Learn Hardcore French: On s’assoit près de la fenêtre.

In everyday French, on usually means we. It always takes a third‑person singular verb (like il/elle), so you get on s’assoit (not “on nous assoyons”). In more formal writing or when you want to be crystal clear, you can use nous: nous nous asseyons. Note on agreement in the past and with adjectives: with on, many speakers write agreement to match the real people involved, e.g., On s’est assis (neutral/default) vs On s’est assises (if the group is all women). The verb form stays third‑person singular either way.

Why is the verb reflexive (s’) in s’assoit?

Because s’asseoir is a pronominal verb that means “to sit down” (the subject performs the action on themself). Without se, asseoir is mostly used transitively or figuratively: asseoir quelqu’un = “to seat someone,” and very commonly asseoir son autorité = “to establish/consolidate one’s authority.” To describe the state of being seated, French uses être assis/assise: On est assis = “We are (in a seated state).”

Is s’assoit correct? I’ve also seen s’assied. Which should I use?

Both are correct. The verb s’asseoir has two accepted present-tense patterns. You can use either; many speakers even mix them.

Pattern 1 (very common in writing): je m’assieds, tu t’assieds, il/elle/on s’assied, nous nous asseyons, vous vous asseyez, ils/elles s’asseyent
Pattern 2 (very common in speech): je m’assois, tu t’assois, il/elle/on s’assoit, nous nous assoyons, vous vous assoyez, ils/elles s’assoient Avoid the misspelling s’asseoit (that form is incorrect).

How do I say “we sat down” and “we are sitting”?

We sat down (action, passé composé): On s’est assis (près de la fenêtre). If the group is all female: On s’est assises. With nous: Nous nous sommes assis/assises.
We are sitting (state): On est assis (près de la fenêtre). With nous: Nous sommes assis/assises.

Why près de and not à côté de or à la fenêtre?

près de = near/by (close but not necessarily touching): près de la fenêtre = near the window.
à côté de = right next to/alongside (implies adjacency).
à la fenêtre = at the window (e.g., standing/sitting right at it or looking out of it). With seats (train/plane), you also hear côté fenêtre (“window side/seat”).
devant la fenêtre = in front of the window (on the interior side). Use sur only if you literally mean on top of something: sur le rebord de la fenêtre (on the window sill).

Why is it de la fenêtre and not something like du fenêtre? How does près de combine with articles?

près de is followed by de + definite article:

Masculine singular: près du (de + le) — e.g., près du mur
Feminine singular: près de la — e.g., près de la fenêtre
Before a vowel or mute h: près de l’ — e.g., près de l’entrée
Plural: près des (de + les) — e.g., près des escaliers

Can I say Nous nous assoyons or Nous nous asseyons? Which is preferred?

Both exist and are correct, mirroring the two patterns:

Pattern 1: Nous nous asseyons (more common/neutral in writing)
Pattern 2: Nous nous assoyons (also accepted; often heard in speech/varies by region) Imperative “Let’s sit down”: Asseyons‑nous or Assoyons‑nous (both correct).

How do you pronounce the sentence?

Roughly: [ɔ̃ saswa prɛ də la f(ə)nɛtʁ]

On = nasal vowel [ɔ̃].
s’assoit = [saswa] (the oi sounds like [wa]).
près = [prɛ] (final s is silent).
de la = [də la] (the e in de is a weak schwa).
fenêtre ≈ [f(ə)nɛtʁ]; the middle ê is open [ɛ]; the final e is often very light or silent depending on rhythm. The apostrophe in s’ marks elision of se before a vowel.

Is s’assit just a typo for s’assoit?

No. s’assit is the passé simple (literary past) of s’asseoir for il/elle/on. You’ll see it in narratives: Il s’assit près de la fenêtre (“He sat down…”). In modern spoken French, you’d normally use the passé composé: Il s’est assis… / On s’est assis…

How do I make it negative or ask a question?

Negative: On ne s’assoit pas près de la fenêtre. In casual speech, the ne is often dropped: On s’assoit pas…
Yes/no questions:
- Est‑ce qu’on s’assoit près de la fenêtre ?
- On s’assoit près de la fenêtre ? (rising intonation, informal)
- S’assoit‑on près de la fenêtre ? (inversion, formal)

Any common spelling traps here?

près (near) has a grave accent; don’t write pres. Don’t confuse with prêt (ready).
Avoid s’asseoit (wrong). Use s’assoit or s’assied.
fenêtre has a circumflex: ê.
Don’t say sur la fenêtre unless you literally mean “on the window/sill”; for location use près de/à côté de/à la fenêtre as appropriate.

What’s the difference between s’asseoir and being seated?

s’asseoir = to sit down (the action of moving into a seated position): On s’assoit près de la fenêtre.
être assis/assise = to be seated (state): On est assis près de la fenêtre. English often uses “sit” for both; French separates the action and the state.

Does on always mean “we”?

No. on can also mean “one/people/they” in a general sense: En été, on s’assoit souvent dehors (“In summer, people often sit outside”). Context tells you whether it’s “we” or “people in general.”