Question 1

Which verb form is rends, and why does it end with -s?

Accepted Answer

It’s the second-person singular imperative of rendre (addressing tu). For -re and -ir verbs, the tu imperative keeps the final -s (e.g., rends, finis). Only -er verbs drop the -s in the affirmative (e.g., parle !), and they add it back before y/en for euphony (e.g., parles-en !, vas-y !).

Question 2

Why use rendre instead of donner or retourner?

Accepted Answer

Because “to give back (to someone)” is rendre quelque chose à quelqu’un.  
- donner = to give (not necessarily “back”).  
- retourner = to go back/turn over; for sending an item back (to a store), French more often uses renvoyer or retourner in that specific context, but for giving it back to its owner, use rendre.  
- For “bring back,” use ramener (people/things to the speaker) or rapporter (bring back an object).

Question 3

In Ne me le rends pas, why is it me le and not le me?

Accepted Answer

Because pre-verbal object pronouns follow a fixed order:  
me/te/se/nous/vous + le/la/les + lui/leur + y + en.  
So it must be Ne me le rends pas, not Ne le me rends pas.

Question 4

In rends-le-moi, why isn’t it rends-moi-le?

Accepted Answer

In the affirmative imperative, pronouns go after the verb with hyphens and the order is:  
le/la/les + moi/toi/lui/nous/vous/leur + y + en.  
Hence rends-le-moi is correct; rends-moi-le is not.

Question 5

Why me in the negative but moi in the affirmative?

Accepted Answer

With the affirmative imperative, me/te become moi/toi and are placed after the verb with hyphens: rends-le-moi. In the negative imperative, they revert to pre-verbal clitics: Ne me le rends pas.

Question 6

What’s with the hyphens in rends-le-moi?

Accepted Answer

In the affirmative imperative, object pronouns attach to the verb with hyphens: Donne-le-moi, Dis-le-lui, Parles-en. In the negative, pronouns go before the verb with no hyphens: Ne me le dis pas.

Question 7

Is Ne me le rend pas ever correct?

Accepted Answer

No. The understood subject is tu, so the verb must be rends (2nd person singular). rend is 3rd person singular.

Question 8

How does this change if I address someone politely or more than one person?

Accepted Answer

Use vous forms: Ne me le rendez pas maintenant ; rendez-le-moi après-demain.  
The recipient (me) doesn’t change: moi/me remain the same.

Question 9

What if I want “give it back to him/her,” not to me?

Accepted Answer

Use lui for “to him/her”:  
Negative: Ne le lui rends pas maintenant.  
Affirmative: Rends-le-lui après-demain.  
(Notice the orders: pre-verbal le + lui; post-verbal le - lui.)

Question 10

Can I replace après-demain with something else?

Accepted Answer

Yes: dans deux jours is common; in narratives, le surlendemain means “the day after the next day.” You can also say après-demain matin/soir.

Question 11

Does après-demain need a hyphen?

Accepted Answer

Yes. It’s written après-demain (with a hyphen). Writing it without a hyphen is considered incorrect.

Question 12

Why use a semicolon here? Could I use a period or a comma?

Accepted Answer

A semicolon neatly separates two closely related independent clauses. A period works too. A simple comma between two independent clauses is less standard unless you add a conjunction (e.g., …, mais …). Note that in French typography there’s a (thin) space before ;: maintenant ;

Question 13

Can I drop ne in casual speech?

Accepted Answer

Yes, colloquially: Me le rends pas maintenant ; rends-le-moi après-demain. In standard writing, keep ne.

Question 14

Can I move maintenant or après-demain?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Après-demain, rends-le-moi is fine (slightly more emphatic). Ne me le rends pas maintenant is the most natural placement; maintenant can also go at the start for emphasis: Maintenant, ne me le rends pas.

Question 15

How does it change if the thing is feminine or plural?

Accepted Answer

Swap le for la or les:  
- Feminine: Ne me la rends pas maintenant ; rends-la-moi après-demain.  
- Plural: Ne me les rends pas maintenant ; rends-les-moi après-demain.

Question 16

Is there any pronunciation tip to know?

Accepted Answer

- rends ends with a silent -s: pronounced roughly “ran.”  
- No liaison between rends and le: rends-le ≈ “ran-lə.”  
- With y/en, there is a liaison: rends-en ≈ “ran-zan.”  
- après-demain ≈ “a-prè də-mɛ̃.”

Question 17

What’s the general rule for multiple object pronouns?

Accepted Answer

- Before the verb (negative imperative/normal tenses): me/te/se/nous/vous + le/la/les + lui/leur + y + en (e.g., Ne me le rends pas; Je le lui donne).  
- After the verb (affirmative imperative): verb + le/la/les + moi/toi/lui/nous/vous/leur + y + en (e.g., Rends-le-moi, Donnez-le-leur).

Question 18

Is the imperative here more direct than a request?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Ne me le rends pas… ; rends-le-moi… is a command. For a softer request, use something like Tu peux me le rendre après-demain, s’il te plaît ? or Veuillez me le rendre après-demain, s’il vous plaît.

Question 19

Why does French use bare après-demain when English says “the day after tomorrow”?

Accepted Answer

Because après-demain functions as an adverb in French, not a noun phrase, so no article is needed.

Ne me le rends pas maintenant; rends-le-moi après-demain.

Breakdown of Ne me le rends pas maintenant; rends-le-moi après-demain.

Questions & Answers about Ne me le rends pas maintenant; rends-le-moi après-demain.

Master French — from Ne me le rends pas maintenant; rends-le-moi après-demain to fluency