Se brosser

ValerieC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Se brosser

Question: Doing some review before taking an immersion class. To the question: Please translate s'brosser in passe compose "We brushed our hair", I wrote: "Nous nous sommes brosses..." (with the correct accent). Response was that it was nearly correct and should have been "Nous nous sommes brosse". I don't get it. Why would it be singular? Thanks in advance. 

Asked 1 year ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

HI Valerie, 

Just to add to what has already been said, you might find my answer to Leah pertinent.

https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/questions/view/agreement-of-reflexive-verbs

 

Bonne Continuation !

JimC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Valerie,

Nous nous sommes brossés ....  should be the correct conjugation for passé composé first person plural.

Bonne journée

Jim

MaartenC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

There is no ‘number’ agreement here as the direct object is ‘les cheveux’, follows the conjugated verb and the first ‘nous’ is the subject pronoun and the second ‘nous’, the indirect object pronoun.

I am sure Céline or Cécile will be able to add some links to previous discussion, which I can’t locate presently.  

Link below from Laura Lawless also explains. 

https://www.lawlessfrench.com/grammar/agreement-with-pronominal-verbs/

Se brosser

Question: Doing some review before taking an immersion class. To the question: Please translate s'brosser in passe compose "We brushed our hair", I wrote: "Nous nous sommes brosses..." (with the correct accent). Response was that it was nearly correct and should have been "Nous nous sommes brosse". I don't get it. Why would it be singular? Thanks in advance. 

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