séjournant

Séjournant is the present participle of the French verb séjourner, which means to stay or to reside temporarily in a place. The term is closely related to the noun séjour (a stay or sojourn) and the verb séjourner, from which séjournant derives its grammatical function. The word is used in written French to describe ongoing action or to introduce descriptive phrases about someone who is staying somewhere.

Grammatical role and usage: as a present participle, séjournant can function as a descriptive modifier or as part of a non-finite clause. It commonly appears in constructions with the preposition en to express “while staying” or “during a stay.” It can also modify a noun in a participial phrase, conveying a sense of ongoing activity tied to staying somewhere. Examples include en séjournant dans un hôtel ou en séjournant à l’étranger, or les voyageurs séjournant à Paris.

Stylistic notes: séjournant tends to appear more in formal or written French, such as travel writing, biographies, or encyclopedic prose, rather than in casual spoken language. In everyday speech, speakers often rephrase with en + present participle or with a finite verb, e.g., « pendant leur séjour » or « qui séjournait ».

Example sentences:

- Séjournant à Lyon, elle a découvert la cuisine locale. (While staying in Lyon, she discovered the local cuisine.)

- Les visiteurs séjournant dans cet hôtel bénéficient d’un spa. (The visitors staying at this hotel benefit from a spa.)

- En séjournant à l’étranger, il a appris plusieurs langues. (While staying abroad, he learned several languages.)

See also: séjourner, séjour, séjourneur, séjournement (rare).