se documenter
To read up in French is se documenter.
The phrase se documenter means to learn by reading. It implies a purposeful effort to gather information rather than the simple physical act of reading.
Meaning: learn by reading (adj)
Which one should you use?
While lire simply means the physical act of reading, se documenter implies a purposeful effort to gather information or research a topic.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb is reflexive and is typically followed by the preposition sur when specifying the subject being researched.
Did you know?
- A French speaker might use se documenter even if they are watching a video or listening to a podcast to gather information.
- The noun form of the root, document, stems from a Latin word meaning 'lesson'. This reveals that to 'read up' in French is historically linked to the act of learning a specific lesson or piece of instruction.
- While se documenter is used for reading up, the word documentaire describes both a documentary film and a non-fiction book in French.
Examples in context
- J'ai trouvé un livre génial pour me renseigner sur l'histoire de Paris.I found a fantastic book to get informed about the history of Paris.
- Je me suis plongé dans la lecture de plusieurs articles avant la réunion.I immersed myself in reading several articles before the meeting.
- Je dois me documenter sur ce sujet avant la réunion.I need to read up on this subject before the meeting.
- Il est important de se documenter avant l'examen.It is important to read up before the exam.
- Elle veut se documenter sur l'histoire de France.She wants to read up on French history.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries documenter, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
