Good afternoon friends! Today I would like to tell you about reflexive verbs in French. In order to master this topic easier and better, you need to remember the same grammatical category in Russian.
What in our native language indicates recurrence? Exactly, this ending is –sya/-sya. We usually use these words in cases where a person or object performs an action on itself.
The reflexivity indicator in French is the reflexive pronoun Se placed before the verb. Each person and number will have its own pronoun, that is, Se will change:
Next will be the word itself, denoting the action, modified in accordance with the rules of conjugation. You remember that we have three conjugations that depend on the ending of the verb? So in this case, if in initial form the word ends in –er, then it belongs to the 1st type of conjugation, with –ir – to the 2nd, and the exceptions are repentir, attendre, which belong to the third. As a result, we get this conjugation option:
Tu te loves. - you are washing.
Nous nous lavons. - we wash.
Ils/elles se lavent. - they wash themselves.
And accordingly, examples with the pronouns I/He/She/You:
But there are cases when the reflexive pronoun comes not before, but after the verb and takes on the stress. This is an affirmative imperative. Here's what happens:
Lève-toi.
Levons-nous.
Levez-vous.
Not like in Russian
Not all pronominal verbs are translated into Russian by analogues with the particle –sya/-sya. In addition to them, there are two more types of words that are considered reflexive:
- Actions denoting mutual reciprocity, that is, if it is appropriate to say “each other”, for example, to love - s’aimer.
- When a word expresses a passive action: to sell – se vendre.
In addition, there is a whole list of words that can only be pronominal:
It all depends on the pronoun
If the pronominal verb is not preceded by a reflexive verb, then it becomes a simple word denoting an action, and the sentence takes on a slightly different form. Compare:
Il love son frere. (He washes his brother). - Il se love. (He is washing himself).
As a general rule
Negation in sentences with reflexive verbs is formed in the same way as with ordinary ones - using ne...pas. The only thing you need to pay attention to is the position of the negative particles: we put ne after se (or its other form), pas - after the word denoting the action.
Nous nenous sommes pas rencontrés hier. – We didn’t meet yesterday.
Please note that using pronominal verbs in the past tense requires conjugating them in accordance with the conjugation rules, and the corresponding pronoun (here nous) does not change with time.
Try a few exercises (les exercises) to check if you have read all the information carefully:
Conjugate the reflexive verbs in brackets correctly and put them in sentences:
- Je __________________ les mains. (se lover)
- Vous ______________________, s’il vous plaît, pour que je vous examine.
(se déshabiller) - Tu __________________ dans le miroir? (se voir)
I hope everything worked out for you? Then check yourself, here are the answers
- me love
- vous deshabillez
- te vois
Well, is everything right? Congratulations, you have mastered today's lesson perfectly! If you have questions, ask them in the comments!
Today I tried to tell you simply and clearly about reflexive verbs in.
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Perhaps the verb is the main part of speech in French. A verb is an action, and given the number of verb tenses in French grammar, we can conclude that the French pay special attention to the verb.
Today we would like to discuss conjugation French verbs reflexive or pronominal type. In Russian, reflexive verbs are verbs ending in –xia. In French, these are verbs with reflexive pronouns.
A few words about reflexive verbs
We have already said more than once that in French there are three groups or three categories of verbs:
- The first group is verbs with endings – er:parl er
- Second group - ending – ir: rouge ir
- Third group ( irregular verbs) – endings – re, –oir, –ir: comprend re ,v oir ,ven ir
As for reflexive verbs, they are also divided into three categories and have the same endings in the infinitive: the first group is se lav er , second group – s’évanou ir , third group (irregular verbs) – se repent ir , s'attend re .
But they have one peculiarity: such verbs are conjugated with reflexive pronouns - me , te , nous , vous , se. For example:
Se laver - to wash
Je me lave - I wash sya
Tu te laves - you wash Xia
Il/elle se lave – he/she washes Xia
Nous nous lavons – we wash Xia
Vous vous lavez – you wash sya
Ils/elles se lavent - they wash Xia
In the conjugation of reflexive verbs, reflexive pronouns agree with them in person and number. As a rule, reflexive pronouns come before the verb. An exception is the affirmative form of the imperative mood, in which reflexive pronouns are placed after the verb, and the pronoun te takes on the stressed form of the pronoun toi . Complex tense forms of reflexive verbs are formed with auxiliary verb être – to be . Note:
| Present | Passé Compose | Impératif |
| Je me lève Tu te leves Il/elle se lève Nous nous levons Vous vous levez Ils/elles se left | me suis levé t'es levé s'est levé nous sommes levés vousêtes levés se sont levé(e)s | Lève- toi ( Ne te lève pas) |
Three types of reflexive verbs and their conjugation
There are three types of reflexive verbs in French. This:
- Verbs with a reflexive meaning (in Russian these are verbs with a particle –xia: wash, dress - se laver, s’habiller);
- Verbs expressing mutual reciprocity of action (in the meaning of “each other”: write to each other - s’écrire, love each other - s’aimer);
- Verbs with a passive meaning (to sell - se vendre).
Please note: if the reflexive verb is in a sentence in indefinite form, the reflexive particle must change and agree with the person to whom the verb refers: Je dois me decider. - I have to make up my mind.
Negative form reflexive verbs are formed as follows: negative particle ne is placed before the reflexive pronoun of the verb, and the second negation pas – after the verb (in complex tenses - after the auxiliary verb):
- Nous ne nous rencontrons pas aujourd'hui. - TodayWeNotlet's meet.
- Nous ne nous sommes pas rencontrés hier. - WeyesterdayNotmet.
- Je ne me change pas le soir. - INotchanging clothesIn the evening.
- Nous ne nous changers pas le soir. - WeNotlet's change clothesIn the evening.
Interrogative form starts with a question Est-ceque, then the pronoun, then the reflexive pronoun and the verb itself:
- Est-ce que tu te loves? - Youwash yourself?
- Est-ce que vous vous ê tes décides? - Youdecided?
In French there are a number of verbs that are used only in the reflexive form:
s'abstenir– abstain
s'accouder– lean on your elbows
s'agenouiller- kneel down
s'écrier- scream
s'écrouler- collapse
s'emparer- take possession
s'empresser- hurry
s'evader- run away
s'enfuir- run away
s'évanouir- get swoon
s'envoler- fly away
s'ingénier- manage
se moquer- mock
se réfugier- take shelter
se repentir- repent
s'en alle r – leave, leave
s'endormir- fall asleep
se souvenir- recall
And there are verbs that change their meaning in reflexive form:
- Attendre wait; s’attendre à qch – expect, hope
- Entendre hear; s'entendre - reach an agreement
- Mettre put; se mettre à – get started, start
Notice both verbs in the sentence:
- J'attends mon ami. Je m'attends à ce qu'il vienne. - II am waitingmyfriend. I hope he comes.
- J'ai entendu que vous vous ê tes entendus de votre rencontre. - Iheard, WhatYouDealOmeeting.
- J'ai mis le disque dans le magnétophone et je me suis mis àécouter de la musique. - IputdiskVrecord playerAndstartedlistenmusic.
As you can see, friends, the conjugation of reflexive verbs is very similar to the conjugation of ordinary verbs, the main thing is to remember the reflexive pronouns and know the place where they are located.
-->Reflexive verbsReflexive verbs in French are verbs conjugated with reflexive pronouns (me, te, nous, vous, se). Regarding French verbs, we will also use the term pronominal verbs.
Reflexive verb conjugation
When conjugating reflexive verbs, reflexive pronouns agree with the verb in person and number. Usually reflexive pronouns precede the verb. The exception is the affirmative form of the imperative mood, in which reflexive pronouns are placed after the verb, while the pronoun te takes the form of the stressed pronoun toi. Complex forms of reflexive verbs are formed with the auxiliary verb être.
| present | passé composition | impératif | |
|---|---|---|---|
| je tu il nous vous ils |
me love te loves se love nous lavons vous lavez se lavent |
me suis lave t"es lave s"est lave nous sommes lavés vousêtes lave(s) se sont lavés |
- love- toi - lavons- nous lavez- vous - |
You can familiarize yourself with the conjugation of reflexive verbs in all main tenses on the page Typical conjugation of reflexive verbs
Types of reflexive verbs
In French, the following types of reflexive verbs are distinguished:
self-return verbs denoting an action whose subject is also an object. In these verbs, the reflexive pronoun can play the role of a direct or indirect object.
Pierre se love. - Pierre is washing his face.
Il se brosse les dents. He brushes (his) teeth.
reciprocal verbs, in which the subject is represented by two or more subjects who simultaneously perform an action and receive the same action. For these verbs, the reflexive pronoun can also play the role of a direct or indirect object.
Ils s"aiment. - They love each other.
Elles se sont regardées. - They looked at each other.
passive reflexive verbs, in which the subject is expressed by a noun denoting the object being affected.
Ces voitures se font en Allemagne.- These cars are made in Germany.
Ce livre se lit avec interêt.- This book is read with interest.
Verbs that are used only in reflexive form
Verbs that change meaning in reflexive form
We also encounter reflexive verbs in Russian. They are distinguished by the presence of the particle -sya (-s). In French, reflexive verbs can be recognized by the reflexive pronoun se (me, te, nous, vous) with which they are conjugated.
The so-called “proper reflexive verbs” are only part of pronominal verbs. By definition, in French grammar, pronominal verbs are verbs that are conjugated with personal pronouns indicating the person or thing to which the action is directed.
According to the semantic classification, pronominal verbs are divided into:
1. Pronominal reflexive verbs:
je me peigne - I'm combing my hair
elle se cache - she is hiding
2. Pronominal verbs of mutually directed action:
Ils se parlent - they are talking
Vous vous battez - you are fighting
3. Pronominal verbs of passive action (i.e. the action refers to an object that passively experiences it on itself):
La leçon s"oublie rapidement. - The lesson is quickly forgotten.
La fenêtre s"est refermée bruyamment. - The window closed with a knock.
4. Pronominal verbs denoting a sequence of action in time or space:
Les mois se suivent. - Months pass one after another.
Les nouvelles s"enchainent. - News follows one after another.
Reflexive pronouns, with which verbs are conjugated, change according to persons and numbers. In the indicative mood - both in the affirmative and in the negative form - the reflexive pronoun stands immediately before the verb:
je me fâche - I'm angry
tu te fâches - you are angry
il (elle) se fâche - he (she) is angry
nous nous fâchons - we are angry
vous vous fâchez - you are angry
ils (elles) se fâchent - they are angry
je ne me fâche pas - I'm not angry
tu ne te fâches pas - you are not angry
il (elle) ne se fâche pas - he (she) is not angry
nous ne nous fâchons pas - we are not angry
vous ne vous fâchez pas - you are not angry
ils (elles) ne se fâchent pas - they are not angry
In the negative form of the imperative mood, the reflexive pronoun is also placed immediately before the verb:
Ne te fâche pas! - Do not be angry!
Ne nous fâchons pas! - Let's not be angry!
Ne vous fâchez pas! - Do not be angry!
However, in the affirmative form of the imperative mood, the reflexive pronoun comes after the verb, and instead of the unstressed pronoun “te” its stressed form “toi” is used:
Fâche-toi! - Be angry!
Fâchons-nous! - We'll be angry!
Fâchez-vous! - Get angry!
In question form indicative mood inversion occurs: the reflexive pronoun when conjugating a verb is placed after it (except for the 1st person singular; in this case the phrase est-ce que is used):
Pourquoi est-ce que je me fâche? - Why am I angry?
Pourquoi te fâches-tu? - Why are you angry?
Pourquoi se fâche-t-il (-elle)? - Why is he (she) angry?
Pourquoi nous fâchons-nous? - Why are we angry?
Pourquoi vous fâchez-vous? - Why are you angry?
Pourquoi se fâchent-ils (-elles?) - Why are they angry?
Here are some examples of reflexive verbs:
se promener - to walk
se réunir - to gather
s'habiller - to dress
se deshabiller - to undress
se coucher - go to bed
s'arrêter - to stop
s’installer - to be located
se laver - to wash oneself
Dialogue
Macha est en stage dans une université française. Elle parle avec son amie française Pauline.
Pauline: Salut, Macha!
Macha: Salut, Pauline! Ça va?
P.: Oui, ça va très bien; et toi?
M.:Ça va, mais je ne suis pas encore habituée à mon emploi du temps.
P.: Ce n'est pas étonnant, parce que tu viens d'arriver. Tu habites loin de la fac?
M.: Oui, j'habite dans le campus universitaire, c'est loin. Les cours commencent à huit heures et demie ou à neuf heures du matin. Je dois me lever à six heures et demie ou à sept heures.
P.: Moi, j'habite près de la faculté, mais je me réveille aussi à six heures et demie.
M.: Pourquoi est-ce que tu te réveilles si tôt?
P.: Tu sais, quand je me réveille, je ne me lève pas tout de suite. Le réveil sonne, mais je reste encore au lit pendant quelques minutes. Après je me lève, je fais ma gymnastique pendant vingt minutes ou une demi-heure, je prends ma douche et je prépare le petit déjeuner.
M.: Tu manges beaucoup le matin?
P.: Non, pas du tout. Pour le petit déjeuner les Français prennent un jus de fruit, du café avec du pain et de la confiture et c’est tout.
M.: Moi, je ne fais pas de gymnastique, parce que je n’ai pas le temps. Je n'ai pas de douche dans la chambre et donc je me lave à l'étage. Je m'habille et je descends à la cafétéria de la résidence pour prendre le petit déjeuner. Pour aller à la fac je prends le bus et j'arrive juste avant le début des cours. Je ne suis jamais en retard. Dismoi Pauline, où on peut manger à midi ?
P.: Au resto-U. La pause est assez longue: de midi à quatorze heures. C'est assez pour aller au restaurant universitaire. Le déjeuner n’est pas très cher, mais assez copieux: un hors-d’œuvre, un plat et un dessert.
M.: Et le soir? Est-ce qu’on peut dîner aussi au resto-U ?
P.: Bien sûr. Mais tu peux rentrer chez toi et préparer le dîner dans une petite cuisine à l’étage.
M.: Oui, mais j'aime mieux le restaurant universitaire: après le dîner on peut rester en ville et aller au théâtre ou au cinéma.
P.: D'accord. Mais tu sais, il y a le théâtre du campus. C'est tout près de chez toi. Si tu veux, aujourd'hui nous pouvons y aller ensemble. Les spectacles commencent à huit heures et demie du soir et finissent à dix heures - dix heures cinq.
M.: Merci, ce sera avec plaisir. Après le spectacle je peux revoir mes devoirs et je peux me coucher à minuit ou un peu plus tard.
P.: Entendu, je t'attends à huit heures et quart près du théâtre du campus.
Dear friends!
Starting from this lesson, we do not provide Russian translations of dialogues and texts. Use lesson dictionaries, and if necessary, your dictionary.
Dictionary
stage m internship
en stage on an internship
être habitué(e) à... get used to...
emploi (m) de temps schedule
temps m time
étonnant 1) m amazing, -aya, -oe; 2) amazing;
étonnante f amazing, -aya, -oe
fac f (abbr. faculty) faculty
campus m, campus university campus,
campus
universitaire m, f university, -aya, -oe
heure f hour
demi f half
se lever get up
se réveiller wake up (wake up)
tout de suite At once
réveil m alarm
sonner ring (the door; about an alarm clock)
lit m bed
pendant during, in continuation
quelques some
faire la gymnastique do exercises
demi-heure f half an hour
Prendre la douche take a shower
douche f shower
preparer cook, prepare
petit déjeuner m breakfast
renter come back
cinema m movie
chez toi Here: Your house
ensemble together
spectacle m play
(ce sera) avec plaisir with pleasure
please m pleasure
le matin in the morning
pas du tout not at all
jus[ʒy] m juice
jus de fruit fruit juice
configuration f jam
avoir le temps have time
donc so, in this way
se lover wash your face
s'habiller dress
descendre to go down
cafeteria f cafeteria
residence f here: dormitory
prendre le bus take the bus
bus m bus
juste[ʒyst] exactly, exactly
avant before (preposition)
debut m Start
être en retard to be late (about a person)
à midi at noon
midi m noon
resto-U m (abbr. restaurant universitaire)
university restaurant
pause f pause, break
pause de midi lunch break
déjeuner m lunch (meal at 12 noon)
copyux m, copyuse f nourishing, oh, oh
plat m main course
revoir Here: reread, review
devoir m homework
se coucher go to sleep
a minuit at midnight
minuit m midnight
entendu[ãtãdy] agreed, decided
quart m quarter
Exercise No. 1. Read and translate the dialogue. Determine whether the following statements are consistent with its content. Reply Oui or Non:
1. Macha et Pauline sont Russes.
2. Elles habitent toutes les deux dans le campus universitaire.
3. Le campus est assez loin de la faculté.
4. Pauline se lève plus tard que Macha.
5. Quand Pauline se réveille, elle se lève tout de suite.
6. Pauline est sportive et fait la gymnastique chaque jour.
7. Macha n'a pas de douche dans sa chambre et elle se lave à l'étage.
8. Elle prend le petit déjeuner dans sa chambre.
9. Pour aller à l’université Macha prend le bus.
10. Les étudiants français ont une grande pause pour le déjeuner.
11. Ils mangent aux restaurants universitaires.
12. Ce n’est pas cher, mais c’est assez copieux.
13. Macha n'aime pas rentrer tôt à la maison.
14. Elle veut aller au théâtre avec son ami Victor.
15. Avant de se coucher, elle revoit ses devoirs.
Exercise No. 2. Listen to the recording of the dialogue several times and fill in the gaps in the sentences, remembering what you heard:
1. Je ne suis pas encore habituée à .
2. Ce n’est pas étonnant, parce que tu .
3. Les courses commencent à ou à du matin. Je dois à six heures et demie ou à sept heures.
4. Moi, j'habite près de la faculté, mais je Aussi à six heures et demie.
5. Pourquoi est-ce que tu si tot?
6. Tu sais, quand je me réveille, je ne pas tout de suite.
7. Après je me lève, je ma gymnastique pendant vingt minutes ou une demi-heures, je prends ma douche et je le petit déjeuner.
8. Pour les Français prennent un jus de fruit, du café avec du pain et de la confiture et c’est tout.
9. Moi, je ne fais , parce que je n'ai pas le temps.
10. Je n'ai pas de douche dans la chambre et je à l'étage.
11. Je et je descends à la cafétéria pour prendre le petit déjeuner.
12. Pour aller à la fac je prends le bus et j’arrive juste avant .
13. Je ne suis en retard.
14.Le n'est pas très cher, mais assez copieux: un hors-d'œuvre, un plat et un dessert.
15. Et le soir? Est-ce qu'on peut aussi au resto-U ?
16. Bien sûr. Mais tu peux rentrer chez toi et le dîner dans une petite cuisine à l’étage.
17. Oui, mais j’ le restaurant universitaire: après le dîner rester en ville et aller au théâtre ou au cinéma.
18. Mais tu sais, le théâtre du campus. Les spectacles commencent à du soir et finissent à .
19. Après le spectacle je peux revoir mes devoirs et je peux à minuit ou un peu plus tard.
20. Entendu, je t’attends à huit heures du theater du campus.
Grammar
Passé immediat(nearest past tense)
When denoting an action that occurred recently, the nearest past tense is used - le passé immediat.
The nearest past tense of verbs of all conjugations is formed according to the same model:
For example:
| Arriver(to come, to arrive) | ||
| Nearest past tense | ||
| Face | Singular | Plural |
| 1st | je viens d'arriver | nous venons d'arriver |
| 2nd | tu viens d'arriver | vous venez d'arriver |
| 3rd | il (elle) vient d'arriver | ils (elles) viennent d'arriver |
When translating verbs in the near past tense into Russian, the past tense verb and words are used just recently etc., for example:
Je viens d'arriver. - I just arrived.
Nous Venons de Rencontre Michel. - We just met Michel.
Please note that the unstressed personal pronoun as a direct object, referring to the verb in the immediate past tense, is placed immediately before the semantic verb, for example:
Je viens de le voir. - I have just his saw.
Ce sont ses lettres. Nous venons de les lire. - These are her letters. We just their read it.
Exercise No. 3. Transform the sentences using verbs in the near past tense.
Sample: J'arrive de Paris. - Je viens d'arriver de Paris.
1. Vous commencez le travail.
2. Le réveil sonne.
3. Le spectacle commencement.
4. Je prends ma douche.
5. Nous telephonons à nos amis.
6. Ils préparent le petit déjeuner.
Reflexive verbs
In the Russian language there are reflexive verbs, i.e. verbs ending in -sya (s) eg: wash Xia, getting dressed sya, you clean Xia. There are reflexive verbs in French, but they are structured differently: Russian particle -sya (s) corresponds unstressed personal pronoun as a direct object, which is a separate word and appears immediately before the verb, for example:
| Se laver(wash) | ||
| Present tense - affirmative form | ||
| Face | Singular | Plural |
| 1st | je me lave - I wash my face sya | nous nous lavons - we wash Xia |
| 2nd | tu te loves - you wash your face Xia | vous vous lavez - you wash your face sya |
| 3rd | il (elle) se lave - he (she) washes his face Xia | ils (elles) se lavent - they wash Xia |
You can see that the unstressed personal pronoun-object of a French reflexive verb appears in the same person and number form as the subject pronoun. For example, if the subject is a 2nd person singular pronoun tu(you), then the complement has the same characteristics: te(you) is also a 2nd person singular pronoun. The same “adjustment” of the French reflexive verb to the subject also occurs in cases where the reflexive verb appears in an indefinite form with another verb, see:
Je veux me laverà l'eau chaude. - I Want wash Xia
hot water.
Nous ne pouvons pas nous laverà l'eau froide! - We can not wash Xia
cold water!
Voulez- vous vous laverà l'eau chaude? - You want to wash Xia
warm water?
IN negative and interrogative form of a reflexive verb, the object pronoun invariably appears immediately before the verb:
| Se laver(wash) | ||
| Present tense - negative form | ||
| Face | Singular | Plural |
| 1st | je ne me lave pas - I don’t wash my face sya | nous ne nous lavons pas - we don’t wash our faces Xia |
| 2nd | tu ne te loves pas - you don’t wash your face Xia | vous ne vous lavez pas - you don’t wash your face sya |
| 3rd | il(elle)ne se lave pas - he (she) does not wash his face Xia | ils(elles)ne se lavent pas - they don't wash their face Xia |
| Se laver(wash) | ||
| Present tense - interrogative form | ||
| Face | Singular | Plural |
| 1st | Est-ce que je me love? - I wash my face sya? | Nous lavons-nous? - We wash Xia? |
| 2nd | Te loves-tu? - You wash your face Xia ? | Vous lavez-vous? - You wash your face sya? |
| 3rd | Se lave-t-il (elle) ? - He (she) washes his face Xia? | Se lavent-ils (elles) ? - They wash Xia? |
As you can see, in the interrogative form of a reflexive verb (except for the 1st person singular), the subject pronoun is placed after the verb, and the object pronoun ( me, te, se etc.) comes first, for example: Those loves-tu? -Are you washing? The interrogative form of the 1st person singular is formed specifically - using a turnover est-ce que.
Note! If a French reflexive verb appears in an indefinite form with another verb and conveys a negative meaning, then both negative particles take place before the verb in the indefinite form:
Ils decadent ne pas se laver. - They decide Not wash.
Nous pouvons de ne pas s'arrêter. - We can Not stop.
IN affirmative form of the imperative mood of a reflexive verb, the pronoun-object is placed after the verb and is written with it through a dash, while the form te changes to toi:
Lave- toià l'eau froide! - Wash your face with cold water!
Arrête- toi! - Stop!
Lavons- nousà l'eau chaude! - Let's wash ourselves with warm water!
Lavez- vousà l'eau chaude! - Wash your face with hot water!
In the negative form of the imperative mood of a reflexive verb, the object pronoun appears before the verb:
Ne te lave pas à l’eau froide! - Don't wash your face with cold water!
Ne t' arrête pas! - Do not stop!
Ne nous lavons pas à l’eau chaude! - Let's not wash our face with warm water!
Ne vous Lavez pas à l’eau chaude! - Do not wash your face with hot water!
Exercise No. 4. Write out the sentences containing reflexive verbs.
Denial with words rien, jamais, personne
In addition to the negative construction already well known to you ne...pas, French uses negative constructions ne...rien, ne... jamais, ne... personne and some others. Unlike a particle pas, which has no independent meaning, rien means Nothing, jamais - never, personne - no one, no one. Here are some examples:
Il fait très sombre et je ne vois rien. - It's very dark and I Nothing I do not see.
Macha n' est jamais en retard. - Masha never not late.
Personne ne vient. - Nobody doesn't work.
Elle vient d'arriver et ne connaît personne. - She just arrived and no one does not know.
Words rien And jamais, as a rule, are used after a verb, and the word personne can come before a verb (meaning nobody) or after a verb (meaning no one).
Remember! In the event that words are used in negation rien, jamais, personne, particle pas not used.
Exercise No. 5. Give negative answers to questions by using verbs in the negative form (use the construction ne...pas).
| Sample: | Je me prépare le petit déjeuner moi-même. Et vous? |
- Je me lève très tôt le matin. Et Paul?
- Je dois me lever à six heures. Et vous?
- Le dimanche nous nous réveillons à midi. Et toi?
- Pierre se couche très tard. Et ses enfants?
- Nous nous réveillons avec le réveil. Et Catherine?
Exercise No. 6. Make up sentences with the opposite meaning using negative constructions ne... jamais, ne... rien, ne... personne.
| Sample: | Je suis en retard chaque jour (ne... jamais). - Je ne suis jamais en retard. |
- Je fais de la gymnastique chaque matin (ne... jamais).
- Il voit son ami dans la rue (ne... personne).
- Vous restez à la maison le dimanche (ne... jamais).
- Nous faisons un travail difficile cet après-midi (ne... rien).
- Je veux parler avec Paul (ne... personne).
Time notation
When denoting time in French, the phrase is used il est(in question - est-il), which is either translated by the word Now, or is not translated at all, for example:
Quelle heure est-il? - Which ( Now) hour? (How many ( Now) time?)
Il est trois heures. - ( Now) three hours, three o'clock.
Word minute(minute) is usually not used when denoting time, for example:
Il est deux heures quarante-cinq. - (It’s) two o’clock forty five minutes.
Il est sept heures quinze. - (It’s) seven o’clock fifteen minutes.
A numeral denoting minutes from half to an hour is used with the word moins(without), for example:
Il est dix heures moins dix. - (Now) ten to ten ten.
Russian expression quarter to translated as moins le quart, For example:
Il est huit heures moins le quart. - (Now) quarter to eight.
When it is necessary to say that it is now a quarter of an hour, the expression is used et quart (literally and a quarter), for example:
Il est quatre heures et quart. - (Now) quarter fifth ( literally four o'clock and a quarter).
When denoting half an hour, the expression is used et demie (literally and half), for example:
Il est neuf heures et demie. - (Now) half tenth ( literally nine o'clock and half).
The period of time from midnight to noon is morning ( le matin), from five o'clock in the evening to twelve at night - evening ( le soir). To denote the period of time from twelve to five o'clock in the afternoon, the expression is used de l'après-midi(afternoon, afternoon, afternoon). For example:
Il est trois heures du matin. - (It’s) three o’clock nights.
Il est huit heures du soir. - (It’s) eight o’clock evenings.
Il est deux heures de l'après-midi. - (It’s) two o’clock day.
Please also note the following expressions:
Il est midi. - (Now) noon.
Il est minuit. - (Now) midnight.
Words midi And minuit are used here without an article.
When indicating at what time an event occurs, the preposition is used à , For example:
A Quelle heure?
At what time?
A quatre heures de l'après-midi.
At four o'clock in the afternoon.
A sept heures dix du soir.
At seven ten minutes in the evening.
At noon.
At midnight.
A l'après-midi.
After noon.
Expression il y a some time ago, For example:
Il y a une heure. - Hour ago.
Il y a un quart d'heure. - A quarter of an hour ago.
Il y a une demi-heure. - Half an hour ago.
Pretext dans when indicating time it means after such and such a time, For example:
Dans une heure. - In one hour.
Dans un quart d'heure. - In a quarter of an hour.
Dans une demi-heure. - After half an hour.
Dans one minute. - After a minute.
Dans une seconde. - In a second.
Remember the expressions relating to the imprecision of a clock, and note that in French the word montre(clock) is a noun female in the singular:
Ma montre retarde de cinq minutes. - My watch are late for five minutes.
Ma montre advance de deux minutes. - My watch hurry to two minutes.
Compare how they say about a person:
Il est en retard. - He is late.
Il est en advance. - He appeared ahead of time.
Exercise No. 7. Look at the pictures and write in French what time it is, using words rather than numbers:
Account from 100 to 1,000,000
When numbers over 100 are denoted by words, the conjunction is not used after the names of hundreds and thousands.
When denoting several hundred words cent(one hundred) appears in plural; but, if you need to designate so many hundreds plus so many tens or units, the word cent used in the singular.
In the names of several thousand words mille(thousand) is singular. When denoting hundreds of thousands the word cent also used in the singular.
For example:
100 - cent
101 - cent un
102 - cent deux
103 - cent trois
200 - deux cent s
201 - deux cent un
202 - deux cent deux
203 - deux cent trois
300 - trois cent s
301 - trois cent un
302 - trois cent deux
303 - trois cent trois
1000 - mille
1001 - mille un
2000 - deux mille
2002 - deux mille deux
10,000 - dix mille
11 000 - onze mille [ɔ̃zmil]
12,000 - douze mille
100,000 - cent mille
100 200 - cent mille deux cents
200,000 - deux cent mille
1,000,000 - un million
Exercise No. 8. Write the numbers in words. Of course, we most often use numbers in writing, but you must learn to read French numerals - that's what writing in words is for!
Date designation
You already know how to answer the question in French about what date it is today (those who have forgotten can look at lesson 21). When you need to accurately translate a date into French, namely indicating the year, the word year itself is not translated. For example:
Please note that when denoting dates, the word mille(thousand) appears in the form mil.
If only the year is indicated, and the day and month are not specified, a preposition is placed before the numeral en, For example:
It's 2006 now. - Nous sommes en deux mil six.
In 1999. - En mil neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf or En dix-neuf cent quatre-vingt-dix-neuf.
Remember that there are two ways to designate the year before 2000:
1) as in Russian, indicating a millennium, hundreds, tens, units of years:
1983 - mil neuf cent quatre-vingt-trois;
2) indicating tens of hundreds, tens and units of years:
1983 - dix-neuf cent quatre-vingt-trois.
See how the date of birth is indicated in the questionnaire:
Né ( on behalf of a woman- née) le 11 December 1983. - Born (born) December 11, 1983
Exercise No. 9. Translate the date symbols by writing the numerals in words:
a) In 1958.
b) In 2003.
c) In 1799.
d) In 1917.
Understanding the subtleties of language
I. The French, like the Russians, eat three times a day, but the times and names of meals do not always coincide. The morning meal in France is called le petit déjeuner - breakfast. From 12 to 14 o'clock all institutions and shops are empty: the French are having lunch. This meal is called le déjeuner. The word is translated into Russian as dinner, although it would be more accurate to call it a hearty breakfast. The evening meal at 20.00-20.30 is called le dîner, translated into Russian as dinner.