EDIT IT NOW! & become VIP
Rate this lesson:
5.00
(one vote)

Pronominal verbs used as passives
French-Language-PolyglotClub.png

Passive pronominal verbs are a type of pronominal verbs used to create a passive voice. They can also be called passive reflective.

In French, pronominal verbs can be used to create a passive voice in sentences. These verbs are called passive pronominal verbs or passive reflective verbs. Understanding the proper use of these verbs is essential for accurate French communication.

In this lesson, we will explore the concept of passive pronominal verbs and provide examples of how they are used in French sentences. We will discuss the common misunderstandings about these verbs and provide tips for using them correctly.

By the end of this lesson, you will have a better understanding of the proper usage of passive pronominal verbs in French and be able to apply this knowledge to your conversations and writing. So let's dive in and learn about this important aspect of French grammar!

Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Possessive determiners, Omission of the article, Omission of the article with nouns in apposition & Adverbs ending in —ment derived from the feminine form of an adjective.

Definitions[edit | edit source]

Pronominal Verbs[edit | edit source]

Pronominal verbs ("Les verbes pronominaux" in French), of which there are several categories, are verbs that are constructed with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous) of the same person as the subject.

This pronoun is always placed before the verb.

Active Voice and Passive Voice[edit | edit source]

→ The active voice presents the subject as the agent of the action.

Example:

  • Nos amis construisent une maison.

Our friends are building a house.

→ By reversal, the passive voice presents the subject as an agent undergoing the action.

Example:

  • Une maison est construite par nos amis.

A house is built by our friends.

Pronominal verbs used as passives[edit | edit source]

Pronominal verbs are increasingly used in the passive voice:

  • Les smartphones se vendent comme des petits pains

Smartphones are selling like hot cakes

  • Ces verbes se conjuguent avec l'auxiliaire "être"

These verbs are conjugated with the auxiliary "to be"

  • La langue française se parle également en Belgique et au Québec

The French language is also spoken in Belgium and Quebec

  • Ce matériel s'achète dans les boutiques spécialisées

This equipment can be purchased in specialized stores

  • Les titres du NASDAQ se maintiennent à la Bourse de New York

NASDAQ Stocks remain unchanged at the New York Stock Exchange

  • Cela ne se fait pas d'agir ainsi dans un restaurant

That is just not done to do that in a restaurant

  • Ce Champagne se boit froid

This Champagne is drunk cold

  • La vengeance est un plat qui se mange froid

Revenge is a meal to be eaten cold

  • C'est une revue qui se lit si l'on est concentré

It's a magazine that can be read if you are focused

Other Chapters[edit | edit source]

Table of Contents

Nouns


Determiners


Personal and impersonal pronouns


Adjectives


Adverbs


Numbers, measurements, time and quantifiers


Verb forms


Verb constructions


Verb and participle agreement


Tense


The subjunctive, modal verbs, exclamatives and imperatives


The infinitive


Prepositions


Question formation


Relative clauses


Negation


Conjunctions and other linking constructions

Videos[edit | edit source]

Learn French Grammar I Pronominal verbs with a passive meaning ...[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

Contributors

Maintenance script and Vincent


Create a new Lesson