Paul se dépêche pour attraper le bus.

Paul is hurrying to catch the bus.

Breakdown of Paul se dépêche pour attraper le bus.

• Paul: Paul
• le bus: the bus
• se: oneself (reflexive)
• se dépêcher: to hurry

Questions & Answers about Paul se dépêche pour attraper le bus.

Why is there a se in front of dépêche in Paul se dépêche?

Se dépêcher is a reflexive verb in French, meaning the action is being done by the subject onto himself. In English, this often translates as “to hurry (oneself).” So we need se to show that Paul is hurrying himself.

Can I just say Paul dépêche instead of Paul se dépêche?

No, dépêcher without se usually means “to send someone quickly” (for example, dépêcher un messager). When referring to hurrying oneself, French requires the reflexive form se dépêcher.

Why do we use pour before attraper?

In this context, pour means “in order to.” So se dépêcher pour attraper le bus translates to “to hurry in order to catch the bus.” It indicates the purpose behind hurrying.

Is attraper le bus the same as prendre le bus?

They are similar but not exactly the same in nuance. Attraper le bus suggests catching it just in time, emphasizing the urgency. Prendre le bus is more neutral, simply meaning “to take the bus.”

How do I conjugate se dépêcher in the present tense?