In 'New in Town', for the line: 'It shouldn't be too hard to make new friends', there were a number of possible responses given as correct. My question relates to the following 2 possible options: 1. Ça ne devrait pas être trop difficile de ME faire de nouveaux amis, and 2. Ça ne devrait pas être trop difficile de SE faire de nouveaux amis (my emphasis). I have not been able to find an explanation as to why one has a choice as to whether one makes the reflexive pronoun agree with the subject in the options given. This is an aspect of French that I have never been completely sure about. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
Reflexive pronouns, pronominal verbs in the infinitive
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Don M.Kwiziq community member
Reflexive pronouns, pronominal verbs in the infinitive
Asked 4 years ago
The difference between (1) me faire de nouveaux amis and (2) se faire de nouveaux amis is that the latter is more impersonal.
In (admittedly somewhat colloquial) English you could render the difference between the two as:
(1) to make myself new friends, or
(2) to make oneself new friends.
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