6.8: Structure - Verbes pronominaux
- Page ID
- 118951
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In this section, you will learn how to conjugate reflexive verbs
Listen to the audio clips that follow on this page to hear the French pronunciation of vocabulary and examples presented.
On étudie !
Verbes pronominaux à sens réfléchi
We know that the subject of a verb is the person or thing that is performing the verb's action. The object of a verb is the person or thing acted upon or affected by that action. Here's an example in English:
| Sujet | Verbe | Objet |
|---|---|---|
| The dog | bites | the man. |
| The man | bites | the dog. |
As we see here, the difference between subject and object depends on who or what is performing the action and who or what is affected by the action.
When the subject of a verb is the same as the object of the verb, we have a reflexive verb (un verbe réfléchi). For example:
| Sujet | Verbe | Objet |
|---|---|---|
| He | washes | himself. |
| I | love | myself. |
| They | look at | themselves (in the mirror). |
In French, many of our daily routines and acts of personal hygiene are expressed with reflexive verbs. Here are the most common ones:
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| s'adresser | to address, speak to |
| s'amuser | to have fun, to enjoy oneself |
| s'approcher | to approach something, someone |
| s'endormir | to fall asleep |
| s'énerver | to be annoyed, to get angry |
| s'ennuyer | to be bored |
| s'habiller | to get dressed |
| s’entraîner | to work out |
| s’étirer | to stretch |
| se baigner (prendre un bain) | to bathe, to take a bath |
| se brosser les dents | to brush one's teeth |
| se coiffer | to do one’s hair |
| se coucher | to go to bed |
| se dépêcher | to hurry, to hurry up |
| se déshabiller | to undress |
| se doucher (prendre une douche) | to take a shower |
| se laver | to wash oneself |
| se laver le visage | to wash one's face |
| se lever | to get up |
| se maquiller | to put on make-up |
| se peigner | to comb one’s hair |
| se promener | to take a walk |
| se raser | to shave |
| se reposer | to rest |
| se réveiller | to wake up |
| se sécher | to dry oneself |
Study the Quizlet vocabulary flashcards. Listen and repeat the French pronunciation.
With the exception of prendre une douche and prendre un bain, all of the French infinitives above begin with the pronoun se. This is called the reflexive pronoun (le pronom réfléchi). It is similar to the English word self.
For example, the English equivalent of se sécher is "to dry oneself", where the person doing the drying (= the subject) is the same person that is being dried (= the object): thus a reflexive action. However, many verbs that require reflexive pronouns in French do not require them in English. We do not need to say "he shaves himself" (il se rase), and we never say "they rest themselves" (elles se reposent).
There are also many reflexive verbs in French that are not reflexive at all in English. For example, s'endormir is reflexive in French, but to fall asleep is not reflexive in English. We have already seen this before with the reflexive verb s'appeler (literally, to call oneself):
Je m'appelle René. (≈ I call myself René ➔ My name is René).
Il s'appelle Charles. (≈ He calls himself Charles ➔ His name is Charles).
Comment vous appelez-vous ? (≈ What do you call yourself? ➔ What is your name?)
For every reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun (i.e., object) always needs to match the subject in gender, number, and person.
Here are the reflexive pronouns you need to remember along with the conjugation of the reflexive verbs se lever and s'amuser:
| Pronoms réfléchis | se lever (to get up) | s'amuser (to have fun) |
|---|---|---|
| me, m' | je me lève | je m' amuse |
| te, t' | tu te lèves | tu t' amuses |
| se, s' | il, elle, on se lève | il, elle, on s' amuse |
| nous | nous nous levons | nous nous amusons |
| vous | vous vous levez | vous vous amusez |
| se, s' | ils, elles se lèvent | ils, elles s' amusent |
Watch this video to practice using Reflexive pronouns
The reflexive pronoun always goes right before the conjugated verb. Together they form an inseparable "block" (me lève, te lèves, se lève, etc.). When you negate a reflexive verb, you place ne and pas around this block. Let’s look at the example of the verb se préparer (to prepare oneself):
| se préparer (to get ready) | Au négatif (ne...pas) |
|---|---|
| je me prépare | je ne me prépare pas |
| tu te prépares | tu ne te prépares pas |
| il, elle, on se prépare | il, elle, on ne se prépare pas |
| nous nous préparons | nous ne nous préparons pas |
| vous vous préparez | vous ne vous préparez pas |
| ils, elles se préparent | ils, elles ne se préparent pas |
While most of the verbs presented above are always reflexive, many verbs can be used reflexively and non-reflexively. For example:
regarder (to look [at]) => se regarder (to look at oneself)
laver (to wash) => se laver (to wash oneself)
parler (to talk) => se parler (to talk to oneself.)
Even when the verb is in the infinitive form, it still needs to have the appropriate reflexive pronoun to match the subject. For example:
J'aime me lever tôt. (I like to get up early.) [J' = me]
Nous allons nous amuser ce soir. (We are going to have fun tonight.) [Nous = nous]
Regardez ces vidéos pour réviser les verbes pronominaux :
- Les verbes pronominaux.
- Los verbos pronominales (French explained in Spanish).
Verbes pronominaux à sens réciproque
(a) Reciprocal pronominal verbs (or reciprocal reflexives) express a shared or reciprocal action between two or more people or things. In this context, the reflexive pronouns mean "(to) each other" or "(to) one another".
As usual, context is key. Look at the difference between these two sentences.
- Midori se parle souvent. (Midori talks "to herself" often.)
- Kathy et Michelle se parlent souvent. (Kathy and Michelle talk "to each other" often.)
In (1) the pronoun se means to "herself". In (2) se means to "each other".
Here are some common reciprocal verbs:
| Verbes | Verbs |
|---|---|
| s’admirer | to admire each other |
| s’adorer | to adore one another |
| s’aider | to help one another, each other |
| s’aimer (bien) | to love (like) one another |
| s’écrire | to write one another |
| s’embrasser | to kiss each other |
| s’entendre bien | to get along well (with one another) |
| se comprendre | to understand each other |
| se connaître | to know each other |
| se détester | to hate one another |
| se dire | to tell each other |
| se donner | to give one another |
| se disputer | to argue with someone |
| se battre | to fight with someone |
| se marier | to marry each other |
| se parler | to talk to each other |
| se quitter | to leave one another |
| se regarder | to look at each other |
| se rencontrer | to meet one another |
| se retrouver | to meet (up with) one another |
| se téléphoner | to call (phone) each other |
In English, each other and one another are often interchangeable. You don’t have to make this kind of choice in French; just use the correct reflexive plural pronoun (se, vous, or nous).
Tracy et Paul se donnent des cadeaux à Noël. (Tracy and Paul give each other gifts at Christmas.)
Les pompiers s’aident à éteindre l’incendie. (The firefighters help each other put out the fire.)
Nous nous retrouvons souvent au resto U. (We meet each other often at the resto U.)
Mathieu et Gina ont décidé de se quitter. (Mathieu and Gina have decided to leave each other.)
(b) Like other reflexive verbs, reciprocal expressions take être in the passé composé. However, the past participle only agrees in gender and number with the subject when the subject is also the direct object, but not when it’s an indirect object. Compare:
Elena a embrassé son copain. (Elena kissed her boyfriend.)
Elena et son copain se sont embrassés. (Elena and her boyfriend kissed each other.)
Elena a parlé à son copain. (Elena spoke to her boyfriend.)
Elena et son copain se sont parlé. (Elena and her boyfriend spoke to each other.)
(c) Some reflexive verbs are not always about subjects performing actions on themselves, nor are they reciprocal. It all depends on the context. Compare:
non-réciproque :
se marier (avec)
Je me suis marié. (I got married.)
s’entendre (bien, mal) avec.
Elle s’entend bien avec la professeur. (She gets along well with the professor.)
Je me suis marié avec Tanya. (I married Tanya.)
réciproque :
se marier
Ils se sont mariés. (They got married [to each other]. They married one another. They married each other.)
s’entendre
Nous nous entendons bien. (We get along well with each other.)
Verbes pronominaux à sens idiomatique
Unlike the verbs we studied above, where the action reflects back on the subject or between two subjects, these pronominal verbs should be learned as idiomatic expressions. This means that there is really no explanation as to why they have a reflexive pronoun, but they do. These pronominal verbs don't have any obvious reflexive or reciprocal meaning, for example s'énerver (to be annoyed) or s'intéresser (to be interested in). Here's a good list to start with:
| Français | Anglais |
|---|---|
| se débrouiller | to manage, to get by |
| s’habituer | to get used to |
| se perdre | to get lost |
| s’attendre | to expect |
| s'en aller | to leave, go away |
| se sentir | to feel (good, bad) |
| se tromper | to be mistaken |
| se rappeler | to remember |
| se souvenir | to remember |
| s'inquiéter | to worry |
| s'occuper | to take care |
| s'intéresser | to be interested |
| se régaler | to enjoy oneself |
Study the Quizlet vocabulary flashcards. Listen and repeat the French pronunciation.
Étudiez les différences entre se souvenir et se rappeler avec ces vidéos:
On pratique !
Activité A
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verbs in parentheses at the Present tense:
- Lisa ________ dans le miroir. (se regarder)
- Daniel et Jean ne ________ pas tous les jours. (se raser)
- Je n’aime pas ________. Je préfère prendre un bain. (se doucher).
- Vous______________(se lever) tôt le matin ?
- Mes deux frères ________(se laver) les mains trop souvent.
- Tes parents, ils_____________(s’appeler) comment ?
- La semaine, nous_______________(s’endormir) facilement.
Activité B
Donnez les formes correctes des verbes au présent.
- nous (s’aider) ________.
- elles (se téléphoner) ________.
- vous [pluriel] (se regarder) ________.
- ils (se dire) ________.
- Kate et Lin (se regarder) ________.
- Les politiciens (se détester) ________.
- On (s’aimer) ________.
- Toi et Daniel (se connaître) ________.
Activité C
Répondez aux questions au présent.
- Est-ce que tu t’entends bien avec tes frères et sœurs ?
- Est-ce que tu t’intéresses aux jeux de cartes ?
- Est-ce que tu t’ennuies parfois en été ?
- Est-ce que tes amis se disputent avec toi parfois ?
- Tu t’énerves souvent ?
- Où est-ce que tu te promènes d’habitude ?
- Est-ce que tu t’occupes d’une personne ou d’un animal de compagnie ?
Activité D
Comparez-vous avec Pascal et posez-vous des questions sur vos propres expériences.
Modèle : Il s'entend bien avec le professeur. ➔
Étudiant(e) 1 : Et toi, tu t'entends bien avec le, la professeur ?
Étudiant(e) 2 : Oui, je m'entends bien avec lui, elle. Non, je ne m'entends pas bien avec lui, elle.
- Il se bat souvent avec ses frères et sœurs.
- Il s'énerve quand les gens ne l’écoutent pas.
- Il s'ennuie à l'opéra.
- Il s'intéresse beaucoup à la politique.
- Il s'occupe de la maison de son grand-père.
- Il ne se fâche jamais avec ses amis.
- Il se souvient de ses anciens camarades de classe.
- Il ne s’entend pas bien avec son professeur.
Activité E
Ecoutez la chanson « le tourbillon de la vie » et complétez avec les verbes pronominaux réciproques.
On _____________________(se connaître), on_____________________(se reconnaître)
On _____________________(se perdre) de vue, on _____________________(se reperdre) de vue. On _____________________(se retrouver), on _____________________(se réchauffer)
Puis on _____________________(se séparer)
Chacun pour soi est reparti
Dans le tourbillon de la vie
Je l'ai revue un soir, aïe, aïe, aïe
Ça fait déjà un fameux bail
Ça fait déjà un fameux bail
Activité F
Complétez les phrases avec le pronom ou verbe qui manque.
- Je me __________ tôt le matin.
- Marie ______ maquille avant de sortir.
- Nous _______ marions demain.
- Est-ce que vous ______ couchez tard ?
- Tu ____ prépares pour le voyage ?
On approfondit !
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