Learn with Video
Watch our comprehensive video lesson
French Reflexive Verbs Overview
French reflexive verbs (verbes pronominaux) are verbs that are accompanied by a reflexive pronoun that refers back to the subject. They're used when the subject performs an action on themselves.
Reflexive verbs are essential for describing daily routines, personal care, and many common activities. They're much more common in French than in English.
Examples
Je me lave les mains.
I wash my hands. (literally: I wash myself the hands)
Elle se réveille à sept heures.
She wakes up at seven o'clock.
Nous nous amusons beaucoup.
We're having a lot of fun.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive verbs use reflexive pronouns that must agree with the subject. These pronouns are placed before the verb in most tenses.
Reflexive Pronoun Forms
The reflexive pronouns change according to the subject:
French Reflexive Pronouns
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | me (m') | myself |
| tu | te (t') | yourself |
| il/elle/on | se (s') | himself/herself/oneself |
| nous | nous | ourselves |
| vous | vous | yourself/yourselves |
| ils/elles | se (s') | themselves |
Je me regarde dans le miroir.
I look at myself in the mirror.
Tu t'habilles rapidement.
You get dressed quickly.
Ils s'aiment beaucoup.
They love each other very much.
Common Reflexive Verbs
Many everyday activities are expressed with reflexive verbs in French. Here are the most common ones:
Daily Routine Reflexive Verbs
These reflexive verbs describe daily activities:
Se laver (to wash oneself) - Present Tense
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 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 yourself/yourselves |
| ils/elles | se lavent | they wash themselves |
Je me lève à six heures.
I get up at six o'clock. (se lever)
Elle se brosse les dents.
She brushes her teeth. (se brosser)
Nous nous couchons tard.
We go to bed late. (se coucher)
More Common Reflexive Verbs
Additional important reflexive verbs:
Common Reflexive Verbs
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| se réveiller | to wake up | Je me réveille tôt |
| s'habiller | to get dressed | Tu t'habilles bien |
| se dépêcher | to hurry | Il se dépêche |
| s'amuser | to have fun | Nous nous amusons |
| se reposer | to rest | Vous vous reposez |
| se promener | to take a walk | Ils se promènent |
Tu te dépêches pour arriver à l'heure.
You hurry to arrive on time.
Les enfants s'amusent dans le parc.
The children are having fun in the park.
Je me promène tous les soirs.
I take a walk every evening.
Reflexive Verbs in Different Tenses
Reflexive verbs can be conjugated in all tenses. The reflexive pronoun always stays with the verb:
Passé Composé with Reflexive Verbs
All reflexive verbs use être in the passé composé, and the past participle usually agrees with the subject:
Se lever (to get up) - Passé Composé
| Pronoun | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| je | me suis levé(e) | I got up |
| tu | t'es levé(e) | you got up |
| il/elle | s'est levé/levée | he/she got up |
| nous | nous sommes levé(e)s | we got up |
| vous | vous êtes levé(e)(s) | you got up |
| ils/elles | se sont levés/levées | they got up |
Je me suis lavé ce matin.
I washed myself this morning.
Elle s'est couchée tard hier soir.
She went to bed late last night.
Nous nous sommes amusés à la fête.
We had fun at the party.
Future and Conditional
In future and conditional tenses, the reflexive pronoun stays before the conjugated verb:
Je me lèverai tôt demain.
I will get up early tomorrow. (future)
Tu te coucherais plus tôt si tu étais sage.
You would go to bed earlier if you were good. (conditional)
Nous nous promènerons dans le parc.
We will take a walk in the park. (future)
Negative Reflexive Verbs
In negative sentences, ne comes before the reflexive pronoun and pas after the verb:
Formula: Subject + ne + reflexive pronoun + verb + pas
This pattern applies to all tenses with reflexive verbs.
Examples
Je ne me lève pas tôt le dimanche.
I don't get up early on Sundays.
Elle ne s'habille jamais en noir.
She never dresses in black.
Nous ne nous sommes pas amusés.
We didn't have fun. (passé composé)
Tu ne te dépêcheras plus.
You won't hurry anymore. (future)
Reflexive vs Non-Reflexive
Many verbs can be used both reflexively and non-reflexively, with different meanings:
Reflexive: Action performed on oneself
Non-reflexive: Action performed on someone/something else
Understanding this distinction is crucial for correct usage.
Examples
Je lave ma voiture. / Je me lave.
I wash my car. / I wash myself.
Elle réveille son fils. / Elle se réveille.
She wakes up her son. / She wakes up.
Nous habillons le bébé. / Nous nous habillons.
We dress the baby. / We get dressed.
Tu couches les enfants. / Tu te couches.
You put the children to bed. / You go to bed.
Reciprocal Reflexive Verbs
Some reflexive verbs express reciprocal actions (each other) rather than reflexive actions (oneself). These are used with plural subjects:
Reciprocal meaning: The subjects perform the action on each other
Common reciprocal verbs: se parler, se voir, s'aimer, se téléphoner, se rencontrer
Context usually makes the meaning clear.
Examples
Ils se parlent tous les jours.
They talk to each other every day.
Nous nous voyons souvent.
We see each other often.
Les amoureux s'embrassent.
The lovers kiss each other.
Vous vous téléphonez le soir?
Do you call each other in the evening?
Reflexive Verbs in Questions
When forming questions with reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun stays with the verb:
Inversion: The reflexive pronoun stays before the verb
Est-ce que: Normal word order with reflexive pronoun
Intonation: Rising intonation with normal word order
The reflexive pronoun never separates from its verb.
Examples
Te lèves-tu tôt?
Do you get up early? (inversion)
Est-ce que tu te lèves tôt?
Do you get up early? (est-ce que)
Tu te lèves tôt?
You get up early? (intonation)
Comment vous appelez-vous?
What is your name? (literally: How do you call yourself?)