What does it mean word for word?
The verb is reflexive, which means it literally translates to 'to seat oneself'.
Which one should you use?
Use s'asseoir to describe the motion of sitting down, whereas être assis is used to describe the state of already being in a seated position.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When giving a command or making a request, the form you use depends on who you are addressing. Assieds-toi is the informal singular form. Asseyez-vous is the formal or polite imperative used when addressing one person or a group. For even more formal or polite situations, you can use Prenez place to mean 'take a seat' or Installez-vous as a polite way to ask someone to sit down.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the phrase Mets-toi su'l divan is used to mean 'sit on the couch'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb s'asseoir is reflexive. In the present tense, it has two acceptable conjugation patterns, one of which is s'assied.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the non-reflexive form asseoir by itself to mean 'to sit down', as this actually means 'to seat someone else'. Always include the reflexive pronoun.
Did you know?
- In Quebec, the colloquial phrase Mets-toi su'l divan uses the verb mettre, which normally means 'to put' or 'to place', treating the person as an object being placed on the couch.
- The verb s'asseoir is one of the few remaining verbs in French that allows two entirely different sets of conjugations in the present tense, such as je m'assieds and je m'assois, both of which are correct.
- Because s'asseoir is a reflexive verb, the French language treats 'sitting down' as an action you perform upon your own body, rather than just a change in posture.
Examples in context
- Elle le força à s'asseoir.She forced him to sit down.This sentence shows the use of s'asseoir to describe being forced to sit down.Tatoeba #1339614 by sacredceltic, translation #887120 by CK
- Ne pas s'asseoir sur le sofa.Don't sit down on the sofa.This sentence uses s'asseoir in a negative command not to sit on a specific object.Tatoeba #12049 by Lulantis, translation #50284 by CK
- Claudio a décidé de s'asseoir.Claudio decided to sit down.This sentence demonstrates the use of s'asseoir to describe a personal decision to sit down.Tatoeba #11756833 by Amastan, translation #11689146 by Amastan
- Prenez place, nous allons commencerTake a seat, we're about to begin.
- Installez-vous confortablementPlease have a seat comfortably.
- Assieds-toi et raconte-moi comment s'est passée ta journéeSit down and tell me how your day went.
- Asseyez-vous tous ici, il y a de bonnes nouvelles à partagerSit down, everyone, there's some good news to share.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are at a busy cafe.
- NathanIl y a beaucoup de monde, Chloé.There are a lot of people, Chloé.
- ChloéOui, cherchons une table pour s'asseoir.Yes, let's look for a table to sit down.
- NathanRegarde, cette petite table est libre.Look, this small table is free.
- ChloéParfait, je vais m'asseoir là.Perfect, I'm going to sit down there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sit down” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
