même

The French word même is versatile and appears in several useful expressions. Here are some key phrases, their meanings, and examples of how to use them.

Même (even, same)

Used alone, même can mean “even” or “same.”

  • Tout le monde est venu, même Paul. Everyone came, even Paul.
  • Nous avons les mêmes goûts. We have the same tastes.
  • Même les enfants comprennent. Even the children understand.

Stress pronouns with même (myself, yourself, etc.)

The construction [stress pronoun] + même means “myself,” “yourself,” etc., and is used for emphasis.

  • moi-même (myself)
    • Je l’ai fait moi-même. I did it myself.
    • Je me suis préparé moi-même. I prepared myself.
  • toi-même (yourself, singular informal)
    • Tu peux le vérifier toi-même. You can check it yourself.
  • lui-même (himself)
    • Il a construit la maison lui-même. He built the house himself.
  • elle-même (herself)
    • Elle s’est soignée elle-même. She treated herself.
  • nous-mêmes (ourselves)
    • Nous l’avons organisé nous-mêmes. We organized it ourselves.
  • vous-même (yourself, singular formal)
    • Vous pouvez en être sûr vous-même. You can be sure of it yourself.
  • vous-mêmes (yourselves, plural)
    • Avez-vous fait cela vous-mêmes ? Did you do this yourselves?
  • eux-mêmes (themselves, masculine/mixed group)
    • Ils l’ont décidé eux-mêmes. They decided it themselves.
  • elles-mêmes (themselves, feminine group)
    • Elles ont tout géré elles-mêmes. They managed everything themselves.

Quand même (still, anyway, all the same)

Quand même expresses contrast or persistence.

  • Il pleut, mais je sortirai quand même. It’s raining, but I’ll still go out.
  • C’est cher, mais je l’achète quand même. It’s expensive, but I’ll buy it anyway.
  • Tu n’as pas étudié ? Tu as réussi quand même. You didn’t study? You still passed.

Même si (even if)

Même si introduces a hypothetical or contrasting condition.

  • Je sortirai même s’il pleut. I’ll go out even if it rains.
  • Même si tu refuses, je le ferai. Even if you refuse, I’ll do it.
  • Il est content même si il ne le montre pas. He’s happy even if he doesn’t show it.

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