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Questions & Answers about Marie veut embrasser Paul pour lui dire bonjour, et il décide de l’embrasser aussi.
What does embrasser mean in this sentence, and why is it not used in a reflexive form (like s’embrasser)?
In this context, embrasser means “to kiss.” Although s’embrasser is used when two people are kissing each other simultaneously (i.e., a mutual or reciprocal action), here Marie kisses Paul and then Paul decides to kiss Marie. The actions occur separately rather than as a simultaneous mutual exchange, so the non-reflexive form is appropriate.
Why does the phrase pour lui dire bonjour use the pronoun lui, and to whom does it refer?
The pronoun lui is an indirect object pronoun referring to Paul. It indicates that Marie’s purpose for kissing is to say hello to him. In French, when an action is performed for someone (in this case, saying hello), the indirect object pronoun is used.
In the clause et il décide de l’embrasser aussi, to whom do the subject il and the direct object pronoun l’ refer?
The subject il refers to Paul, while the direct object pronoun l’ is a contraction (from either le or la) that, in this context, refers to Marie. Contextually, since Marie initiates the kiss on Paul, Paul’s action is to return the gesture by kissing her as well.
What role does pour play in the sentence, especially in pour lui dire bonjour?