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Reflexive
Verbs
in French
What are ‘Reflexive Verbs’ ?
In English and in French reflexive
verbs are doing words which you do to
yourself.
I wash myself
Je me lave.
I get myself up
Je me leve.
I call myself
Je m’ appelle.
……
Verbs are doing,
being or having
words.
Here are some common examples
acheter
to buy
}
ecouter
to listen
}
regarder
to watch
}
end in ‘er’
}
aimer
to like
aller
to go
avoir
to have
}
finir
to finish
}
faire
to do
}
to read
}
lire
}
end in ‘ir’
end in ‘re’
Why do verbs change ?
In English and French, verb endings
change when linked to a PRONOUN.
(I)
je
(you)
tu
(he)
il
(she)
elle
P
R
O
N
O
U
N
nous
(we)
vous
(you)
ils
(they)
elles
(they)
Patterns
Luckily most verb endings in French follow a
regular pattern. The pattern depends on
whether the VERB INFINITIVE ends in:
‘er’ – habiter
aimer
‘ir’ – finir
choisir
‘re’ – vendre
attendre
We’ll concentrate on the most common
form – ‘er’ verbs
Verbs ending in ‘er’:
Take off
‘er’, add
e.g. ‘habiter’ – ‘to live’
e
(je) j’
habite
(I)
(live)
es
tu
habites
(you)
(live)
e
il
habite
(he)
(lives)
e
elle
habite
(she)
(lives)
ons
nous
habitons
(we)
(live)
ez
vous
habitez
(you)
(live)
ent
ils
habitent
(they)
(live)
ent
elles
habitent
(they)
(live)
Here are some examples of reflexive
verbs
se laver
to wash (oneself)
se lever
to get (oneself) up
s’ appeler
to call (oneself)
se reveiller
to wake (oneself) up
se doucher
to shower (oneself)
s’ habiller
to get (oneself) dressed / to dress
se coucher
to get (oneself) to bed / to go to bed
In French, the ‘reflexive’ part of the verb
(reflexive pronoun) also changes, as well
as the verb ending.
It changes depending on who is speaking
(the pronoun).
(I
call
myself)
Je m’ appelle
pronoun
reflexive
pronoun
main verb
(ending
changes)
Here is how it changes:
e.g. ‘se laver’ – ‘to wash (oneself)’
je
me
lave
I
wash
myself
tu
te
laves
you
wash
yourself
il
se
lave
he
washes
himself
elle
se
lave
she
washes
herself
nous
nous
lavons
we
wash
ourselves
vous
vous
lavez
you
wash
yourself
ils
se
lavent
they
wash
themselves
elles
se
lavent
they
wash
themselves
Now try these simple exercises:
Change the verb in brackets to it’s correct form.
1) Je (se appeller) Bob.
Je m’ appelle Bob.
2) Il (se appeller) Bob.
Il s’ appelle Bob.
3) Comment tu (se appeller).
Comment tu t’ appelles ?
4) Je (se lever) à six heures.
Je me leve à six heures.
5) Nous (se coucher) à onze heures. Nous nous couchons à onze heures
6) Elle (se reveiller) quand ?
Elle se reveille quand ?
7) Vous (se laver) à dix heures
Vous vous lavez à dix heures.
8) Ils (se doucher) à sept heures.
Ils se douchent à sept heures.
…easy…
So try these too:
Again, change the verb ‘avoir’ to it’s correct form.
1) Nous (se habiller).
Nous nous habillons.
2) Vous (se lever) tot.
Vous vous levez tot.
3) Je (se laver) doucement.
Je me lave doucement.
4) Elles (se reveiller) a cinq heures. Elles se reveillent a cinq heures.
5) Tu (se laver) les dents.
Tu te laves les dents.
6) Vous (se appeller) M. Shrimpton. Vous vous appellez M Shrimpton.
7) Tu (se coucher) tard.
Tu te couches tard.
8) Je (se lever) a sept heures.
Je me leve a sept heures.
…Well done !!