Quelle est la difference?
I am learning these phrases in a set of spaced repetition flash cards and I don't understand why each are constructed differently? Shouldn't they both be constructed in the same way? Or is it possible for both to be constructed in these two different ways?
quelqu'un a lavé ma chemise
quelqu'un m'a volé mes cles
which of the two choices of sentences above are correct, and if they are both correct what are the differences? Also why is volé in the second sentence reflexive, and also shouldn't lavé be reflexive?
thanks
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Answers · 4
3
In the second sentence, the "me" is not a reflexive pronoun, but an indirect object pronoun. We steal something from someone, hence the construction, "voler [quelque chose] à [quelqu'un]". This is why we have the "me" in the second sentence: to specify who the phone is being stolen from. However, we don't typically have this construction with "laver".
1
quelqu'un a lavé ma chemise or quelqu'un m'a lavé ma chemise
quelqu'un m'a volé mes cles or quelqu'un a volé mes clés
You can use what you want it's the same sense.
But it's better (for me) to use without "m'a":
- quelqu'un a lavé ma chemise
- quelqu'un a volé mes clés
Because we know who is the subject (me) with the "ma" or "mes", and adding "m'a" is a "nonsense"
Another example:
Peux tu laver mes cheveux? -> "mes cheveux", we know there are mine because "mes"
Peux tu me laver les cheveux? ->"les cheveux", we don't know there are mine with "les", but "me laver" indicate there are mine.
These two sentences are correct.
"Peux tu Me laver Mes cheveux" -> is less correct because you say twice there are yours
Hope to be enough clear
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