REFLEXIVE VERBS

A reflexive (or pronominal) verb expresses an action done to oneself :

He killed himself, I wash myself etc..

In French the reflexive pronouns are placed before the verb and not after like in English:

For instance if we use the TYPE I verb ‘lavez’ (wash) we can use it reflexively thus:

Je me lave : I (myself) wash
I wash myself

Tu te laves
You wash yourself

Il, elle se lave
He, She washes himself/herself

Ils, elles se lavent
They wash themselves

Nous nous lavons
We wash ourselves

Vous vous lavez
You wash yourself

In the sequences Je me & tu te the unstable ‘e’ of ‘me’ & ‘te’ is not pronounced

Attention : For the imperative we will use tonic pronouns (me, you, us) :

Lave-toi! Wash yourself!

Lavez-vous! Wash yourself!

Lavons-nous! Let’s wash ourselves!

If the verb starts with a vowel the ‘e’ of the reflexive pronouns me, te, se is removed:

Je m’habille I get dressed

Tu t’habilles you get dressed

Il / elle s’habille he/she gets dressed

Ils / elles s’habillent they get dressed

Nous nous habillons we get dressed

Vous vous habillez you get dressed

Habille-toi! Get dressed!

Habillez-vous! Get dressed!

Habillons-nous! Let’s get dressed!

In French we don’t say ‘my name is’ but rather : I call myself.

Je m’appelle Olivier

Nous nous appelons…

Tu t’appelles …

Vous vous appelez…

Il, elle s’appelle…

Ils, elles, s’appellent…

Vous vous appelez comment ?
What’s your name?

Comment est-ce que vous vous appelez?
How do you call yourself?

 

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