Paul est ému.

Paul is moved.

Breakdown of Paul est ému.

• être: to be
• Paul: Paul
• ému: moved

Questions & Answers about Paul est ému.

What is the function of the verb est in the sentence?

est is the third person singular present form of être and acts as a linking verb. It connects the subject Paul with the adjective ému, which describes his emotional state.

Is ému used as a past participle or as an adjective in this sentence?

Although ému originates as the past participle of the verb émouvoir, in this sentence it functions as an adjective. It simply describes Paul's current state, rather than indicating that an action was performed on him.

How does the adjective ému agree with its subject in terms of gender and number?

The adjective ému must agree with its subject. Since Paul is masculine and singular, ému remains in its masculine singular form. If the subject were feminine (for example, Marie), the adjective would change to émue.

Why is être used in this sentence instead of avoir as the auxiliary verb?

When a past participle functions as an adjective to describe a state, French uses être as the linking verb. In Paul est ému, the focus is on describing Paul's state rather than conveying an action that has been completed, which is why être is used instead of avoir.