Can you please give an example of when to use the reflexive version?

Question

"j'ai aperçu" versus "je me suis aperçu"
Is it the difference in just passively "seeing" something and actively "noticing" or what else??

Accepted Answer

Hi Donovan,
Apercevoir means to notice, to see, to spot ...
Apercevoir is a physical thing associated with sight.
S'apercevoir means to realise,  to discover, to notice something , it is a mental activity.
e.g. 
J'ai cru l'apercevoir au loin = I thought I saw him in the distance
J'ai aperçu un rat dans mon jardin = I spotted a rat in my garden
 
Je me suis aperçu/e qu'il me l'avait déjà donné = I realised that he had given it to me already
Elles se sont aperçues des erreurs qu'elles avaient commises= They realised the mistakes they had made
Hope this helps!

Answer

Thanks!