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https://www.wordreference.com/enfr/expect says that expect may be translated to French as "s'attendre à" or "attendre", but I have always seen the first one. AFAIK "attendre" means "to wait", not "expect". Is "attendre" correct/usual in that context? Example:

  • Nous pouvons nous attendre à de la pluie plus tard.
  • Nous pouvons attendre de la pluie plus tard.
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    Possible duplicate of What is the difference between "attendre quelque chose" and "s'attendre à quelque chose"?
    – None
    Sep 21, 2019 at 14:10
  • I know the difference between the usual meaning of "attendre" (to wait) and "s'attendre à" (to expect). My question is if the former can have the meaning of the latter, as the Word Reference dictionary says.
    – Alan Evangelista
    Sep 21, 2019 at 14:36
  • “Nous attendons de la pluie jeudi” is a typical weather forecast example. It's hard to say in which circumstances the non pronominal form can be used with this meaning though.
    – Stéphane Gimenez
    Sep 21, 2019 at 14:37
  • @Laure Il n'y a pas de cas de duplication : la présente question traite une particularité non abordée dans la question à laquelle vous référez.
    – LPH
    Sep 21, 2019 at 15:07
  • @StéphaneGimenez Is "Tu peux attendre des effets positifs sur ton avenir" another example ?
    – Alan Evangelista
    Oct 24, 2019 at 19:27

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No, only the first sentence is correct in order to translate "to expect", in almost all cases.

The second one fits no common contexte (science fiction); if speaking about the weather you can find this idea of expectation in "attendre" but you can't use "pouvons"; however, I'm afraid it's limited to the context of the weather, essentially.

  • Nous attendons de la pluie plus tard.
    We believe that we should have rain later. • We're expecting rain later.

  • Votre belle mère ? Nous l'attendons d'un moment à l'autre ! Justement elle vient nous visiter aujourd'hui.
    Your mother-in-law? We're expecting her any minute now! She is in fact paying us a visit today.

COMPLEMENT OF EXPLANATION

The form "attendre qqc" is limited to this context, or rather to this type of context of which the weather is typical; it's a form that is not used to express the idea of "expecting" in the general, abstract case. For instance "Il attend une amélioration des conditions de travail." does not mean "He thinks there will be improvements soon", but instead, simply, it means that "He is refraining from doing something until improvements are realised.". What he is refraining from must be made clear in the context.

"Pouvoir s'attendre à" and "s'attendre à" do not say the same thing. Here, you want the strict notion of expectation to be rendered; of course there is no great difference and you could use the first form ("pouvoir"); nevertheless, to take up your sentence ("nous pouvons…) it means rather "We are justified in expecting rain.", "We have every Reason to believe there will be rain soon."

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  • My bad, I had meant "attendre de la pluie", not "attendre à de la pluie" in the second sentence of my question.
    – Alan Evangelista
    Sep 21, 2019 at 14:32
  • We're expecting rain later.
    – Lambie
    Oct 21, 2019 at 16:32
  • Could you please make clear what is limited to the context of weather? (1) "attendre" having the meaning of "to expect" or (2) the fact that this is possible only when the verb "pouvoir" is absent from the sentence? The former statement does not seem to be true, as you have already provided a different example. Another example: Tu peux attendre des effets positifs sur ton avenir"
    – Alan Evangelista
    Oct 25, 2019 at 12:05
  • @AlanEvangelista As what I can add takes up much space I'll insert it in the answer. If something should still be unclear about that or what precedes it feel free to ask again; there is no guarantee I'll have an explanation but there is a chance that the answer should be known to me.
    – LPH
    Oct 25, 2019 at 13:04
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Attendre et s'attendre, both can be "to expect".

"Nous pouvons attendre de la pluie plus tard."

Is not correct.

"Nous pouvons nous attendre à de la pluie".

Is correct.

Nous pouvons attendre quelqu'un. (wait for, expect someone)

Et s'attendre à quelque chose. (to expect)

J'attends Gaston, je m'attends à ce qu'il soit en retard.

https://www.anglaisfacile.com/exercices/exercice-anglais-2/exercice-anglais-8444.php

attendre se traduit par wait lorsqu'on se réfère à la durée.

Dans le sens de s'attendre à il faut utiliser expect.

· she has not arrived yet. I can't wait any longer, I am going back home. Je ne peux pas attendre plus longtemps.

· I'm expecting a letter from my mother today.I hope I'll have it.

J'attendais une lettre de ma mère
If it's a disappointed expectation: Je m'attendais à une lettre de ma mère

Expect se traduit souvent par :

             Supposer, penser, prévoir, etc.

· I expect she will meet us again (je pense qu'elle reviendra nous voir)

· I didn't expect to fail that exam (je ne m'attendais pas à échouer à cet examen)

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  • Downvoted but I don't why, as people prefer to not explain.
    – Quidam
    Nov 9, 2019 at 12:22

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