REFLEXIVE VERBS
Reflexive verbs show that the subject of the verb is performing the action upon himself, herself, or itself.
Examples: se baigner - to bathe / to swim
se lever - to get (oneself) up
REFLEXIVE VERBS
1. Change the reflexive pronoun (se or s’) to agree with the subject. Here are the reflexive pronouns:
REFLEXIVE VERBS – CONJUGATION
Pronoun Reflexive Pronoun
English Meaning
Je Me Myself
Tu Te Yourself
Il/Elle/On Se Himself / Herself
Nous Nous Ourselves
Vous Vous Yourself or Yourselves
Ils/Elles Se Themselves or Each Other
2. Then conjugate the infinitive(-er, -ir, -re, or irregular verb).
Ex. Se coucher (to go to bed)
REFLEXIVE VERBS – CONJUGATION
Singulier Pluriel
Je me couche Nous nous couchons
Tu te couches Vous vous couchez
Il/Elle se couche Ils/Elles se couchent
2. Then conjugate the infinitive (-er, -ir, -re, or irregular verb).
Ex. Se doucher (to shower)
REFLEXIVE VERBS – CONJUGATION
Singulier Pluriel
Je me douche Nous nous douchons
Tu te douches Vous vous douchez
Il/Elle se douche Ils/Elles se douchent
When doing the negative form of a reflexive verb, you still use the ne…pas sandwich.
Example: Se lever
REFLEXIVE VERBS – NEGATIVE
Singulier Pluriel
Je ne me lève pas Nous ne nous levons pas
Tu ne te lèves pas Vous ne vous levez pas
Il/Elle ne se lève pas Ils/Elles
ne se levent pas
When doing the negative form ofa reflexive verb, you still use thene…pas sandwich.
Example: S’habiller
REFLEXIVE VERBS – NEGATIVE
Singulier Pluriel
Je ne m’habille pas
Nous ne nous habillons pas
Tu ne t’habilles pas
Vous ne vous habillez pas
Il/Elle ne s’habille pas
Ils/Elles ne s’habillent pas
Usually reflexive pronouns go directly in front of the conjugated verb. Example: Je me couche.
Exceptions1. When there is an infinitive verb, the
reflexive object pronouns goes in front of the infinitive.
Example: Je vais me laver. (I’m going to wash myself).
WHERE TO PUT THE REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
Exceptions2. When there is a
command… the reflexive pronouns
go after the conjugated verb.
The reflexive pronouns also change for some!
Examples: Lave-toi Levez-vous
Normal Reflexive Pronoun
Reflexive Pronouns for commands
Je Moi
Tu Toi
Il/Elle Il/Elle
Nous Nous
Vous Vous
Ils/Elles Ills/Elles
WHERE TO PUT THE REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
COMMON REFLEXIVE VERBS
COMMON REFLEXIVE VERBS
Reflexive verb English meanings’amuser to have fun / to amuse oneselfse baigner to bathe
se brosser (les cheveux, les dents)
to brush (one's hair, one's teeth)
se casser (la jambe, le bras) to break (one's leg, one's arm)
se coiffer to fix one's hair
se coucher to go to bed
se couper to cut oneself
se dépêcher to hurry up
se habiller / se déshabiller to get dressed / to get undressed
se lever to get up
se raser to shave
se réveiller to wake up
REFLEXIVEAND
NON-REFLEXIVE
REFLEXIVE & NON-REFLEXIVE
It is important to note that most reflexive verbs can also be used in a non-reflexive way. Example:
Reflexive Non-reflexive
Je me brosse les dents Je brosse les dents de ma fille.
I brush my teeth. I brush my daughter’s teeth.
Sometimes the meaning of the verb actually changes. Common verbs of this type include:
REFLEXIVE & NON-REFLEXIVE
Non-reflexive Reflexive
Demander – to ask Se demander – to wonder
Ennuyer – to annoy S’ennuyer – to be bored
Passer - to go past/to spend time
Se passer – to happen
Sentir – to smell something Se sentir – to feel
Trouver – to find Se trouver – to be in a place