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Appendix G

Le Pronominal 'optionnel' ('accidentel'):

(Quelques exemples, et cas spéciaux)

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Le Pronominal optionnel (accidentel)

 

Any action that can be done to oneself (réfléchi – reflexive), or by more than one subject to each other (réciproque – reciprocal), can operate in the French pronominal format simply by adding the appropriate mirror pronoun – me, te, se, nous, vous, and se – (fully illustrated in Appendix D).

As can be expected, many French verbs can take on these reflexive (direct or indirect) or reciprocal (direct or indirect) meanings.

The list below (non-exhaustive) contains samples of the 'Verbes pronominaux optionnels' – also called pronominaux accidentels – (French verbs which keep their normal meaning while adding a reflexive or reciprocal direction).

The "se" or "s'" in the list represents the mirror pronoun.

The mirror pronouns are:

me / m' for je,

te / t' for tu,

se / s' for il, elle, or on,

nous for nous,

vous for vous, and

se / s' for ils or elles

 

The list also shows:

* English meanings (when used in the pronominal format)

* Whether the verb functions reflexively (réfléchi) or reciprocally (réciproque)

* Whether it takes a direct or indirect object

 

French

English meaning when used in the pronominal format

Réfléchi

Réciproque

Infinitif

direct

indirect

direct

indirect

s'appeler

to call oneself / to call one another

 * 

*

s'attaquer

to attack each other

*

se blesser

to hurt oneself, to get hurt

*

 *

se bouleverser

to overwhelm each other

*

se chercher

to look for one another

*

se consulter

to consult one another

*

se contredire

to contradict each other

*

se croiser

to cross one another's path

*

se dénoncer

to denounce one another

*

se déplaire

to displease one another

*

se détecter

to detect one another

*

se discipliner

to discipline oneself

*

se disputer

to argue with each other

*

se dissocier

to dissasociate, distance oneself from

*

*

se distraire

to distract one another

*

se dissuader

to dissuade oneself or one another

*

*

s'écouter

to listen to oneself or to each other

*

*

s'écrire

to write to oneself or to each other

*

*

s'embrasser

to embrace each other

*

s'énerver

to become annoyed, or to annoy one another

  *

*

s'envoyer (qch)

to send (something) to oneself or to one another

*

*

s'étonner

to astonish one another

*

*

se frapper

to hit oneself or one another

*

*

se fréquenter

to date each other

*

s'identifier

to identify oneself or each other

*

*

s'inviter

to invite oneself or each other

*

*

se laver

to wash oeneself

*

se libérer

to free oneself or one another

*

*

se neutraliser

to neutralise oneself or each other

*

*

s'observer

to observe oneself or one another

*

*

se parler

to talk to oneself or to each other

*

*

se parrainer

to sponsor one another

*

se présenter

to introduce oneself or each other

*

*

se proposer

to propose (something) to one another

  *

se rappeler

to recall, to remember,

to call each other back

*

*

se résister

to resist each other

*

se servir

to serve oneself or each other

*

*

se taquiner

to tease each other

*

se téléphoner

to phone one another

*

se voir

to see oneself or one another

*

*