Introduction to reflexive verbs in French
Reflexive verbs (verbes réfléchis) in French are verbs where the subject and the object of the action are the same. This sounds a bit complicated, but it means that the action is performed by the subject on itself.
An example is English is, when you say you look at yourself. In this case, the subject (you) is also the object at the action (yourself). In French, this is the same. Il se regarde attentivement. (In the mirror, he looks at himself attentively.) Reflexive verbs are often used to express actions that involve oneself or one’s body.
In French, reflexive verbs are conjugated with so-called reflexive pronouns that agree with the subject. The most common reflexive pronouns are me (myself), te (yourself), se (himself/herself/itself/oneself), nous (ourselves), vous (yourselves), and se (themselves/each other).
For example:
- Se laver (to wash oneself)
- Je me lave. (I wash myself.)
- Tu te laves. (You wash yourself.)
- Il/Elle/On se lave. (He/She washes himself/herself.)
- Nous nous lavons. (We wash ourselves.)
- Vous vous lavez. (You wash yourselves.)
- Ils/Elles se lavent. (They wash themselves.)
Some common reflexive verbs in French include:
- Se lever (to get up)
- Se coucher (to go to bed)
- Se promener (to take a walk)
- Se souvenir (to remember)
- Se dépêcher (to hurry)
- Se maquiller (to put on makeup)
- Se souvenir (to remember)
- Se sentir (to feel)
Reflexive verbs use être as auxiliary
All reflexive verbs (les verbes pronominaux) use être as their auxiliary verb in compound tenses. If you don’t know what auxiliary verbs are, read more here. Here are some examples of reflexive verbs in the passé composé:
- Je me suis lavé(e)
- I washed myself
- Tu t’es levé(e)
- You got up
- Il/Elle s’est habillé(e)
- He/She dressed himself/herself
- Nous sommes couché(e)s
- We went to bed
- Vous vous êtes promené(e)(s)
- You took a walk
- Ils/Elles se sont réveillé(e)s
- They woke up
More examples in sentences
- Se réveiller (to wake up)
- Je me réveille tôt tous les matins
- I wake up early every morning
- Se laver les mains (to wash one’s hands)
- Avant de manger, il est important de se laver les mains
- Before eating, it’s important to wash your hands
- Se coiffer (to do one’s hair)
- Elle aime se coiffer avant de sortir
- She likes to do her hair before going out
- Se regarder (to look at oneself)
- Dans le miroir, il se regarde attentivement
- In the mirror, he looks at himself attentively
- Se reposer (to rest)
- Après une longue journée de travail, je préfère me reposer à la maison
- After a long day of work, I prefer to rest at home
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