Question 1

Why is it à lui at the end instead of putting lui before the verb like usual?

Accepted Answer

With most verbs, an indirect object like "to him" becomes the pronoun lui placed before the verb (for example, je lui parle). However, s'attacher is a pronominal verb here, indicated by the reflexive pronoun m'. In French, you cannot put an indirect object pronoun before the verb if there is already a reflexive pronoun. Instead, you must keep the preposition à after the verb and use a stressed pronoun, giving us je m'attache à lui.

Question 2

Why do we use C'est instead of Il est to say "He is"?

Accepted Answer

When identifying a person using a noun modified by a determiner (like mon, un, or le), French requires c'est rather than il est. Because we are saying mon collègue, it has to be c'est. You only use il est when followed directly by an adjective or an unmodified profession (like Il est médecin).

Question 3

If the colleague were a woman, how would the end of the sentence change?

Accepted Answer

The stressed pronoun for a female is elle. So, instead of à lui, you would use à elle, making the phrase je m'attache à elle. The first part would also change to C'est ma collègue.

Question 4

Does s'attacher à only mean emotional attachment?

Accepted Answer

When used as a pronominal verb (s'attacher) with a person or animal, it almost always means to grow fond of or become emotionally attached. If you wanted to talk about physically tying something, you would use the non-pronominal verb attacher instead, for example j'attache mon vélo (I am tying up my bike).

C'est mon collègue, et je m'attache à lui.

Breakdown of C'est mon collègue, et je m'attache à lui.

Questions & Answers about C'est mon collègue, et je m'attache à lui.

Learn C'est mon collègue, et je m'attache à lui and more in French