vous êtes assis??

Question

Hi - the example "Le canapé dans lequel / où vous êtes assis m'a coûté une fortune", the translation has me a bit confused (where you're sitting = vous êtes assis). My mind wants to make "where you're sitting" the present tense - ie: vous (vous) asseyez. However if the passé composé is correct, my brain wants to either write vous vous êtes assis, or vous avez assis?? Thanks in advance..

Accepted Answer

Bonjour John,

Your brain is in the right place, but here the trick is the nuance between "to sit (to be sat)" and "to be (in the process of) sitting", which is more strongly marked in French.
If you want to say you're sitting DOWN, you will use the verb "s'asseoir" in Le Présent: "où vous vous asseyez".
However, when you want to say you're sat (or sitting, hence confusion), then you will use Le Présent of "être assis(e)" (to be sat): "vous êtes assis".

I hope that's helpful!
À bientôt !

Answer

So the difference is... you're already been seated -- so you're "sitting": etre assis.
If you're in the process of sitting, you'd use the reflexive verbs: s'asseoir/s'assoir ?