Partir Must be followed by a preposition but does Sortir?

JohnC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Partir Must be followed by a preposition but does Sortir?

It seems as though "sortir" MUST be followed by "de + a place" and never "pour + a place" but the lesson is much less emphatic about "sortir" than "partir." Do the same rules apply? "Sortir is not always instransitive as in your lesson with Sortir + Avoir in the passé composé. Je sors pour Londres or Je sors Londres are not possible. Is that correct?
Asked 8 years ago
LauraKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour John,

Both of these French verbs can indicate movement toward and away from a place, and they both need prepositions for these meanings.

Je pars de Londres / Je pars pour Londres = I'm leaving London / I'm leaving for London.

Je sors de Londres / Je sors à Londres = I'm leaving from London / I'm going out in London.

You're correct that Je sors pour Londres and Je sors Londres are not possible, but remember that these verbs can also be used without places, e.g., Je pars à midi, On va sortir ce soir.

TomC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I believe sortir can also be used transitively as in:

Je sors le chien - I am putting the dog out

Je sors les ordures - I am putting the trash out

DanielB2Kwiziq community member

Hi, in those examples "Je pars à midi" and "On va sortir ce soir",

is it incorrect to say "Je sors à midi" and "On va partir ce soir"?

Partir Must be followed by a preposition but does Sortir?

It seems as though "sortir" MUST be followed by "de + a place" and never "pour + a place" but the lesson is much less emphatic about "sortir" than "partir." Do the same rules apply? "Sortir is not always instransitive as in your lesson with Sortir + Avoir in the passé composé. Je sors pour Londres or Je sors Londres are not possible. Is that correct?

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