Difference between revisions of "Language/French/Grammar/Pronominal-Verbs-Agreement"

From Polyglot Club WIKI
< Language‎ | French‎ | Grammar
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Accord of pronominal verbs)
 
Line 1: Line 1:
Accord of pronominal verbs :
<div style="font-size:300%;">Pronominal Verbs Agreement</div>
You can identify a pronominal verb by its infinitive; it always has the pronoun se right before the infinitive, like in se préparer (to get oneself ready).


Essentially pronominal verbs, that is to say that exist only in pronominal form (with "se" in infinitive forme), are always accorded in gender and number with the subject.  
Generaly, Pronominal verbs (only existing in Pronominal form), always agree in gender and number with the subject.  


exemple : Elle s'est souvenue de vous.
Example:  
*Elle s'est souvenue de vous. (She remembered you)


Occasionally pronominal verbs i.e. that exist in non-pronominal form, are accorded as a past participle like with the auxiliary "avoir". That is to say with the complement (COD) of the sentence if the complement is before the verb. If it's not the case, the verb isn't accorded.  
Occasionally pronominal verbs also existing in the non-pronominal form, follow the same agreement rules as the past participle like with the auxiliary "avoir".  


exemples : Ils se sont échangés des lettres.
Those verbs agree with the complement (''direct object complement'', COD in French) if the complement is before the verb. If the COD is not before the verb, the verb is invariable.  


Les lettre qu'ils se sont échangées.
Example:
*'''Ils''' se sont échangé'''s''' des lettres. (They exchanged letters)
(COD after the verb: no agreement)
 
*"Les lettr'''es''' qu'ils se sont échang'''ées'''.
(COD before the verb: agreement)

Revision as of 21:13, 21 May 2020

Pronominal Verbs Agreement

You can identify a pronominal verb by its infinitive; it always has the pronoun se right before the infinitive, like in se préparer (to get oneself ready).

Generaly, Pronominal verbs (only existing in Pronominal form), always agree in gender and number with the subject.

Example:

  • Elle s'est souvenue de vous. (She remembered you)

Occasionally pronominal verbs also existing in the non-pronominal form, follow the same agreement rules as the past participle like with the auxiliary "avoir".

Those verbs agree with the complement (direct object complement, COD in French) if the complement is before the verb. If the COD is not before the verb, the verb is invariable.

Example:

  • Ils se sont échangés des lettres. (They exchanged letters)

(COD after the verb: no agreement)

  • "Les lettres qu'ils se sont échangées.

(COD before the verb: agreement)