{"id":205,"date":"2024-02-29T14:40:10","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T19:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/6-8-structure-verbes-pronominaux\/"},"modified":"2025-06-04T16:32:52","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T20:32:52","slug":"grammaire-verbes-reflechis","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/chapter\/grammaire-verbes-reflechis\/","title":{"raw":"Grammaire 2: reflexive verb","rendered":"Grammaire 2: reflexive verb"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n
\r\n\r\nOn \u00e9tudie !<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

Verbes r\u00e9fl\u00e9chis<\/h3>\r\n

(a) A reflexive verb (un verbe r\u00e9fl\u00e9chi<\/strong>)\u00a0indicates that the action is being performed by the subject on itself<\/span>.<\/span> Reflexive verbs are easily identifiable in the infinitive form as they are preceded by <\/span>se<\/strong> or <\/span>s'<\/strong>, i.e <\/span>se brosser, se coucher, s'habiller<\/strong>. <\/span>In French, many of our daily routines and acts of personal hygiene are expressed with reflexive verbs<\/span> (to brush oneself, to wash oneself, to lay down, to get dressed). We have been using one since the first week one of the term: <\/span>s'appeler:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

Je m'<\/strong>appelle Catherine\u00a0 \u00a0(literally translating as: I call myself Catherine)<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

T<\/strong>u t'<\/strong>appelles Ronda?\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 (You call yourself Ronda?)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

When the subject of a verb is the same as the object of the verb, we have a reflexive verb (un verbe r\u00e9fl\u00e9chi<\/strong>). In the 2 examples above, the reflexive pronoun\u00a0<\/span>m'<\/strong>\u00a0stands for\u00a0<\/span>myself<\/span> and matches the subject je<\/strong> (I); likewise, the t'<\/strong> stands for yourself<\/span> and matches with the subject of the sentence tu<\/strong> (you). See more examples below of reflexive verbs in English.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verbes r\u00e9fl\u00e9chis (en anglais)<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Sujet<\/th>\r\nVerbe<\/th>\r\nObjet<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
He<\/td>\r\nwashes<\/td>\r\nhimself.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
I<\/td>\r\nlove<\/td>\r\nmyself.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
They<\/td>\r\nlook at<\/td>\r\nthemselves (in the mirror).<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

\u00a0(b) Here are the most common ones (for a fuller list, see the vocabulary section):<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/caption>\r\n
Fran\u00e7ais<\/th>\r\nAnglais<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
s'amuser<\/td>\r\nto have fun, to enjoy oneself<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
s'ennuyer <\/span><\/td>\r\nto be bored<\/span><\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
s'habiller<\/td>\r\nto get dressed<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
s\u2019entra\u00eener<\/span><\/td>\r\nto work out<\/span><\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se brosser les dents<\/td>\r\nto brush one's teeth<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se coucher<\/td>\r\nto go to bed<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se d\u00e9p\u00eacher<\/td>\r\nto hurry, to hurry up<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se d\u00e9shabiller<\/td>\r\nto undress<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se doucher (=prendre une douche)<\/span><\/td>\r\nto take a shower<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se laver<\/td>\r\nto wash oneself<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se laver le visage<\/td>\r\nto wash one's face<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se lever<\/td>\r\nto get up<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se maquiller<\/td>\r\nto put on make-up<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se promener (=faire une promenade)<\/span><\/td>\r\nto take a walk<\/span><\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se raser<\/td>\r\nto shave<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se reposer<\/td>\r\nto rest<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se r\u00e9veiller<\/td>\r\nto wake up<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se s\u00e9cher<\/td>\r\nto dry oneself<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

For every reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun (i.e., object) always needs to match the subject in gender, number, and person.<\/p>\r\n

Here are the reflexive pronouns you need to remember along with the conjugation of the reflexive verbs se lever<\/strong> and s'amuser<\/strong>:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/caption>\r\n
Pronoms r\u00e9fl\u00e9chis<\/th>\r\nse lever<\/strong> (to get up)<\/th>\r\ns'amuser<\/strong> (to have fun)<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
me, m' <\/strong><\/td>\r\nje me<\/strong> l\u00e8ve<\/td>\r\nje m'<\/strong> amuse<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
te, t' <\/strong><\/td>\r\ntu te<\/strong> l\u00e8ves<\/td>\r\ntu t'<\/strong> amuses<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se, s' <\/strong><\/td>\r\nil, elle, on se<\/strong> l\u00e8ve<\/td>\r\nil, elle, on s'<\/strong> amuse<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
nous <\/strong><\/td>\r\nnous nous<\/strong> levons<\/td>\r\nnous nous<\/strong> amusons<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
vous <\/strong><\/td>\r\nvous vous<\/strong> levez<\/td>\r\nvous vous<\/strong> amusez<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
se, s' <\/strong><\/td>\r\nils, elles se<\/strong> l\u00e8vent<\/td>\r\nils, elles s'<\/strong> amusent<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n\r\n[audio mp3=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2203\/2024\/02\/6.2-Les-verbes-se-lever-et-samuser.mp3\"][\/audio]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

(c) The reflexive pronoun always goes right before the conjugated verb. Together they form an inseparable \"block\" (me l\u00e8ve, te l\u00e8ves, se l\u00e8ve<\/strong>, etc.). When you negate a reflexive verb, you place ne<\/strong> <\/span>and pas<\/strong> <\/span>around this block. Let\u2019s look at the example of the verb se pr\u00e9parer<\/strong> (to prepare oneself):<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u00a0<\/caption>\r\n
se pr\u00e9parer <\/strong>(to get ready)<\/th>\r\nAu n\u00e9gatif (ne...pas<\/strong><\/span>)<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
je me<\/strong> pr\u00e9pare<\/td>\r\nje ne<\/span> me<\/strong> pr\u00e9pare pas<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
tu te<\/strong> pr\u00e9pares<\/td>\r\ntu ne<\/span> te<\/strong> pr\u00e9pares pas<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
il, elle, on\u00a0se<\/strong> pr\u00e9pare<\/td>\r\nil, elle, on ne<\/span> se<\/strong> pr\u00e9pare pas<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
nous nous<\/strong> pr\u00e9parons<\/td>\r\nnous ne<\/span> nous<\/strong> pr\u00e9parons pas<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
vous vous<\/strong> pr\u00e9parez<\/td>\r\nvous ne<\/span> vous<\/strong> pr\u00e9parez pas<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
ils, elles se<\/strong> pr\u00e9parent<\/td>\r\nils, elles ne<\/span> se<\/strong> pr\u00e9parent pas<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n[audio mp3=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/capufren100\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2203\/2024\/02\/6.8-se-preparer-ne-pas-se-preparer.mp3\"][\/audio]\r\n\r\n \r\n

(d)\u00a0Even when the verb is in the infinitive form, it still needs to have the appropriate reflexive pronoun to match the subject. For example:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

J'<\/strong>aime\u00a0me lever<\/strong>\u00a0t\u00f4t.\u00a0(I like to get up early.)<\/em>\u00a0[J'<\/strong>\u00a0=\u00a0me]<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Nous<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>allons<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>nous amuser<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>ce soir.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>(We are going to have fun tonight.)<\/em>\u00a0<\/span>[<\/span>Nous<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>=<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>nous]<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

(e) While most of the verbs presented above are always reflexive, many verbs can be used reflexively and non-reflexively. For example:<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n

regarder <\/strong>(to look [at]) => se regarder <\/strong>(to look at oneself)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

laver<\/strong> (to wash)<\/em> => se laver <\/strong>(to wash oneself)<\/em><\/p>\r\n

parler<\/strong> (to talk)<\/em> => se parler <\/strong>(to talk to oneself)<\/em><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n
\r\n\r\n \r\n

Ressources\u00a0suppl\u00e9mentaires<\/span><\/h4>\r\n

Regardez ces vid\u00e9os pour r\u00e9viser les verbes pronominaux :<\/p>\r\n\r\n