Learn Hardcore French: Nous nous sommes rencontrés devant le four, parce que le micro-ondes ne fonctionnait plus. - We met in front of the oven, because the microwave was no longer working.

The first nous is the subject pronoun (we). The second nous is the reflexive/reciprocal pronoun (each other). In French, mutual actions often use a reflexive form: nous nous sommes rencontrés = “we met each other.” Without the second nous, the meaning would be incomplete.

Why do we use être as the auxiliary (nous nous sommes) and not avoir?

All pronominal (reflexive/reciprocal) verbs form compound tenses with être. The non-pronominal verb rencontrer takes avoir:

Nous avons rencontré Marie. (met someone else)
Nous nous sommes rencontrés. (met each other)

Why does the past participle have an -s (rencontrés)?

With pronominal verbs, the past participle agrees with the preceding direct object when there is one. In nous nous sommes rencontrés, the reflexive nous is the direct object and it refers to “we,” which is plural, so you add -s.

Mixed/masculine group: rencontrés
All-female group: rencontrées
Compare: Ils se sont parlé (no agreement) because parler à takes an indirect object.

What if the speakers are all women?

Write Nous nous sommes rencontrées. The participle agrees in gender and number (feminine plural).

Can I say On s’est rencontrés instead of Nous nous sommes rencontrés?

Yes. On is very common for “we.” Most people write agreement by sense: On s’est rencontrés (or rencontrées for an all-female group). In very formal writing, some avoid this agreement with on; using nous sidesteps the issue.

What’s the difference between se rencontrer, se retrouver, and rencontrer?

se rencontrer: to meet each other, often by chance or without stressing prior arrangement.
se retrouver: to meet up (again), usually planned.
rencontrer (non-pronominal): to meet/encounter someone (not each other).
Examples: On s’est retrouvés à 8 h (we arranged it). On s’est rencontrés par hasard (by chance).

Why devant le four and not au four or dans le four?

devant le four = in front of the oven (location).
au/dans le four = in the oven (inside), which would be odd for people.
Other options for location: près du four (near), à côté du four (next to), en face du four (facing/across from).

Is four the same thing as micro-ondes?

No. un four = a (conventional) oven. un micro-ondes = a microwave oven. The longer form is un four à micro-ondes, but in everyday French people just say un micro-ondes.

Why is it le micro-ondes even though ondes looks plural? How do I spell it?

For the appliance, the established word is masculine singular: un/le micro-ondes. It includes a hyphen and keeps the final -s even in the singular. For multiple appliances: des micro-ondes. (The physics term “a microwave [wave]” is une micro-onde, but that’s not the kitchen appliance.)

Why is fonctionnait in the imperfect (imparfait)?

The imperfect describes an ongoing state or background situation in the past. Here, the microwave’s not working is the background reason for meeting at the oven. If you said n’a plus fonctionné, you’d highlight the completed event of “stopped working (from that point on).”

Could I say ne marchait plus instead of ne fonctionnait plus?

Yes. marcher (“to work/function” for devices) is more colloquial; fonctionner is a bit more neutral/formal. Both are fine here.

How does the negation ne … plus work?

It wraps around the conjugated verb: ne fonctionnait plus = “no longer worked.”

Simple tense: il ne fonctionne plus.
Compound/pronominal: Nous ne nous sommes plus rencontrés. (ne before the object pronouns/auxiliary, plus after the auxiliary)

How do I pronounce plus here?

In ne … plus meaning “no longer,” the final -s is typically silent: [ply]. When plus means “more,” the -s is usually pronounced: [plys]. Some speakers pronounce the -s in the negative before a vowel or for emphasis/clarity, but the common rule above will serve you well.

Is it okay to drop ne in speech?

In informal speech, yes: Le micro-ondes fonctionne plus is commonly understood as “doesn’t work anymore.” In writing and careful speech, keep ne: ne fonctionne plus. Be aware that without ne, there can be occasional ambiguity with “more.”

Does parce que require the subjunctive?

No. parce que takes the indicative: parce que le micro-ondes ne fonctionnait plus. Subjunctive follows expressions like bien que, quoique, pour que, etc., not parce que.

Could I use car or puisque instead of parce que?

car = “for/because,” more formal or written; it explains, not causes decisions: … devant le four, car le micro-ondes…
puisque = “since/as,” when the reason is assumed to be known/obvious: … puisque le micro-ondes…
parce que is the most neutral, all-purpose “because.”

Should there be a comma before parce que?

Usually no comma in short sentences: Nous nous sommes rencontrés devant le four parce que… A comma can mark a pause in longer sentences, but many style guides prefer no comma before parce que.

Any liaisons or tricky pronunciations here?

Nous nous: no liaison (the second word starts with a consonant).
nous sommes: liaison is usual: [nu zɔm].
devant: nasal vowel at the end: [dəvɑ̃].
micro-ondes: [mikʁo ɔ̃d] (nasal vowel in -ondes).
plus in ne … plus (no longer): typically [ply] (silent -s).

Can I use à cause de instead of parce que?

Yes, but the structure changes because à cause de takes a noun, not a clause. For example: … à cause du micro-ondes en panne or … à cause du fait que le micro-ondes ne fonctionnait plus (the latter is heavier style).

Is it redundant or acceptable to add l’un l’autre with se rencontrer?

It’s usually unnecessary because se rencontrer already means “meet each other.” You might add l’un l’autre for emphasis or clarity in rare cases, but Nous nous sommes rencontrés is normally perfect on its own.