Reflexive verbs in French
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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"):
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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 |
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:
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 |
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.
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) |
The following verbs occur only in the reflexive form:
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.
Complete the following with an appropriate reflexive pronouns.
Bonne chance !
Example: Je me suis dit que j'étais nulle.
1. Elle 'endort à onze heures du soir.
(She falls asleep at 11PM)
2. Je peigne dans la salle de bain.
(I comb in the bathroom)
3. Ils trompent souvent.
(They always deceive)
4. Tu 'habilles bien.
(You dress well)
5. Nous couchons de bonne heure.
(We go to bed early)
6. Vous dépêchez pour ne pas manquer le commencement du spectacle.
(You hurry up so that you won't miss the start of the show)
7. Je 'arrête devant le cinéma.
(I stop in front of the cinema)
8. Tu débrouilles bien.
(You are doing well)
9. Il rase chaque matin.
(He shave every morning)
10. Nous levons de bonne heure.
(We wake up early)
Complete the following sentences with the appropriate reflexive pronoun, when it is necessary (if not necessary leave it empty).
Bonne chance !
1. Je lave dans la salle de bain.
(I am having a bath in the bathroom)
2. Je lave la voiture.
(I am washing the car)
3. Elle lève la main.
(She is raising her hand)
4. Elle doit lever très tôt pour faire la queue.
(She has to wake up early for the queue)
5. Nous couchons tard.
(We go to bed very late)
6. Tu habilles le bébé.
(You are dressing the baby)
7. Tu 'habilles en noir.
(You dress up in black)
8. Marcel et moi, nous aimons.
(Me and Marcel love each other)
9. Il écrit au directeur de l'université.
(He is writing to the president of the university)
10. On aime les frites.
(We love fries)
Complete the following sentences with a definite article or possessive.
Bonne chance !
1. Je me lave mains.
(I am washing my hands)
2. Les enfants se sont brossés dents.
(The children brushed their teeth)
3. Tu ne veux pas me donner rein.
(You don't want to offer me his kidney)
4. Ils lavent voiture.
(They are washing their car)
5. J'ai vu une fille qui se lavait visage.
(I saw a girl washing her face)
6. Papa m'a demandé d'essuyer main.
(Dad asked me to dry his hand)
7. Papa m'a demandé de m'essuyer mains.
(Dad asked me to dry my hands)
8. J'ai levé bras gauche pour qu'il bouge.
(I raised his left arm so that he moves)
9. J'ai utilisé mains pour applaudir.
(I used my hands to clap)
10. Je me prépare cheveux et j'arrive.
(Let me prepare my hair and I come)
Complete the following with an appropriate reflexive pronouns.
Bonne chance !
Example: Je me suis dit que j'étais nulle.
1. Elle 'endort à onze heures du soir.
(She falls asleep at 11PM)
2. Je peigne dans la salle de bain.
(I comb in the bathroom)
3. Ils trompent souvent.
(They always deceive)
4. Tu 'habilles bien.
(You dress well)
5. Nous couchons de bonne heure.
(We go to bed early)
6. Vous dépêchez pour ne pas manquer le commencement du spectacle.
(You hurry up so that you won't miss the start of the show)
7. Je 'arrête devant le cinéma.
(I stop in front of the cinema)
8. Tu débrouilles bien.
(You are doing well)
9. Il rase chaque matin.
(He shave every morning)
10. Nous levons de bonne heure.
(We wake up early)
Complete the following sentences with the appropriate reflexive pronoun, when it is necessary (if not necessary leave it empty).
Bonne chance !
1. Je lave dans la salle de bain.
(I am having a bath in the bathroom)
2. Je lave la voiture.
(I am washing the car)
3. Elle lève la main.
(She is raising her hand)
4. Elle doit lever très tôt pour faire la queue.
(She has to wake up early for the queue)
5. Nous couchons tard.
(We go to bed very late)
6. Tu habilles le bébé.
(You are dressing the baby)
7. Tu 'habilles en noir.
(You dress up in black)
8. Marcel et moi, nous aimons.
(Me and Marcel love each other)
9. Il écrit au directeur de l'université.
(He is writing to the president of the university)
10. On aime les frites.
(We love fries)
Complete the following sentences with a definite article or possessive.
Bonne chance !
1. Je me lave mains.
(I am washing my hands)
2. Les enfants se sont brossés dents.
(The children brushed their teeth)
3. Tu ne veux pas me donner rein.
(You don't want to offer me his kidney)
4. Ils lavent voiture.
(They are washing their car)
5. J'ai vu une fille qui se lavait visage.
(I saw a girl washing her face)
6. Papa m'a demandé d'essuyer main.
(Dad asked me to dry his hand)
7. Papa m'a demandé de m'essuyer mains.
(Dad asked me to dry my hands)
8. J'ai levé bras gauche pour qu'il bouge.
(I raised his left arm so that he moves)
9. J'ai utilisé mains pour applaudir.
(I used my hands to clap)
10. Je me prépare cheveux et j'arrive.
(Let me prepare my hair and I come)
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My classes are structured according to my students' needs, I use different teaching methods and I rely on listening each of my students' expectations and goals. Dynamism and constant learning are my purposes in my classes.
I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
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Bonjour! Veux-tu apprendre français? ou l'améliorer?
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I have worked as a French teacher for more than ten years.
I have academic studies in English and French from Montréal, Canada, where I lived for several years. I have a Bachelor in Teaching French as a foreign language from the Université de Bourgogne.
I learned French at an early age in immersion in a French-speaking region and I studied French formally for 11 years, obtaining a native level.
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This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
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2 - If you are thinking taking any DELF exam, I can help you as I have experience in this field (3 years with Ensemble en Francais - online school).
3 - If you are a VCE French student, I definitively will be able to boost your skills to do well at the exam due to my experience as VCE French teacher and also as a VCE assessor.
4 - Finally I have also an extensive experience in teaching French at the primary and middle school level
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