Page:Grammar of the French language - De Vere - 1867.djvu/191

 VERBS.

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4. Pronominal Verbs are so called in French, because they are always accompanied in the infinitive by the pronoun se, and throughout their conjugation by two personal pronouns.

Ex. se promener, to walk.

Present. Je me promène tu te promènes il se promène nous nous promenons vous vous promenez ils se promènent

They are divided into three classes, according to their meaning:

a. Reflexive Verbs, which express an action that is reflected upon the subject of the verb. The pronoun se in the infinitive is here translated by one's self, and the second pronoun in the course of conjugation by myself, thyself, himself, etc.

Ex. se tromper, to deceive one's self.

PRESENT.

Je me trompe I deceive myself

tu te trompes thou deceivest thyself

il se trompe he deceives himself

nous nous trompons we deceive ourselves

vous vous trompez you deceive yourselves

ils se trompent they deceive themselves

b. Reciprocal Verbs, which express an action that is mutually affecting two or more persons. The pronoun se in the infin- itive is here translated by each other or one another, and the second pronoun in the course of conjugation by the same words.

Ex. s'entr'aimer, to love each other.

PRESENT.

Nous nous entr'aimons we love each other

vous vous entr'aimez you love each other

Us s'entr'aiment they love each other