les verbes pronominaux

[proper violet]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

TheExemplaryKiwi does it again

TheExemplaryKiwi does it again (les verbes reflechir)

[foggy tree]

trouver and se trouver don't have the same meaning, so you can't confuse them

[karmic lynx]

huh? the reflexive verb has a different meaning?

[foggy tree]

yes

trouver = find
se trouver = be located

[formal orchid]

I want to clarify something because it's something I've seen many learners learn the wrong way.

pronominal verbs do not mean acting on oneself. Or rather, it does not only mean that, as it's only a single instance of how pronominal verbs are used.

– subject acts on itself
– subjects act on one another
– reflexive pronoun changes the meaning of the verb
– verb can only be used pronominally

In the case of "se trouver", the reflexive changes the meaning

[karmic lynx]

Oh, so its not like in english?

huh

i'll do a bit more research on that

[proper violet]

les verbes pronominaux

[foggy tree]

sometimes, but not always 🤷‍♂️

[median stone]

@karmic lynx
Small correction: this word "tour" exists in both the masculine and feminine form, but depending on the gender, it has a different meaning.

• une tour = a tower
• un tour = a walking path (kind of - you can look it up for more detail)
  So, it'd be la tour Eiffel 🙂

[formal orchid]

No. They have specific grammatical rules, can mean a variety of things and there is no direct equivalent in english.
Pronominals are often pretty hard for english speakers to get their head around because of it.