Il a enlevé son blouson.

Questions & Answers about Il a enlevé son blouson.

Doesn't enlever mean "to kidnap"?
It can! But its more common, everyday meaning is "to remove" or "to take off". When talking about clothing, enlever is the standard way to say "to take off".
What is the difference between un blouson and une veste?
Un blouson is usually a casual, short jacket that is fitted or gathered at the waist, like a bomber jacket or a sporty zip-up. Une veste is generally a lighter or more tailored jacket, like a blazer or suit jacket. If it were a heavy winter coat, you would say un manteau.
Could I use the verb retirer here instead?
Yes, absolutely. Retirer is a great synonym for taking off clothing. Saying Il a retiré son blouson is very common and means the exact same thing.
Why didn't we use a reflexive verb here, like we do when washing our hands?
When talking about body parts, French typically uses a reflexive verb and a definite article (like Il s'est lavé les mains for "He washed his hands"). But when talking about taking off clothing, it is perfectly normal to use a regular non-reflexive verb and a possessive adjective (son blouson), just like in English.

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