Reflexive verbs are verbs which use a reflexive pronoun like in the table bellow. They describe an action that is done to yourself. The reflexive pronoun changes depending on who is doing the action.
Reflexive pronouns
| Personal pronouns | Reflexive pronouns | Se lever (to get up) |
|---|---|---|
| Je | Me, m’ | Je me lève |
| Tu | Te, t’ | Tu te lèves |
| Il, elle, on | Se, s’ | Il, elle, on se lève |
| Nous | Nous | Nous nous levons |
| Vous | Vous | Vous vous levez |
| Ils, elles | Se, s’ | Ils, elles se lèvent |
If you want you can do some exercises with reflexive pronouns here.
Conjugation of reflexive verbs
Depending on the tense and the form (affirmative or negative) the reflexive pronoun isn’t going to be at the same place in the sentence.
Here are in the table bellow the different structure for conjugated reflexive verbs:
| Tense | Affirmative form | Negative form |
|---|---|---|
| Présent | Je me lève | Je ne me lève pas |
| Passé composé | Je me suis levé | Je ne me suis pas levé |
| Imparfait | Je me levais | Je ne me levais pas |
| Futur proche | Je vais me lever | Je ne vais pas me lever |
| Futur simple | Je me lèverai | Je ne me lèverai pas |
The main thing to keep in mind is that the structure change with the futur proche but stay the same with the other main tenses.
Also, for the “passé composé” reflexive verbs always need the “être” (to be) auxiliary.
Common reflexive verbs
Some verbs are only reflexive like “se souvenir” (to remember).
- Se lever. To get up.
- Se réveiller. To wake up.
- Se souvenir. To remember.
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You can practise using reflexives verbs here.
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