s'asseoir
The English verb 'sit' can be expressed in French as s'asseoir. Wiktionary also lists être assis and être assise.
Meaning: of a person, be in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| s'asseoir | |
| être assis | masculine |
| être assise | feminine |
In French, you must distinguish between the action of sitting down and the state of being seated. Use s'asseoir to describe the motion of moving from a standing position to a sitting position. Use être assis or être assise to describe the state of already being in a sitting position.
Which one should you use?
s'asseoir translates to 'to sit down' and describes the transition to a seat. In contrast, être assis translates to 'to be seated' and describes the status of a person who is already sitting.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing the state of being seated, the form must agree in gender with the person. Use être assis for a masculine subject and être assise for a feminine subject.
Did you know?
- The French word assise is used as a noun to refer to the 'assizes' or the periodic courts of law, reflecting a historical tradition where judges sat in a specific physical assembly.
- The French verb être is a linguistic hybrid because its different conjugations evolved from two separate Latin verbs: esse meaning 'be' and stāre meaning 'stand'.
- In French, the verb s'asseoir is one of the few remaining verbs that has two entirely different and correct ways to be conjugated in the present tense.
Examples in context
- Il va s'asseoir ici.He's going to sit here.This sentence shows how to use s'asseoir to express a future intention.Tatoeba #3273447 by Micsmithel, translation #3273446 by CM
- Il peut s'asseoir ici.He can sit here.This sentence demonstrates how to use s'asseoir with the verb 'can'.Tatoeba #13388267 by lbdx, translation #8478869 by CH
- Elle le força à s'asseoir.She forced him to sit down.This sentence shows s'asseoir being used to express a forced action.Tatoeba #1339614 by sacredceltic, translation #887120 by CK
- Viens t'asseoir, mon toutou préféré!Come sit, my favorite pup!
- 50 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are in a café.
- HugoTu veux s'asseoir à cette table ?Do you want to sit at this table?
- LéaOui, je vais m'asseoir ici.Yes, I will sit here.
- HugoD'accord, je vais s'asseoir en face de toi.Okay, I will sit opposite you.
- LéaC'est parfait, merci Hugo.That's perfect, thank you Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sit” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries assis, assise, être, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
