Pronominal Verbs

Pronominal verbs are verbs that are conjugated with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) that usually refers back to the subject of the verb. These verbs can express various meanings, including reflexive, reciprocal, and idiomatic actions.

Conjugation and Tenses

Pronominal verbs follow the same conjugation patterns as regular verbs, but with the addition of the reflexive pronoun. Here’s an example using the verb “se laver” (to wash oneself):

Present tense:

  • Je me lave (I wash myself)
  • Tu te laves
  • Il/Elle/On se lave
  • Nous nous lavons
  • Vous vous lavez
  • Ils/Elles se lavent

In compound tenses, like the passé composé, pronominal verbs always use “être” as the auxiliary verb:

  • Je me suis lavé(e) (I washed myself)
  • Tu t’es lavé(e)
  • Il s’est lavé / Elle s’est lavée

Usage in Different Forms

Interrogative Form

To form a question, invert the subject pronoun and verb:

  • Te laves-tu? (Are you washing yourself?)
  • Se sont-ils lavés? (Did they wash themselves?)

Imperative Form

In the imperative, the reflexive pronoun comes after the verb and is connected with a hyphen:

  • Lave-toi! (Wash yourself!)
  • Lavons-nous! (Let’s wash ourselves!)

Negative Form

In negative sentences, “ne” comes before the reflexive pronoun, and “pas” after the verb:

  • Je ne me lave pas (I don’t wash myself)
  • Ils ne se sont pas lavés (They didn’t wash themselves)

Types of Pronominal Verbs

Reflexive Verbs

These verbs describe an action that the subject performs on themselves:

  • Je me brosse les dents (I brush my teeth)
  • Elle s’habille (She dresses herself)

Reciprocal Verbs

These verbs express actions that people do to each other:

  • Nous nous embrassons (We kiss each other)
  • Ils se disputent souvent (They often argue with each other)

Exclusively Pronominal Verbs

Some verbs only exist in their pronominal form:

  • Je me souviens de mon enfance (I remember my childhood)
  • Elle s’évanouit (She faints)

Non-Pronominal vs. Pronominal Verbs

Some verbs change meaning when used in their pronominal form:

  • Passer (to pass) vs. Se passer (to happen)

    • Je passe devant l’école (I pass in front of the school)
    • Que se passe-t-il? (What’s happening?)

  • Arrêter (to stop something) vs. S’arrêter (to stop oneself)

    • J’arrête la voiture (I stop the car)
    • Je m’arrête au feu rouge (I stop at the red light)

  • Appeler (to call) vs. S’appeler (to be named)

    • J’appelle mon ami (I call my friend)
    • Je m’appelle Marie (My name is Marie)

En, Dans, and À

The Preposition “En”

“En” is versatile and typically used without an article. Its main uses include:

  1. Time expressions:

    • Seasons (except spring): En été, en hiver
    • Months and years: En juillet, en 2024

  2. Feminine countries, continents, and regions:

    • En France, en Afrique, en Californie

  3. Modes of transportation:

    • En voiture, en avion, en train

  4. Materials:

    • Une robe en soie (A silk dress)

  5. States or manners:

    • En colère (Angry), en secret (Secretly)

  6. Duration of an action:

    • J’ai fait ce travail en deux heures (I did this work in two hours)

Key point: “En” is almost always used without an article, giving it a more general or abstract feel[2].

The Preposition “Dans”

“Dans” is almost always followed by an article. It’s used to indicate:

  1. Being inside something physical:

    • Dans la maison (In the house), dans le sac (In the bag)

  2. Specific timeframes, often in the future:

    • Dans une heure (In an hour), dans les années cinquante (In the fifties)

  3. Abstract concepts with specific articles:

    • Dans la vie (In life), dans le monde (In the world)

  4. Some states and provinces:

    • Dans le Montana, dans l’Ontario

Key point: “Dans” requires an article (le, la, les, un, une) and often refers to more specific or concrete situations[1][3].

The Preposition “À”

“À” is a multifaceted preposition used for:

  1. Location (cities and masculine countries):

    • À Paris, au Canada (In Canada)

  2. Time:

    • À 3 heures (At 3 o’clock), au printemps (In spring)

  3. Destination:

    • Je vais à l’école (I’m going to school)

  4. Possession:

    • Le livre à Marie (Marie’s book)

  5. Manner or characteristic:

    • Une tarte aux pommes (An apple pie)

Key Differences and Usage Tips

  1. “En” vs. “Dans” for time:

    • Use “en” for general time periods: En été (In summer)
    • Use “dans” for specific future times: Dans deux heures (In two hours)

  2. “En” vs. “À” for location:

    • Use “en” for feminine countries: En Espagne (In Spain)
    • Use “à + le = au” for masculine countries: Au Portugal (In Portugal)
    • Use “à” for cities: À Londres (In London)

  3. “Dans” vs. “En” for transportation:

    • Use “dans” for specific vehicles: Dans ma voiture (In my car)
    • Use “en” for general modes: En voiture (By car)

  4. Article usage:

    • “En” generally doesn’t use articles
    • “Dans” almost always requires an article
    • “À” can be used with or without articles, depending on the context

Practice Examples

  1. Je vais en France dans deux semaines. (I’m going to France in two weeks.)
  2. Il y a un livre dans le sac en cuir. (There’s a book in the leather bag.)
  3. Nous voyageons en train et arriverons à Paris à 15h. (We’re traveling by train and will arrive in Paris at 3 PM.)
  4. Elle habite à New York mais travaille en Californie. (She lives in New York but works in California.)
  5. Dans les années soixante, on écoutait de la musique en vinyle. (In the sixties, people listened to music on vinyl.)