wrong answer "nous sommes brossé"

Viacheslav B.C1Kwiziq community member

wrong answer "nous sommes brossé"

Nous ______________ les cheveux.

We brushed our hair.

HINT: Conjugate "se brosser" (to brush) using Le Passé Composé.

avons brossé / se sommes brossés / nous avons brossés / nous sommes brossé

========================================================

It is stated the correct answer is "nous sommes brossé". However, it is a mistake.

The verb must agree with the subject when it is conjugated with 'être'. In this case, there are a reflexive verb, which has to be conjugated with 'être', and subject 'nous'. Hence, the correct answer is "nous sommes brossés".

I would appreciate your comments on this.





Asked 4 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Viacheslav,

The correct answer is -

nous nous sommes brossé les cheveux

all because the direct object ( les cheveux) is after the verb 'se brosser quelque chose'.

In the case of some reflexive verbs which have a direct object , the rules of agreement of the past participle will be the same as the ones using 'avoir', in that if the object is after the verb, there is no agreement with the PP. Some examples of reflexive verbs where this rule will apply can be found in the following Kwiziq lesson -

https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/revision/grammar/using-le-la-les-with-body-parts-and-clothing-definite-articles

Hope this helps

Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

A question that has come up often (and no wonder since the original lesson has still not been modified to indicate any exceptions to the bolded and dogmatic statement about agreement). However here is the explanation https://progress.lawlessfrench.com/questions/view/agreement-of-reflexive-verbs  Maybe, just maybe, if enough people keep pointing out that the original lesson says this « Note that when être is used as the auxiliary in compound tenses such as Le Passé Composé, the past participle must always agree in gender and number with the subject of the verb.», it might finally be changed to avoid this unnecessary confusion. (I hope the bolding of the original comes through - it leaves no room for doubt, but it is wrong)

Viacheslav B.C1Kwiziq community member

Thank you for clarification! It seems it's a piece of B2 grammar which I do not know yet.

Mark P.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Fallen foul of this one myself.. This seems an odd exception.

Mark P.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Just looking at this again.. The lesson is very clear and stresses that with reflexive verbs, they use être  and the participle agrees with the subject.. As Maarten says, these exceptions should be in the lesson, not just in the QandAs

Viacheslav B. asked:

wrong answer "nous sommes brossé"

Nous ______________ les cheveux.

We brushed our hair.

HINT: Conjugate "se brosser" (to brush) using Le Passé Composé.

avons brossé / se sommes brossés / nous avons brossés / nous sommes brossé

========================================================

It is stated the correct answer is "nous sommes brossé". However, it is a mistake.

The verb must agree with the subject when it is conjugated with 'être'. In this case, there are a reflexive verb, which has to be conjugated with 'être', and subject 'nous'. Hence, the correct answer is "nous sommes brossés".

I would appreciate your comments on this.





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