Prends soin de toi.

Questions & Answers about Prends soin de toi.

Why does Prends end in an 's' here? I thought commands dropped the 's' for the 'tu' form.
You are remembering the rule for '-er' verbs! Regular verbs ending in '-er' drop the 's' in the informal command form (like mange or parle). However, prendre is an '-re' verb, so its tu imperative form keeps the 's': Prends.
Is 'prendre soin de' a fixed expression?
Yes! The phrase prendre soin de translates to 'to take care of'. The preposition de is permanently attached to this expression, linking the action to the person or thing receiving the care.
Why do we use 'toi' instead of 'te' or 'tu' here?
In French, whenever a pronoun directly follows a preposition (like de, à, avec, or pour), you must use a stressed pronoun. The stressed pronoun for 'you' (singular/informal) is toi.
How would I use this expression with an action, like 'Take care to sleep well'?
Just like you use de before a pronoun here, you also use de before an infinitive verb. To say 'Take care to sleep well,' you would say Prends soin de bien dormir. This perfectly matches your current lesson on verbs and expressions requiring de before an infinitive!
Could I use the reflexive verb 'te soigner' to say 'take care of yourself'?
Not quite! While se soigner technically means 'to take care of oneself', it is mostly used in a medical context (like resting and taking medicine when you are sick). To wish someone general well-being, always use prendre soin de.

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