Today’s lesson focuses on the reflexive verb se mettre à, meaning “to start” and “to begin”. The structure for this verb is se mettre à + infinitive, meaning “to start doing an action”. In the non-reflexive form, mettre means “to put” or “to wear”.
Se mettre à
to start, to begin
Example sentences
This first sentence uses the passé composé of se mettre à, which requires the usage of être (to be) as an auxiliary verb. Note that crier means “to scream” and pleurer means “to cry”.
Il s’est mis à crier.
He started to scream.
For this sentence, mettes is the subjunctive form of mettre (to put). Régime (m) means both “diet” or governmental or political system.
Il faut que je me mette au régime !
I need to start a diet!
This final sentence uses the pronoun y, which can mean “it” and “there” for verbs followed by the preposition à. Il va falloir is the futur proche for of il faut (it’s necessary).
Il va falloir que tu t’y mettes !
You’re going to have to begin!
Study resource
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