Reflexive verbs in French
Exercises
The pronominal verbs (French: les verbes pronominaux) are verbs that conjugate with a reflected pronoun of the same person as the subject.
These verbs can be recognized by the fact that they form the infinitive with "themselves" (in French "se"):
- se tromper (to be fooled)
- se dépêcher (to hurry)
- se blesser (to get hurt)
Lesson Outline
Hide- 1.The different types of pronominal verbs
- 1.1.Examples
- 2.Conjugation of reflexive verbs in French
- 2.1.Example of a reflexive verb without a vowel
- 2.2.Example of a reflexive verb with a vowel
- 3.Verbs with reflexive and non-reflexive forms
- 4.Verbs with only a reflexive form
- 5.Reflexive verbs with parts of the body
The different types of pronominal verbs
- Passive pronominal verbs: the subject undergoes the action but does not accomplish it.
- Reflexive pronominal verbs: the subject undergoes the action he performs.
- Reciprocal pronominal verbs: the subjects undergo interaction.
- Subjective or non-reflexive pronominal verbs: the subject does not undergo the action it performs. They are often followed by a preposition.
Examples
| Use | Examples | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| passive pronominal verbs | Cette leçon se comprend bien | The lesson is comprehensible |
| reflexive pronominal verbs | Je ne me sens pas bien | I am not feeling good |
| reciprocal pronominal verbs | Ils se disputent chaque fois | They always fight |
| subjective or non-reflexive | Julien se moque de son frère | Julian is laughing at his brother |
Conjugation of reflexive verbs in French
Reflexive verbs must always be used with the corresponding object pronoun, which always refers to the subject and is therefore also called a reflexive pronoun.The reflexive pronouns are me, te, se, nous and vous and when the verb begins with a vowel me, te and se become me, t' and s'. In addition, the reflexive pronoun must always stand between pronoun and verb:
- Nous nous dépêchons. (we hurry up.)
- Mireille s'est mariée avec Pierre. (she got married to Pierre.)
Example of a reflexive verb without a vowel
- se laver (to wash)
| Pronom personnel | Présent | Passé composé | Imparfait | Plus-que-parfait | Futur simple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | me lave | me suis lavé | me lavais | m'étais lavé | me laverai |
| tu | te laves | t'es lavé | te lavais | t'étais lavé | te laveras |
| il/elle/on | se lave | s'est lavé | se lavait | s'était lavé | se lavera |
| nous | nous lavons | nous sommes lavés | nous lavions | nous étions lavé | nous laverons |
| vous | vous lavez | vous êtes lavés | vous laviez | vous étiez lavé | vous laverez |
| ils/elles | se lavent | se sont lavés | se lavaient | s'étaient lavé | se laveront |
Example of a reflexive verb with a vowel
- s'exclamer (to exclaim)
| Pronom Personnel | Présent | Passé composé | Imparfait | plus-que-parfait | futur simple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | m'exclame | me suis exclamé(e) | m'exclamais | m'étais exclamé(e) | m'exclamerai |
| tu | t'exclames | t'es exclamé(e) | t'exclamais | t'étais exclamé(e) | t'exclameras |
| il/elle/on | s'exclame | s'est exclamé(e) | s'exclamait | s'était exclamé(e) | s'exclamera |
| nous | nous exclamerons | nous sommes exclamé(e) | nous exclamions | nous étions exclamé(e)s | nous exclamerons |
| vous | vous exclamez | vous êtes exclamé(e) | vous exclamiez | vous étiez exclamé(e)s | vous exclamerez |
| ils/elles | s'exclament | se sont exclamé(e)s | s'exclamaient | s'étaient exclamé(e)s | s'exclameront |
In a negative sentence, one element of negation "ne" is placed before the pronoun and the other element of negation "pas" after the verb.
- Je ne me lève pas tôt. (I am not waking up early.)
Verbs with reflexive and non-reflexive forms
Some verbs have both a reflexive and non-reflexive forms as listed below:
| Non-reflexive | Reflexive |
|---|---|
| appeler (to call someone) | s'appeler (to be called) |
| baigner (to bathe someone) | se baigner (to bath oneself) |
| lever (to raise) | se lever (to rise) |
| arrêter (to arrest) | s'arrêter (to stop) |
| attendre (to wait for) | s'attendre (to expect sth) |
| coucher (to lay) | se coucher (to go to bed) |
| éteindre (to turn off) | s'éteindre (to go out, to die) |
| marier (to marry) | se marier (to get married) |
| promener (to walk) | se promener (to go for a walk) |
| rappeler (to call back) | se rappeler (to remember) |
| réveiller (to wake someone up) | se réveiller (to wake up) |
| tromper (to deceive) | se tromper (to be mistaken) |
| tuer (to murder) | se tuer (to kill oneself) |
Verbs with only a reflexive form
The following verbs occur only in the reflexive form:
- s'en aller (to go away)
- s'enfuir (to run away)
- s'envoler (to fly away/off)
- s'évanouir (to faint)
- se méfier (to beware)
- se moquer (to laugh at sb)
- se soucier (to worry about sb)
- se souvenir (to remember)
- se taire (to remain silent)
Reflexive verbs with parts of the body
To refer doing something to parts of the body, French uses a reflexive verb with the definite article, whereas English uses a possessive.
| Examples | Translations |
|---|---|
| Olivier se lave les mains | Olivier washes his hands |
| Nous nous lavons le visage | We wash our face |
| Elle se brosse les cheveux | She brushes her hair |
Some verbs represent an idiomatic use of the reflexive pronoun, they do not reflect reflexive or reciprocal actions.
- s'amuser, se dépêcher, s'endormir, s'ennuyer, se fâcher, se passer, se reposer, se sentir, se trouver.
Practise with a private teacher on Skype!
- Private Skype lessons
- Learn any topic
- Flexible appointments
German lessons and learning materials included
I teach: English, French, German
My name is Christina and I provide fun German and French language lesson for children and adult beginners or intermediate who want to... strengthen their language skills, improve the grammar knowledge, enrich the vocabulary and get into the German culture! I can teach in English or French!I had experince in teaching German, English and French to foreign people so I do have a lot of useful learning material I can provide you to make it easier! Read more
Very experienced teacher!
This teacher is one of our premium members. A premium teacher is very motivated to provide an excellent learning experience.
Ready to take on the challenge to learn Bulgarian?
I teach: Bulgarian, English, French
Hello, My name is Zlatko. I believe that learning Bulgarian online with me gives you the best of both worlds: fast progress and enjoyment.Taking... on the challenge to learn a new language is impressive. The reasons might be different. Some people give it a go because they just like new things. Others need to learn a new language because they are moving to a country where the language is spoken. Remember that whatever your reason is, it is your motivation that is the key to successful learning. Who am I and why to pick me out: - online and face-to-face teaching experience: over 15 years helping hundreds of students achieve their language goals - flexibility: willing to tailor my techniques to both your interests and specific needs - patience and excellent listening skills - honesty and collaboration: let's build trust and consider our work as a partnership - native Bulgarian speaker with oustanding educational background - sence of humour In general, my teaching style includes, but is not limited to: - speaking practice through role-play activities - stotytelling and discussions - gap filling excercises - listening comprehension - vocabulary development - accent reduction How does that grab you? If interested, drop me a line and we will discuss your language goals and expectations. Hope to see you soon. Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of every lesson: 1. Review what you covered in your previous lesson. 2. Focus on things you had difficulty with. I will definitely go over them. 3. It is always a great idea to take notes during your lessons. It helps you stay more focused on what you are learning. 4. Feel free to ask me if anything has come up since your last lesson that you want clarification on. Your questions do not have to be prior lesson related, maybe you are just curious about how to say something. 5. Be sure you have completed your homework assignments. If you were not able to complete them, make notes about what stumped you. Were the instructions not clear enough, was the vocabulary beyond your level of comprehension, were the grammar rules too overwhelming, was there too much homework for the time you had planned to spend on it, and so on. 6. Contact me prior to your next lesson if there are any issues or changes you would like to make me aware of so I can have a chance to make changes to your learning plan. Hope this helps. Read more
Professionnal French courses with a French native and certified teacher
I teach: French
Hello,Are you looking to learn or improve your French in a Fun and relaxed atmosphere?Look no further !My name is Anissa and I'm a French... native and certified teacher.Focusing on each student's individual level, interests, and goals, my online classes are effective to achieve impressive learning results in a shorter period of time. The courses will be based on your personal needs and during the class you will receive direct explanations, correction and feedback in order to instantly improve your language skills.Whether you want to learn French for your own pleasure or preparing for an exam, an upcoming interview or a presentation at work, I will be happy to assist you in reaching your goals.My online classes are available at any time! Choose a subject from my curriculum or request your own topic, date, time and start master your French!I look forward to meeting you,Anissa, your French (and nice) teacher :)*Please note that I'm not offering a free trial anymore* Read more
Group lessons possible
