French Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-1

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reflexive verbs typically describe an action that the subject
does to or for himself, herself, itself, or themselves. Reflexive
verbs are conjugated like their non-reflexive counterparts but
always use reflexive pronouns.

Bruno se réveille.

Bruno réveille son fils.

Reflexive verb

Non-reflexive verb

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-2

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reflexive verbs

se réveiller (to wake up)

je
tu
il/elle/on
nous
vous
ils/elles

me réveille
te réveilles
se réveille
nous réveillons
vous réveillez
se réveillent

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-3

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Some reflexive verbs clearly express a reflexive
action while others don’t because they are idiomatic.

s’arrêter to stop (oneself)
se brosser to brush
se coucher to go to bed
se couper to cut oneself
se déshabiller to undress
se dépêcher to hurry
se détendre to relax

s’endormir to fall asleep
se fâcher (contre) to get
angry (with)
s’habiller to get dressed
s’habituer à to get used to
s’inquiéter to worry
s’intéresser (à) to be
interested (in)

se laver to wash oneself
se lever to get up
se maquiller to put
on makeup
se peigner to comb
se raser to shave
se reposer to rest

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-4

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Some verbs can be used reflexively or non-reflexively.
Use the non-reflexive form if the verb acts upon
something other than the subject.

Marina se couche à 23h.
Marina goes to bed at 11pm.

Ma sœur couche ses enfants à 21h.
My sister puts her kids to bed at 9pm.

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-5

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Many non-reflexive verbs change meaning when they are used
with a reflexive pronoun and might not literally express a
reflexive action, and be idiomatic.

aller to go
amuser to amuse
apercevoir to catch sight of
attendre to wait (for)
demander to ask
douter to doubt
ennuyer to bother
entendre to hear
mettre to put
servir to serve
tromper to deceive

s’en aller to go away
s’amuser to have fun
s’apercevoir to realize
s’attendre à to expect
se demander to wonder
se douter de to suspect
s’ennuyer to get bored
s’entendre bien avec to get along with
se mettre à to begin
se servir de to use
se tromper to be mistaken

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-6

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

A number of verbs are idiomatic and are used only in
the reflexive form.

se méfier de to distrust
se moquer de to make fun of
se rendre compte de to realize

se souvenir de to remember
se taire to be quiet

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-7

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Form the affirmative imperative of a reflexive verb by
adding the reflexive pronoun to the end of the verb with
a hyphen in between. For negative commands, place
the reflexive pronoun immediately before the verb.

Habillons-nous. Il faut partir!
Let’s get dressed. We have to leave!

Ne vous inquiétez pas.
Don’t worry.

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-8

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Remember to change te to toi in affirmative commands.

Repose-toi bien ce week-end.
Rest up this weekend.

Tais-toi!
Be quiet!

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-9

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Some reflexive verbs express a reciprocal action
between more than one person. Only plural verb
forms are used. The pronoun means (to) each other
or (to) one another.

Nous nous retrouvons au stade.
We are meeting each other at the stadium.

Elles s’envoient des SMS.
They send each other texts.

Leçon 2

Habiter en ville
Structures

2.1
Reflexive and reciprocal verbs

2.1-10

© by Vista Higher Learning, Inc. All rights reserved.

Use l’un(e) l’autre and l’un(e) à l’autre, or their
plural forms les un(e)s les autres and les un(e)s
aux autres, to clarify or emphasize that an action
is reciprocal.

Béa et Yves se regardent.
Béa and Yves look at each other.
Béa and Yves look at themselves.

but

Béa et Yves se regardent l’un l’autre.
Béa and Yves look at each other.

Ils s’envoient des messages.
They send each other messages.
They send themselves messages

but

Ils s’envoient des messages les uns aux autres.
They send each other messages.