asseoir & s’asseoir

The French verbs asseoir and s’asseoir both mean “to seat” or “to sit.” The verb asseoir is mostly used in the reflexive form s’asseoir, which means “to sit down.” It is an irregular verb with more than one accepted conjugation pattern. In modern French, the most commonly used form is based on the root assié- in the present tense. Another older and less common form is based on assoi-.

Meaning and Difference

  • asseoir = to seat someone or to place something in a seated position
  • s’asseoir = to sit down (oneself)

Most of the time, French speakers use s’asseoir. The non-reflexive verb asseoir is typically used in more formal or descriptive contexts.

Present Tense: s’asseoir

The modern and most widely used conjugation of s’asseoir uses je m’assieds, tu t’assieds, il s’assied. Another acceptable variant uses je m’assois, tu t’assois, il s’assoit. Both are correct, though je m’assieds is more common in writing.

Conjugation (modern standard):

  • je m’assieds
  • tu t’assieds
  • il / elle / on s’assied
  • nous nous asseyons
  • vous vous asseyez
  • ils / elles s’asseyent

Examples:

  • Je m’assieds près de la fenêtre.
    (I’m sitting down near the window.)
  • S’il vous plaît, asseyez-vous.
    (Please, sit down.)
  • Les enfants s’asseyent en cercle.
    (The children are sitting in a circle.)
  • Nous nous asseyons toujours à la même place.
    (We always sit in the same spot.)
  • Est-ce que tu t’assieds ou tu restes debout ?
    (Are you sitting down or staying standing?)

Imperative

The imperative form is used to give commands.

  • (tu) assieds-toi
  • (nous) asseyons-nous
  • (vous) asseyez-vous

Examples:

  • Assieds-toi ici.
    (Sit down here.)
  • Asseyons-nous à l’ombre.
    (Let’s sit down in the shade.)
  • Asseyez-vous, je vous en prie.
    (Have a seat, please.)

Past Tense: Passé composé

The reflexive verb s’asseoir uses être in the passé composé.

Examples:

  • Je me suis assis(e) à côté de lui.
    (I sat down next to him.)
  • Ils se sont assis en silence.
    (They sat down in silence.)
  • Elle s’est assise dès son arrivée.
    (She sat down as soon as she arrived.)

Note that the past participle agrees with the subject: assis, assise, assis, assises.

Imperfect Tense: s’asseoir

In the imperfect, the root assey- is used.

Examples:

  • Quand j’étais enfant, je m’asseyais toujours devant.
    (When I was a child, I always sat at the front.)
  • Nous nous asseyions autour du feu chaque soir.
    (We used to sit around the fire every evening.)
  • Elle s’asseyait lentement, fatiguée.
    (She sat down slowly, tired.)

Future and Conditional Tenses

These tenses use the irregular stem assiér-.

Future:

  • je m’assiérai
  • tu t’assiéras
  • il s’assiéra
  • nous nous assiérons
  • vous vous assiérez
  • ils s’assiéront

Examples:

  • Je m’assiérai dès que je pourrai.
    (I will sit down as soon as I can.)
  • Ils s’assiéront au premier rang.
    (They will sit in the front row.)

Conditional:

  • je m’assiérais
  • tu t’assiérais
  • il s’assiérait
  • nous nous assiérions
  • vous vous assiériez
  • ils s’assiéraient

Examples:

  • Je m’assiérais bien un moment, mais je dois partir.
    (I would sit down for a moment, but I have to leave.)
  • Vous vous assiériez où ?
    (Where would you sit?)

Usage of the Non-reflexive asseoir

The verb asseoir on its own is used when someone is seating another person, or figuratively when referring to establishing something (such as authority or principles).

Examples:

  • Le professeur asseoit ses élèves selon un plan.
    (The teacher seats his students according to a plan.)
  • Il a assis son autorité dès le premier jour.
    (He established his authority from the first day.)
  • Cette loi asseoit les bases de la démocratie.
    (This law establishes the foundations of democracy.)
  • Il asseoit sa femme sur ses genoux pour lui expliquer les choses.
    (He sits his wife on his lap to explain matters to her.)

Passé composé of asseoir:

  • Il a assis son fils sur le banc.
    (He sat his son on the bench.)

Future:

  • Il assoira sa nièce près de lui.
    (He will seat his niece next to him.)

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