eLanguage.com


Learn to Speak French Online:
French Grammar Guidebook

« Back to the Guidebook Index | Learn to Speak™ French Deluxe

Impersonal

Back   Verbs
(28th of 46) 		Next

In situations where the general nature of an action or event needs to be stressed, French uses the impersonal pronoun on or an impersonal reflexive construction.

EXAMPLES
 

Ici on parle français.
French is spoken here.
Ici on vend des fleurs.
Flowers sold here.
Les cartes postales s'achètent chez le marchand de tabac.
Postcards can be bought at the tobacconist's. 

In English we might prefer to use the passive voice for such constructions, but French prefers to avoid the passive voice where ever possible. To learn about the passive voice, click here.



Examples of Impersonal Se

  • Les cartes postales s'achètent chez le marchand de tabac.
  • Le pain se vend à la boulangerie.
  • La porte s'ouvre.
  • Le grand cuisinier se reconnaît mieux à la perfection d'une pièce de bœuf...