French · Rung 18 of 26

Reflexive verbs

A reflexive verb carries a pronoun pointing back at the subject: je me lève, tu te laves, il se souvient. The pronoun changes with the person and goes before the verb, in the infinitive too: je vais me lever. In the passé composé they all take être, without exception, and the participle agrees with the subject when that pronoun is the direct object: elle s'est levée. But if a direct object of its own follows, it does not agree: elle s'est lavé les mains. Some verbs change meaning when they turn reflexive, and are worth knowing: passer (to pass) and se passer (to happen), rendre (to give back) and se rendre compte (to realise), attendre (to wait) and s'attendre à (to expect).

Where this sits

Comes after
Object pronouns

Exercises from this rung

Generated by the app, from easiest to hardest

  1. Je vais ___ coucher tôt.

    • me
    • moi
    • se
    • je

    Why In the infinitive the pronoun still agrees with the subject and goes before the infinitive: je vais me coucher, tu vas te coucher. “je vais se coucher” is a very common slip.

    easier

  2. Elles se ___ levées tard.

    • étaient
    • ont
    • avaient
    • sont

    Why All reflexives take être in the passé composé, and the participle agrees with the subject: elles se sont levées. There is no exception in the auxiliary.

    in between

  3. Elle s'est ___ les mains.

    • lavé
    • lavés
    • lavée
    • lavées

    Why Here the direct object is les mains and it follows, so the participle does not agree: lavé, bare. With no object it would agree: elle s'est lavée. One complement changes the whole rule.

    harder