Reflexive verbs

1. Reflexive verbs

2. Reflexive Constructions in simple Tenses • In a reflexive construction, the action is performed by the subject on itself. The reflexive verb has a reflexive pronoun as its object. • Thus, the subject and the pronoun object refer to the same person(s) or thing(s): I shave myself. The reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous)generally precedee the verb.

3. Present tense of reflexive verb • Se laver • Je me lave • Tu te laves • Il se lave • Elle se lave • Nous nous lavons • Vous vous lavez • Ils se lavent • Elles se lavent

4. Negative, interrogative& negative interrogative of reflexive in present tense. • Negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative constructions follow : • Negative: • Jeneme réveille pas • Vousnevous réveillez pas. • Interrogative: • Est-ce que jeme réveille ? • Te réveilles-tu? • Vous réveillez-vous? • Negative interrogative • Est-ce que jeneme réveille pas ? • Nete réveilles-tupas? • Ne vous réveillez-vouspas?

5. Common reflexive verbs • S’acheter • S’améliorer • S’amuser • S’appeler • S’approcher • S’arrêter • S’attendre • Se baigner • Se blesser • Se bronzer • Se brosser • To buy for o.s. • To improve • To enjoy o.s. • To becalled • To approach • To stop • To expect • To bathe • To hurt o.s. • To tan • To brusho.s • Se brûler • Se cacher • Se casser • Se coucher • Se déguiser • Se demander • Se dépêcher • Se déshabiller • Se disputer • S’échapper • S’éloigner • To burn o.s. • To hide o.s. • To break • To go to bed • To disguise o. • To wonder • To hurry • To getundressed • To quarrel • To escape • To move away

6. Common reflexive verbs (con’d) • S’endormir • S’ennuyer • S’exprimer • Se fâcher • S’habiller • S’habituer • S’inquièter (de) • S’installer • Se laver • Se lever • Se maquiller • To fallasleep • To getbored • To express o.s. • To becomeangry (at) • To getdressed • To getused to • To worry (about) • To set up • To wash o.s. • To get up • To make up • Se marier • Se mettre à • Se moquer (de) • Se peigner • Se préparer • Se présenter • se promener • Se rappeler • Se raser • Se regarder • Se reposer • Se réveiller • To getmarried • To begin to • To laughat • To comb o.s. • To prepare • To introduce o.s. • To take a walk • To remember • To shave • To look at o.s. • To rest • To wake up

7. Common reflexive verbs (Con’d) • Se sauver • Se sentir • Se servir (de) • Se souvenir (de) • Se spécialiser (en) • Se tromper • To runaway • To feel • To use • To remember • To specialize • To make a mistake

8. Note-Remember the spelling changes in the following reflexive verbs: • S’acheter • S’appeler • S’ennuyer • Se lever • Se promener • (je m’achète) • (je m’appelle) • (Il s’ennuie) • (je me lève) • (tu te promènes)

9. Note • Some reflexive verbs may be used with an object in addition to the reflexive pronoun. In such constructions this object is the direct object of the verb and the reflexive pronoun is the indirect object. Claire se lave. Claire washes herself. (Se is direct object because Claire is washing herself.) Claire se lave les cheveux. Claire washes her hair. C.O.D. Direct Object (Cheveux is the direct object, and se is the indirect object: Claire is washing her hair for herself.) Elle s’achète la robe She buys the dress for herself. (Robe is the direct object, and se is the indirect object: she is buying thedressfor herself.)

10. Most French verbs could become reflexive: • Most French verbs that take a direct object may be made reflexive by adding a personal pronoun object that refers back to the subject. • Papa réveille David Dad wakes David. • David se réveille David awakens (wakes himself up). • Je regarde mon ami. I look at my friend. • Je me regarde dans le miroir. I look at myself in the mirror.

11. L’impératif des verbes réfléchis • Note the affirmative and negative forms of the imperative of the verb se reposer (to rest). • In AFFIRMATIVE commands, reflexive pronouns come AFTER the verb and are attached to it by a hyphen. Note that te becomes toi. • In NEGATIVE commands, reflexive pronouns come BEFORE the verb. • The following reflexive vers are often used in the imperative:

12. Le passé composé des verbes réfléchis

13. Negative, interrogative& negative interrogative of reflexive in ‘passé composé’tense. • In compound tenses, the reflexive pronoun precedes the helping verb. In the negative, ne precedes the reflexive pronoun, and pas follows the helping verb. Je ne me suis pas habillé(e) I did not get dressed • In interrogative constructions with inversion, the subject pronoun and the helping verb are inverted and the reflexive pronoun remains before the helping verb. T’es-tu habillé(e)? Did you get dressed? S’est-elle levée tôt? Did she get up early? Nevousêtes-vous pas lavées? Didn’t you wash yourselves? Nesesont-ils pas trompées? Didn’t they make a mistake?

14. Negative, interrogative& negative interrogative of reflexive in ‘passé composé’tense. • Questions can also be asked without inversion, by using ‘est-ce que’ at the beginning of the sentence or by using simple intonation. Vous vous êtes promené(e)s ? Did you take a walk? Est ce que vous vous êtes promené(e)s Did you take a walk? Est ce que tu ne t’es pas souvenu(e)? Didn’t you remember Tu ne t’es pas souvenu(e)? You didn’t remember?

15. The reflexive pronoun may be either a direct or an indirect object of the verb. When the reflexive pronoun is a direct object, as in elle s’est lavée (she washed herself), where se stands for “herself”, the past participle agrees with the reflexive pronoun, therefore also agreeing with the subject. Elle s’est brulée. She burned herself. Ils se sont amusés hier. They enjoyed themselves yesterday. • When the reflexive pronoun is an indirect object, as in elle s’est lavée les mains, where se stands for “for herself” or “of herself”,and les mains in the direct object, the past participle remains unchanged. Elle s’est brossé les dents. She brushed her teeth of herself.. Or Elle a brossé les dents à elle. She brushed the teeth of herself. Ils se sont acheté les vidéocassettes. They bought the videotapes (for themselves). Ils ont acheté les vidéocassettes à eux. They bought the videotapes (for themselves).