Usage Note
Empêcher is followed by de + infinitive to express preventing someone from doing something: empêcher quelqu'un de partir ('to stop someone from leaving'). The reflexive s'empêcher de means 'to stop oneself from' or 'to help oneself' - je ne peux pas m'empêcher de rire ('I can't help laughing').
Examples
"La pluie nous a empêchés de sortir."
Natural Translation
The rain prevented us from going out.
Literal Translation
The rain us has prevented of to-go-out
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