Thanks, Greg for pointing this glossary page out which needed updating too. I have now taken the asterisk and the rule out to match the lesson on Demeurer.

Bonne Continuation!

Hi John,

Well spotted!

Let's look at the verb demeurer -

When it doesn't mean to reside somewhere but to remain, it will take the auxiliary être and it is a verb of state (describing a continuation of state like rester ) :

Nous sommes demeurés perplexes devant sa réaction 

When it means to reside or live somewhere, it will take the auxiliary avoir -

Nous avons demeuré à Londres pendant dix ans 

The same can be said for the verb 'vivre', but it is one of those verbs which are more pliable as it can be transitive, intransitive but takes 'avoir' regardless, very odd!

Vivre heureux, vivre dans la misère , vivre une belle expérience ---->

Nous avons vécu heureux , il a vécu dans une misère incroyable, Ils ont vécu une belle expérience ensemble etc.

Hope this helps!

Hi George, 

Yes, you would use 'habiter' or 'demeurer' to say where you reside but habiter is a more straight forward verb which only takes 'avoir' in past tenses.

Hi Michael, 

This has been altered, thank you for your comment... 

Hi Tim,

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you...

Demeurer as your rightly point out is an odd one as it doesn't really fit into the usual transitive and intransitive category of verbs which take avoir or être.

However, it does mean two different things and use both auxiliaries depending on its meaning.

Maybe a better way of thinking about it is :

When the verb demeurer describes a state it will take 'être' and when it describes an action, it will take 'avoir'.

However, this is just a particularity of that verb and there is no need to sweat over as you will often use other verbs to describe the same meaning, rester in the case of the state of being ,

Je suis demeuré/resté bouche bée = I stayed open mouthed

and vivre/habiter for the action,

Nous avons demeuré/vécu/habité rue St Martin pendant dix ans = We lived in Rue St Martin for ten years 

You will find exceptions to all rules so this is very perceptive of you...'Vivre' is the same , intransitive but takes 'avoir' 

J'ai vécu = I have lived

Hope this helps!

Hi Tim,

The explanation of why demeurer behaves differently from transitive and intransitive verbs has been modified in this lesson. I hope it meets with your satisfaction...

Hi all, 

The lesson is going to be adapted and your comments will be taken into consideration.

Thank you very much for pointing those out...

Hi Sam,

In French you will often find verbs which have different meanings. Grammatically they use different auxilliary verbs to conjugate in the past enabling us to tell their meaning apart. As Ron says French is a rich, verbose language which has many layers.

Demeurer ( with Avoir) is this case will be used to mean, to reside somewhere, but you will mostly hear the simpler habiter or vivre in spoken language .

In the other sense of staying (with Etre) you will probably mostly use "rester" in spoken language, 

e.g. Elle est restée muette devant sa réaction  rather than,  elle est demeurée muette devant sa réaction.

Hope this helps!