59. In these verbs of the 2d class the chief difficulty to overcome is to know the different stem of the primitive as well as of the derivative tenses, to which you add the terminations of the regular verbs, except for few persons, as seen before.

There are no more than 23 verbs of this second class, and the compounds of every one of them, all to be found in Part IV.

Therefore, all changes take place in the derivative tenses of the two primitive tenses, viz. Present Infinitive,

According to Littré the reflexive verb is called also "pronominal"

62. Verbs can have several complements or objects of which the three chief ones

1) The direct object. — That which receives directly the action of the verb.

It answers the questions

Qui, whom?
Quoi, what?

J'aime mes parents,
J'écris une lettre,

for persons.
for things.

I love my parents.
I write a letter.

2) The indirect object. That which receives indirectly the action of the verb and which is indicated by a preposition.

La sagesse parlait par sa bouche, Wisdom spoke through his mouth.

3) The circumstantial object. ·

That which defines the meaning by the addition of any circumstance either of time or manner or quantity or motive, etc.

VOICES IN VERBS OBJECT THAT THE VARIOUS VERBS CAN HAVE.

64. The active verb in French must be capable of having a direct object indicating a person, but it may also have one indicating a thing.

It is better to replace this passive form by the reflexive.

Cette langue se parle en Orient.

Cette chanson se chante à Paris.

Or, again, the active form may be used with the pronoun on as subject.

On parle cette langue en Orient.

On chante cette chanson à Paris.

66. The verb neuter subjective cannot take an object, the action being confined to the subject.

There are verbs neuter subjective which express a state.

67. There are verbs neuter subjective which express an action performed by the subject.

68. The verb neuter attributive is immediately followed by an adjective, which attributes to the subject the quality or defect expressed by this adjective.

69. Neuter verbs have never a passive voice, except in the cases mentioned for verbs neuter objective. (§ 65.)

In some very rare cases they take a reflexive form, and sometimes become impersonal.

70. All active and neuter verbs may have a circumstantial object.

CHAPTER XII.

VARIOUS KINDS OF IMPERSONAL AND REFLEXIVE VERBS.

71. Impersonal or unipersonal verbs are only conjugated in one person, viz.: the 3d person singular.

72. They are called essentially impersonal when they are impersonal by their nature, and can have neither active nor passive voice.

73. They are called accidentally impersonal when they are neuter by their nature, and only become accidentally impersonal.

74. Reflexive verbs or pronominal verbs are called essentially reflexive when they cannot be conjugated otherwise than with two pronouns of the same person.

75. They are called accidentally reflexive when the reflexive form arises accidentally, and when they can also be conjugated in the active and passive voices.

76. They are called pronominal passive when they are conjugated with a second pronoun, without indicating an action of the subject on itself or a reciprocal action, but only a passive sense.

Se dire

for

être dit