Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Grammar/Pronominal-verbs-used-reciprocally"
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
=== | ===Direct Object Pronoun=== | ||
* Habituellement, les journalistes se consultent avant de publier ce genre d'article polémique | * Habituellement, les journalistes se consultent avant de publier ce genre d'article polémique | ||
Usually, journalists consult each other before publishing this kind of controversial article. | Usually, journalists consult each other before publishing this kind of controversial article. | ||
*Ils se donneront rendez-vous à la station Opéra à Paris | *Ils se donneront rendez-vous à la station Opéra à Paris | ||
They will meet at the Opéra metro station in Paris | They will meet at the Opéra metro station in Paris | ||
*Nous nous connaissons déjà bien depuis 5 ans | *Nous nous connaissons déjà bien depuis 5 ans | ||
We have known each other well for 5 years | We have known each other well for 5 years | ||
*Les enfants se disputent souvent quand ils sont fatigués | *Les enfants se disputent souvent quand ils sont fatigués | ||
Children often argue (with each other) when they are tired | Children often argue (with each other) when they are tired | ||
===Indirect Object Pronoun=== | ===Indirect Object Pronoun=== | ||
The pronoun can be a direct object, as in the examples above, or an indirect object, as in the following examples: | The pronoun can be a direct object, as in the examples above, or an indirect object, as in the following examples: | ||
*Souvent les personnes s'écrivent pour restent en contact | *Souvent les personnes s'écrivent pour restent en contact | ||
| Line 44: | Line 38: | ||
== Ambiguity== | == Ambiguity== | ||
Sometimes there is | Sometimes there is an ambiguity about considering the pronoun as reflexive or reciprocal. Example : | ||
*Les | *Les joueurs se sont fait très mal | ||
The | The players hurt each other very badly or The boxers hurt themselves very badly (i.e. each hurt himself but not the other) | ||
*Les étudiants se sont posé des questions | |||
The students asked each other questions or The participants asked questions of themselves | |||
=="l'un l'autre"== | |||
*Les | One way to make reciprocity very clear is by adding the phrase "l'un l'autre" (each other). | ||
The | |||
== | |||
One way to make | |||
===Direct Object=== | ===Direct Object=== | ||
For example, | For example, with a direct object: | ||
*Les | *Les joueurs se sont blessés l'un l'autre | ||
The | The players hurt each other | ||
===Indirect Object=== | ===Indirect Object=== | ||
But | But with an indirect object: | ||
*Les | *Les étudiants se sont posé des questions l'un à l'autre | ||
The | The students asked each other questions | ||
===Gender and Number Variation=== | |||
"l'un l'autre" also varies in gender and number. | |||
If the subjects are feminine "l'une l'autre" is required: | |||
*Nous nous aidons l'une l'autre pour la garde des enfants | |||
* | |||
We help each other out with looking after the children | We help each other out with looking after the children | ||
Revision as of 20:53, 4 December 2021
[EN COURS DE CHANGEMENT]
Definitions
Pronominal Verbs
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.
Reciprocal Verbs
The reciprocal pronominal verb expresses an action both accomplished and received by each of the actors in the action.
- Toutes les étudiants se sont regardés.
All the students looked at each other.
Pronominal Verbs used Reciprocally
When a pronominal verb is used in the plural and describes a situation where several subjects are doing things to each other, it is being used reciprocally.
Examples
Direct Object Pronoun
- Habituellement, les journalistes se consultent avant de publier ce genre d'article polémique
Usually, journalists consult each other before publishing this kind of controversial article.
- Ils se donneront rendez-vous à la station Opéra à Paris
They will meet at the Opéra metro station in Paris
- Nous nous connaissons déjà bien depuis 5 ans
We have known each other well for 5 years
- Les enfants se disputent souvent quand ils sont fatigués
Children often argue (with each other) when they are tired
Indirect Object Pronoun
The pronoun can be a direct object, as in the examples above, or an indirect object, as in the following examples:
- Souvent les personnes s'écrivent pour restent en contact
Often people write to one another to keep in touch
- Il a été demandé aux enfants de se poser les bonnes questions sans demander au professeur
Children were asked to ask themselves the right questions without asking the teacher
- Nous nous envoyons un cadeau à chaque vacance de Noël
We send each other a gift every Christmas holiday
[CONTINUER A PARTIR D'ICI]
Ambiguity
Sometimes there is an ambiguity about considering the pronoun as reflexive or reciprocal. Example :
- Les joueurs se sont fait très mal
The players hurt each other very badly or The boxers hurt themselves very badly (i.e. each hurt himself but not the other)
- Les étudiants se sont posé des questions
The students asked each other questions or The participants asked questions of themselves
"l'un l'autre"
One way to make reciprocity very clear is by adding the phrase "l'un l'autre" (each other).
Direct Object
For example, with a direct object:
- Les joueurs se sont blessés l'un l'autre
The players hurt each other
Indirect Object
But with an indirect object:
- Les étudiants se sont posé des questions l'un à l'autre
The students asked each other questions
Gender and Number Variation
"l'un l'autre" also varies in gender and number.
If the subjects are feminine "l'une l'autre" is required:
- Nous nous aidons l'une l'autre pour la garde des enfants
We help each other out with looking after the children
If more than just two subjects are involved a plural form of "l'un l'autre" is required:
- Les universitaires du monde entier peuvent se contacter les uns les autres par courrier électronique
Academics all over the world can contact each other by email