The verbs "s’attendre à" and "attendre" are often confused in French due to their similarity. However, they express distinct ideas and are used in different contexts.
S’attendre à
The pronominal verb "s’attendre à" expresses the idea of expecting something, anticipating an event or situation. It involves a psychological or mental expectation concerning a future event. Note the presence of the preposition "à".
- Je m’attends à de la pluie demain. (I expect it to rain tomorrow.)
- Elle s’attend à un examen difficile. (She anticipates that the exam will be difficult.)
Attendre
"Attendre" is a verb that expresses the action of staying in place until someone or something arrives, or the act of delaying an action until a given moment. It involves a concrete temporal dimension, without the preposition "à".
- J'attends le bus. (I wait at the bus stop until the bus arrives.)
- Nous attendons la fin du film. (We stay until the movie ends.)
Comparison and Usage
The main difference between "s’attendre à" and "attendre" lies in the nature of the expectation:
- "S’attendre à" refers to a mental anticipation or prediction of future events.
- "Attendre" involves the physical act or posture of waiting for something or someone.
Other Examples:
- Je m’attends à ce qu’il soit en retard. (I expect him to be late.)
- Je l’attends depuis une heure. (I have been waiting for him for an hour.)