Relflexive verb: se moquer

Alvin S.B1Kwiziq community member

Relflexive verb: se moquer

The example verbs in the lesson (se lever) and most of the ones presented in the tests (se coucher, se laver, se réveiller) all follow the same pattern-- in that the action is done on/to the subject or the subject own body.  However, with the verb se moquer the action is done to someone else and requires the use of "de".    

It's unclear why one wouldn't say  "Ils me moquent" instead of "Ils se moque de moi".  Can some explain this a bit?

Asked 5 years ago
CécileKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Hi Alvin,

There are multiple examples of reflexive verbs in French which do not follow the model - to oneself, or to each other and some are followed by the preposition 'de' as in the case of -

Se moquer de 

e.g.

se souvenir de ( to remember something/someone)s'occuper de ( to look after someone/something), se passer de ( to do without something/someone), etc.

Elle s'occupe de moi = She is looking after me 

On se passe bien d'elle We do very well without her

Je me souviens de sa mère = I remember her mother 

The pronouns which are used after 'de' will be the same as the ones after 'chez' in the following Kwiziq lesson-

https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/common-uses-of-moi-toi-lui-elle-nous-vous-eux-elles-disjunctivestress-pronouns

Hope this helps!

 

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Because the phrase is: se moquer de quelqu' un.

Jeff L.B1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

These should be in the lesson as a list of exceptions, or potentially should have a lesson of their own.

Relflexive verb: se moquer

The example verbs in the lesson (se lever) and most of the ones presented in the tests (se coucher, se laver, se réveiller) all follow the same pattern-- in that the action is done on/to the subject or the subject own body.  However, with the verb se moquer the action is done to someone else and requires the use of "de".    

It's unclear why one wouldn't say  "Ils me moquent" instead of "Ils se moque de moi".  Can some explain this a bit?

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