Expecting and waiting

Paul F.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Expecting and waiting

Can someone please explain when to use "s'attendre à" versus "attendre" when talking about expecting?  Expecting someone to do something - I was thinking that first sentence might have been "Laissez-moi vous expliquer ce que l'on s'attend à vous" (using the verb "s'attendre à") for "Let me explain what we expect of you", but instead the construction is "... que l'on attend de vous", using "attendre" which I associated with waiting rather than expecting.

Asked 3 years ago
CélineNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Bonjour Paul,

Attendre [qqn/qch]: (to wait for / to hope for)

J’attends Marc I am waiting for Marc

Tu attends le taxi = you are waiting for the taxi

Le prof attend de meilleurs résultats the teacher expects better results

 

Attendre [qch] de [qqn]: (to expect [sth])

Tu attends trop de lui = you are expecting too much of him

Qu’attendez-vous de moi ? what are you expecting of me?

S’attendre à [qch]: (to envisage [sth])

Je m’attends à devoir tout recommencer I am expecting to have to do it all again

Elles s’attendent à un refus catégorique = they are expecting an outright refusal

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

Brian E.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

The key here might be in that it is “attendre de” rather than just “attendre”. Wordreference lists “attendre [qch] de [qqn]” as “expect [sth] from [sb]”. 

Paul F. asked:

Expecting and waiting

Can someone please explain when to use "s'attendre à" versus "attendre" when talking about expecting?  Expecting someone to do something - I was thinking that first sentence might have been "Laissez-moi vous expliquer ce que l'on s'attend à vous" (using the verb "s'attendre à") for "Let me explain what we expect of you", but instead the construction is "... que l'on attend de vous", using "attendre" which I associated with waiting rather than expecting.

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