Breakdown of La coutume s'apprend oralement.
apprendre
to learn
se
himself, herself, themselves (reflexive)
la coutume
the custom
oralement
orally
Questions & Answers about La coutume s'apprend oralement.
Why does this sentence use s'apprend instead of est apprise for "is learned"?
In French, when an inanimate thing like la coutume is the subject of an action done to it, it is very common to use a reflexive verb instead of the standard passive voice (est apprise). This is called the pronominal passive. It often sounds much more natural in everyday French to say "the custom learns itself" (s'apprend) than to use the standard passive voice, especially for general statements.
Does s'apprend literally mean "learns itself"?
Yes, structurally it means exactly that! French uses this "reflexive passive" construction all the time for general truths or rules where the person doing the action isn't specified. While the literal French translation is "learns itself", you should always translate it into English using the passive voice ("is learned").
Can I use this reflexive passive structure with any verb?
It doesn't work for absolutely everything, but it is extremely common for general actions involving inanimate objects. You will often see it used to describe how things are consumed, used, or perceived. Common examples include ça se voit (that can be seen / that is obvious), le vin se boit (wine is drunk), or ce mot s'écrit (this word is written).
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