Les verbes réfléchisTelling what people do for

themselves

Les normes: Communication 1.2Comparisons 4.1

Les questions essentielles: What do reflexive verbs show? What makes a verb reflexive? How are reflexive verbs conjugated?

Reflexive verbs: In French, when the subject (the doer) of

the verb is also the direct object (the receiver of the action) the verb must be ‘reflexive’

Compare the sentences: Anne brosse le chien. Who is she brushing?

Anne se brosse les cheveux.

Who is she brushing?

What is the difference? In this picture Anne is

performing the action and the dog is receiving it.

In this picture Anne is doing AND receiving the action.

Because of this, the verb must be reflexive.

How to make a verb reflexive In the sentence:

Anne se brosse les cheveux.

the pronoun se refers to Anne and is called a ‘reflexive pronoun’.

The use of a reflexive pronoun indicates that the action of the verb is reflected back to the subject

Each subject pronoun has its own corresponding pronoun.

Se laver: To wash (one’s self) Je me lave

I wash (myself) Tu te laves

You wash (yourself) Il (Paul) se lave

He washes (himself) Elle (Anne) se lave

She washes (herself)

Nous nous lavons

We wash (ourselves) Vous vous lavez You wash (yourself/selves)

Ils se lavent They wash (themselves) Elles se lavent

They wash (themselves)

S’habiller – to get (one’s self) dressed Je m’habille Tu t’habilles Il (Paul) s’habille Elle (Anne) s’habille**

** Anne gets dressed, is getting dressed, does get dressed

Nous nous habillons Vous vous habillez Ils s’habillent Elles s’habillent

In a negative sentence: The nene is placed in front of the reflexive

pronoun and the paspas goes after the verb:

Je me réveille mais je ne me lève pas tout de suite

Nous ne nous rasons pas tous les jours

Some common reflexive verbs: Se révéiller – to wake up Se lever – to get up Se coucher – to go to bed S’endormir – to go to sleep Se laver (les mains)– to wash (hands) Se brosser ( les dents) – to brush (teeth) Se raser - to shave Se peigner – to comb one’s hair Se maquiller – to put on make up S’habiller – to get dressed S’appeler – to be named (to call one’s self)

Conjuguez s’endormir! Je m’endors Tu t’endors Il s’endort

Nous nous endormons Vous vous endormez Ils s’endorment