Today’s lesson covers the reflexive verb se trouver, which means “to be located”. In the non-reflexive form, trouver means “to find”. Hence, the literal translation of se trouver is “is found”. The Modern French trouver comes from tropare (to compose a poem) in Vulgar Latin.
se trouver
to be located
Pronunciation [sə tʀuve]
Example sentences
For this first example, se trouve can translate to “is located”, “is situated”, “is” and “lies”. The masculine noun coin can translate to both corner and local area.
La banque se trouve au coin de ces deux rues.
The bank is located at the corner of these two streets.
This sentence uses savoir, which means “to know” in the context of facts. This lesson explains savoir vs. connaître, which both mean to know.
Est-ce que tu sais où se trouve la Martinique ? – Regarde l’atlas !
Do you know where Martinique is located? Look at the atlas!
The impersonal expression il se trouve que means “it happens that”. The object pronoun y has many meanings in French including “there”. Je serai (I will be) is the verb être (to be) in the futur simple tense.
Il se trouve que je ne suis pas libre demain. Désolé, je n’y serai pas.
It happens that I’m not free tomorrow. Sorry, I won’t be there.
Note that in another context, se trouver means “to find yourself” or “to think you look”. For example, “Je me trouve plus belle avec les cheveux longs.” (I find myself more beautiful with long hair).
Related lessons and more reflexive verbs
- Reflexive verbs overview
- Asking directions
- Se tromper – to mistaken, get wrong
- S’occuper – to take care of
- S’agir de – to be about
- S’éclater – to have a blast
- S’en aller – to leave, to go, to be off
- Se méfier – to be wary of
Reference
Word of the Day archive | Lessons by David Issokson
