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'Mener' vs 'Porter'

Learn how to use 'mener' and 'porter' properly and how to use their counterparts. Learn something that even natives struggle with.

In many languages, the usage choice of 'mener' and 'porter' is quite easy. For example, in Japanese, the usage choice of '持つ' and '連れる' depends on whether the object is animate or inanimate. In English, the usage choice of 'to take' and 'to bring' depends on whether you're going towards or away from the speaker.

French, on the other hand, is much more difficult and the usage choice demands a completely different perspective. In French, the perspectives are:
    1) do you lead or carry the object;
    2) will you stay with or continue to possess the object afterwards; and
    3a) have you lead or carried the object before; or
    3b) are you leading or carrying the object back to the person who stayed with or possessed it before.

French uses two base verbs, 'mener' and 'porter', and adds one of the following prefixes: a(p)-, ra(p)-, em- and rem-.

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THE OBJECT MOVES ITSELF

THE OBJECT IS INANIMATE

MENER

[mə.ne]

Conjugate

to lead
People, animals, cars and other self-moving objects.

PORTER

[pɔʁ.te]

Conjugate

to carry
Inanimate objects, eg., shoes, books, presents, etc.

...WILL NOT STAY WITH THE OBJECT

a(p)-

① to take the object and, upon its arrival, to no longer possess or to no longer stay with the object.

Translated as: to bring or to take.

AMENER

[am.ne]

Conjugate

①	Le bus vous amène directement à l'aéroport.
	The bus will take you directly to the airport [leaving you there].

Extra definitions:
- to bring down (flag, sail, etc.).
- to bring to (a change of state, eg., 'to bring to the boil').

APPORTER

[a.pɔʁ.te]

Conjugate

①	Va te laver, je t'apporte une serviette.
	Go wash up, I'll bring you a towel [for you to use].

Extra definitions:
- to bring about (change, etc.).
- to give (support, etc.).

...WILL TAKE AGAIN OR BACK

ra(p)-

① to take the object again and, upon its arrival, to no longer possess or to no longer stay with the object.

② to return the object to the previous location and, upon its arrival, to no longer possess or to no longer stay with the object.

Translated as: to bring again, to take again, to bring back, to take back or to return.

RAMENER

[ʁam.ne]

Conjugate

①	Peux-tu me ramener chez Louis ?
	Can you take me to Louis's again [and leave me there]?

②	Ne t'inquiète pas, je ramène Raphaëlle demain.
	Don't worry, I'll bring back Raphaelle tomorrow [and leave her there].

RAPPORTER

[ʁa.pɔʁ.te]

Conjugate

①	Je te rapporte une parapluie.
	I'm bringing you an umbrella again [for you to use].

②	Je vous rapporte le râteau demain matin.
	I will return your rake in the morning [and leave it].

Extra definitions:
- to report (news, information).
- to bring in, to yield (money).
- to correlate, to relate.

...WILL STAY WITH THE OBJECT

em-

① to take the object and, upon its arrival, to continue to possess or to remain with the object.

Translated as: to bring or to take.

EMMENER

[ɑ̃m.ne]

Conjugate

①	J'emmène ma copine en rendez-vous.
	I'm taking my girlfriend out on a date [and I will be there, of course].

Extra definitions:
- to lead (troops in a dragoon, people in a race, animals in a pack, etc.).
- to transport (people).

EMPORTER

[ɑ̃.pɔʁ.te]

Conjugate

①	J'emporte mon roman avec moi.
	I'm taking my book with me [to read later].

Extra definitions:
- to kill (politely in the sense of 'to carry off').
- to carry away, to blow (objects).
- to get something as takeout (UK: take-away).

...WILL TAKE AGAIN OR BACK

rem-

① to take the object again and, upon its arrival, to continue to possess or to remain with the object.

② to return the object to the previous location and, upon its arrival, to continue to possess or to remain with the object.

Translated as: to bring again, to take again, to bring back, to take back or to return.

REMMENER

[ʁɑ̃m.ne]

Conjugate

①	Je veux te remmener au cinéma.
	I want to take you out to the cinema again [and watch with you].

②	Je remmène ma fille à la maison.
	I'm taking my daughter back home [and staying home, too].

REMPORTER

[ʁɑ̃.pɔʁ.te]

Conjugate

①	Je vais remporter le vin.
	I'm going to bring the wine again [for us to drink].

②	Remporte à la maison les plats vides du déjeuner.
	Bring back home the empty dishes from lunch [and we'll have dinner at home].

Extra definitions:
- to win (an election, contest, etc.).
- to secure (a position).

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Use the following binary tree to quickly check which prefix you need:

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