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Questions & Answers about Les enfants s'endorment tôt.
What does the apostrophe in s'endorment indicate?
It’s the elision of the reflexive pronoun se before a vowel or mute h. se endorment becomes s'endorment. The elision is mandatory here.
Why is the verb reflexive here? What’s the difference between s'endormir and endormir?
- s'endormir = to fall asleep (the subject undergoes the action): L'enfant s'endort.
- endormir = to put someone to sleep (takes a direct object): La mère endort le bébé.
Can I say se dormir?
No. se dormir is not used in standard French. Use dormir for “to sleep” (state) and s'endormir for “to fall asleep” (the moment sleep begins). Related: se rendormir = to fall asleep again.
How is s'endorment formed and conjugated in the present?
It’s the 3rd person plural of s'endormir. Present tense:
- je m'endors
- tu t'endors
- il/elle/on s'endort
- nous nous endormons
- vous vous endormez
- ils/elles s'endorment Note the stem change: singular forms and 3rd person plural use endors-/endort-/endorment, while nous/vous use endorm-.
Is the -ent ending in s'endorment pronounced?
No. The written ending -ent of 3rd person plural verbs is silent. s'endorment is pronounced roughly [sɑ̃dɔʁm].
How do you pronounce the whole sentence?
- IPA: [lez‿ɑ̃fɑ̃ sɑ̃dɔʁm to]
- Rough guide: lay zahn-fahn sahn-dorm toh Notes:
- Liaison between les and enfants: [lez‿ɑ̃-].
- No liaison between enfants and s'endorment.
- tôt is [to]; the final -t is silent. The r in dor- is the French uvular r.
Do I need the circumflex accent in tôt?
Yes. tôt always has a circumflex on o. Writing tot is incorrect. In uppercase, accents are still used in French: TÔT.
What exactly does tôt mean? Any synonyms?
tôt means “early” (in time). Common alternatives:
- de bonne heure (also “early,” a bit more idiomatic)
- Intensifiers: très tôt (very early), assez tôt (fairly early)
Is tôt the same as plutôt?
No.
- tôt = early (time): Ils arrivent tôt.
- plutôt = rather/quite, or “instead”: C’est plutôt cher. / Viens lundi plutôt que mardi. Also, plus tôt (two words) means “earlier.”
Where should tôt go in the sentence?
With a simple present, it normally comes after the verb: Les enfants s'endorment tôt. With compound tenses, it most often goes after the past participle: Ils se sont endormis tôt. You may also hear Ils se sont tôt endormis, but it’s less common.
How do I make it negative?
Standard: Les enfants ne s'endorment pas tôt. In everyday speech, the ne is often dropped: Les enfants s'endorment pas tôt.
Why is it les enfants and not des enfants?
- les enfants = “the children,” either a specific group or children in general (generic use).
- des enfants = “some children,” an unspecified subset.
- ces enfants = “these/those children.”
Is enfants masculine? Does it include girls?
Yes. enfants defaults to masculine plural for mixed/unspecified groups, so it includes girls. If you specifically mean girls: les filles.
Can I say Les enfants dorment tôt?
Not for the idea “go to sleep early.” dormir = “to sleep” (state), so Ils dorment tôt sounds odd. Prefer:
- Ils se couchent tôt = They go to bed early (bedtime).
- Ils s'endorment tôt = They fall asleep early (actual sleep onset).
How do I say it in the past or future?
- Past (passé composé): Les enfants se sont endormis tôt. If all girls: Les filles se sont endormies tôt. (past participle agrees)
- Near future: Les enfants vont s'endormir tôt.
How do I ask a yes/no question with this sentence?
- Neutral: Est-ce que les enfants s'endorment tôt ?
- Inversion (more formal): Les enfants s'endorment-ils tôt ?
- Conversational: Les enfants s'endorment tôt ?
Are there any liaisons I should make?
Yes after the article: les enfants → [lez‿ɑ̃fɑ̃]. No liaison between enfants and s'endorment (don’t insert a [z]), and none before tôt.
Why not Les enfants sont endormis tôt?
être endormi describes a state (“to be asleep”), so adding tôt is odd. Use:
- State now: Les enfants sont déjà endormis. (already asleep)
- Action/time: Les enfants s'endorment tôt.
How do I tell someone to fall asleep early?
Use the imperative of s'endormir:
- Endors-toi tôt ! (to one person you know)
- Endormez-vous tôt ! (to a group or formally) Negative: Ne t'endors pas trop tard !
Does the present tense here imply a habit?
It can. Les enfants s'endorment tôt often means “The children (usually) fall asleep early.” The French present commonly covers habitual actions and general truths.