What Are Reflexive Verbs?
Reflexive verbs in French describe actions that the subject performs on itself. In English, these often correspond to verbs with "myself," "yourself," etc. In French, reflexive verbs are always accompanied by reflexive pronouns that agree with the subject.
For example, "Je me lave" means "I wash myself." The action of washing is directed back to the subject.
Je me lave.
Zhuh muh lav.
I wash myself.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns correspond to the subject and are placed before the conjugated verb. Here are the reflexive pronouns for each subject:
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun |
|---|---|
| Je (I) | me (m’ before vowel) |
| Tu (You, informal) | te (t’ before vowel) |
| Il/Elle/On (He/She/One) | se (s’ before vowel) |
| Nous (We) | nous |
| Vous (You, formal/plural) | vous |
| Ils/Elles (They) | se (s’ before vowel) |
Tu te réveilles tôt.
Too tuh ray-vay-ee toh.
You wake up early.
Conjugation of Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs are conjugated like regular verbs but always include the reflexive pronoun before the verb. For example, with the verb se laver (to wash oneself), here is the present tense conjugation:
| Subject | Conjugation of se laver |
|---|---|
| Je | je me lave |
| Tu | tu te laves |
| Il/Elle/On | il/elle/on se lave |
| Nous | nous nous lavons |
| Vous | vous vous lavez |
| Ils/Elles | ils/elles se lavent |
Nous nous habillons rapidement.
Noo noo zah-bee-yohn rah-pee-dmah.
We dress quickly.
Negation with Reflexive Verbs
To negate reflexive verbs, place ne before the reflexive pronoun and pas after the verb. The reflexive pronoun stays linked to the verb.
Elle ne se lave pas le matin.
El nuh suh lav pah luh mah-tan.
She does not wash herself in the morning.
If the verb begins with a vowel or mute h, ne contracts to n’.
Je ne m’habille pas.
Zhuh nuh mah-bee-yuh pah.
I do not get dressed.
Reflexive Verbs in the Past Tense (Passé Composé)
In the passé composé, reflexive verbs are conjugated with être as the auxiliary verb. The past participle usually agrees in gender and number with the subject, unless followed by a direct object.
| Subject | Passé Composé of se laver |
|---|---|
| Je (female) | Je me suis lavée |
| Tu (male) | Tu t'es lavé |
| Il | Il s'est lavé |
| Nous (female plural) | Nous nous sommes lavées |
| Vous (formal, male plural) | Vous vous êtes lavés |
| Elles | Elles se sont lavées |
Ils se sont réveillés tard.
Eel suh son ray-vay-yay tar.
They woke up late.
Common Reflexive Verbs
Many everyday actions use reflexive verbs. Here are some common ones:
- se réveiller – to wake up
- se lever – to get up
- se laver – to wash oneself
- s’habiller – to get dressed
- se coucher – to go to bed
- se reposer – to rest
- se promener – to take a walk
Elle s'habille avant de sortir.
El zah-bee-yuh ah-vahn duh sor-teer.
She gets dressed before going out.
Practice Examples
Try translating and understanding these sentences using reflexive verbs:
Nous nous reposons après le déjeuner.
Noo noo ruh-poh-zohn ah-pray luh day-zhuh-nay.
We rest after lunch.
Tu ne te brosses pas les dents.
Too nuh tuh bros pah lay dahn.
You do not brush your teeth.
Ils se sont promenés au parc.
Eel suh son proh-muh-nay oh park.
They took a walk in the park.
Tips for Remembering Rules
- Always remember that reflexive pronouns must match the subject in person and number.
- Place the reflexive pronoun immediately before the conjugated verb, even in negative sentences.
- In passé composé, reflexive verbs use être as the auxiliary verb, so the past participle often agrees with the subject.
- Learn common reflexive verbs as chunks to recognize patterns easily.
- Practice pronouncing the liaison between reflexive pronouns and verbs (e.g., m'habille, s'habille).
With consistent practice, reflexive verbs will become natural to use in daily French conversations.