je me lève
The English phrase "I get up" is translated into French as je me lève.
What does it mean word for word?
This phrase is a reflexive construction. je means "I", me means "myself" and lève is the first-person singular form of the verb "lever", which means "to raise" or "to lift". Literally, the phrase means "I myself raise".
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between getting up and waking up. While je me lève means "I get up" (from bed), je me réveille means "I wake up" (opening one's eyes).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb is reflexive, meaning you must include the reflexive pronoun me to indicate you are performing the action on yourself.
Did you know?
- In French, the phrase lever le pied literally means 'to lift the foot' but is used as an idiom for slowing down or taking it easy.
- In a formal or military context, le lever refers to the official ceremony of a monarch or high official waking up and dressing.
- The verb lever is used to describe the sun rising, just as it is used when a person gets out of bed.
Examples in context
- Je me lève tôt.I get up early.This sentence is useful for stating that you get up early.Tatoeba #2347563 by MartinShadock, translation #2266968 by _undertoad
- Je me lève à 6 heures.I get up at six.This sentence is useful for stating the time you get up.Tatoeba #135148 by sysko, translation #321577 by CK
- Je me lève à 7 heures.I get up at 7.00.Tatoeba #457972 by sacredceltic, translation #11867043 by sundown
- Tous les jours, je me réveille à six heures et je me lève immédiatement.Every day, I wake up at six o'clock and get up immediately.
- Chaque semaine, je me lève tôt pour aller courir avec mes amis.Every week, I get up early to go running with my friends.
- Le samedi matin, je me réveille vers neuf heures et je me lève en prenant mon temps.On Saturday mornings, I wake up around nine o'clock and get up taking my time.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are talking about their morning routines.
- LéaÀ quelle heure tu te réveilles ?What time do you wake up?
- GabrielJe me réveille à six heures, mais je me lève à six heures et demie.I wake up at six, but I get up at six thirty.
- LéaC'est courageux, moi je me lève plus tard.That's brave, I get up later.
- GabrielTu as raison, c'est difficile !You're right, it's difficult!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
