Reflexive verbs
An explanation of the conjugation of reflexive verbs - verbs that perform an action on themselves
Reflexive verbs describe an action that you do to yourself or something that reflects back to yourself. They have to include a A pronoun used with a reflexive verb, such as 'myself', 'yourself' and 'himself'., which changes depending on who is doing the action.
For example:
| se laver | to wash (yourself) |
| je me lave | I wash (myself) |
| tu te laves | you wash (yourself) |
| il/elle/on se lave | he/she/one washes (himself/herself/oneself) |
| nous nous lavons | we wash (ourselves) |
| vous vous lavez | you wash (yourself) |
| ils/elles se lavent | they wash (themselves) |
| se laver | je me lave |
|---|---|
| to wash (yourself) | I wash (myself) |
| se laver | tu te laves |
|---|---|
| to wash (yourself) | you wash (yourself) |
| se laver | il/elle/on se lave |
|---|---|
| to wash (yourself) | he/she/one washes (himself/herself/oneself) |
| se laver | nous nous lavons |
|---|---|
| to wash (yourself) | we wash (ourselves) |
| se laver | vous vous lavez |
|---|---|
| to wash (yourself) | you wash (yourself) |
| se laver | ils/elles se lavent |
|---|---|
| to wash (yourself) | they wash (themselves) |
The verb laver is conjugated in the same way as a regular -er verb.
Image caption, I wake up at 07:00
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Before a verb that starts with a vowel or ‘h’, me becomes m’, te becomes t’ and se becomes s’:
- je m’habille – I get dressed
- tu t’habilles – you get dressed
- il s’habille – he gets dressed
- ils s’habillent – they get dressed
Other reflexive verbs include:
- s’asseoir – to sit down
- se coucher – to go to bed
- s’ennuyer – to get bored
- s’entendre avec – to get on with
- s’intéresser à – to be interested in
- se lever – to get up
- se réveiller – to wake up
- se sentir – to feel
- s’amuser – to have fun
