Today we’ll have a look at the reflexive verb se coucher (to go to bed). We’ll also cover coucher (to put to bed) in the non-reflexive form as well as the feminine noun couche (diaper, layer). The Modern French coucher comes from collocare (to place inside) in Latin. Collocare combines the prefix -con (with) and locare (to place).
se coucher
to go to bed
Pronunciation [sə kuʃe]
Example sentences
This first time uses the 24-hour clock for telling time, which is commonly used in France. Vingt-trois heures (23h or twenty three hours) equates to 11pm.
En général, je me couche entre vingt-trois heures et minuit.
I generally go to bed between 11pm and midnight.
For this sentence, allez is the second-person plural (vous) form of aller (to go) and means “come on!”. The reflexive verb se lever means “to get up”.
Allez, les enfants, Couchez-vous ! Vous devez vous lever tôt demain.
Come on kids, go to bed! You have to get up early tomorrow.
For this sentence, coucher in the non-reflexive form means “to put to bed”.
Maman couche le bébé après le dîner.
Mom puts the baby to bed after dinner.
More usages of coucher
Verbs
- Elle couche le vase sur la table. She lays the vase down on the table.
- Je coucherai à un hôtel de luxe ce soir. I’ll spend the night at a luxury hotel tonight.
- Marc et Sylvie couchent ensemble depuis un bon moment. Marc and Sylvie have been sleeping together for a while.
Nouns
- Sandrine achète des couches (feminine noun) pour le bébé. Sandrine buys diapers for the baby.
- Le pâtissier ajoute une couche de chocolat sur gâteau. The baker adds a layer of chocolate on the cake.
- Le scientifique explique les couches stratigraphiques. The scientist explains the rock layers.
- Marie va a l’hôpital pour l’accouchement. Marie goes to the hospital for childbirth.
- Sandrine est une couche-tard. Elle se couche toujours après minuit. Sandrine is a night owl. She always goes to get after midnight.
Present tense conjugation
Se coucher is a regular ER verb. This means that it’s conjugation pattern in the present tense is the same as parler (to speak).
Je me couche I go to bed
Tu te couches You go to bed (singular, informal)
Il, elle se couche He, she goes to bed
Nous nous couchons We go to bed
Vous vous couchez You go to bed (plural, formal)
Ils, elles se couchent They go to bed
Related lessons and more reflexive verbs
- Reflexive verb overview
- Bonne nuit – good night
- Se réveiller – to wake up
- Se tromper – to mistaken
- S’occuper – to take care of
- S’en aller – to leave
- S’agir – to be about
- S’éclater – to have a blast
Reference
Word of the Day archive | Lessons by David Issokson
