emmène spelling

KimA2Kwiziq community member

emmène spelling

Isn't ammener to bring (a person)? What is emmèner?

Asked 4 years ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Kim,

Amener is to bring 

Emmener is to take with you

La prochaine fois, il m'emmène avec lui = Next time he is taking me with him

Hope this helps!

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Hi Cecile and Kim,

Doesn't amener work here also? Next time he is bringing me with him.  I'm not sure whether one is more correct than the other, and I'm sure I can't hear the difference yet, but I think either one will work here.

CécileKwiziq team member

Hi John,

No 'amener' wouldn't work here and is incorrect. You might hear someone say this incorrectly but we do not encourage bad French.

Il m'emmène avec lui = He takes me with him

Il m'amène les enfants samedi matin He is bringing the children to me on Saturday morning

DonB1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Ah, the nuances of learning a foreign language. We learn that "amener" translates "to bring someone" and "emmener" translates "to take someone". If only it were that easy! There will be many phrases like this one that are in direct conflict with what we have learned. And the only advice I have is that you have to adjust. In other words, "emmener" doesn't always translate to "to take someone". Sometimes it translates (for U.S. speakers) to "to bring someone". Don't get too caught up in the literal translations; just try to get familiar with the phrases. I suspect that will be the suggestion for me with the question I am soon going to post.

MaartenC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

The difference between amener and emmener is not just 'to bring' versus 'to take'. They add a further element to the meaning, that the English doesn't necessarily include. 

The first link below covers the differences well and indicates an easy way to remember the correct choice of the root verbs of '-porter' or '-mener'. 

The 2nd link below has a good general explanation also, and of how to choose/use the prefixes  'a-', 'em-', or 'ra-', 'rem-'. (As well as a caution on using 'prendre qqn')

1. Amener is to bring/take someone somewhere to leave them there, not staying with them - hence < Il m'amène les enfants samedi > he is bringing the children and leaving.

2. Emmener is to bring/take someone somewhere and to stay there with them - hence < Il m'emmène les enfants samedi > he is bringing the children and staying.

As Cecile and the links all note, 'misuse' occurs.

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/vocabulary/to-take-to-bring/

https://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/french-verb-conjugation/amener-emmener-apporter-emporter-remporter-bring-take-french/

emmène spelling

Isn't ammener to bring (a person)? What is emmèner?

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