Reflexive verbs are used whenever the object of a verb is the same as the subject of that verb.
Note the difference between:
| Je me lave. (I wash myself ) and... Je lave la voiture. (I wash the car ) |
In the first sentence, the object and subject of the verb 'laver' are
the same.
In the second sentence, the object (la voiture ) is different than
the subject (je ).
Reflexive verbs include a reflexive pronoun that varies in form according to the person it refers to:
|
Voice
|
Pronoun
|
(before a vowel
or mute h) |
Example
|
| Infinitive: |
se
|
s'
|
se doucher
|
| 1st person singular |
me
|
m'
|
je me douche
|
| 2nd person singular |
te
|
t'
|
tu te douches
|
| 3rd person singular |
se
|
s'
|
il/elle se douche
|
| 1st person plural |
nous
|
nous
|
nous nous douchons
|
| 2nd person plural |
vous
|
vous
|
vous vous douchez
|
| 3rd person plural |
se
|
s'
|
ils/elles se douchent
|
|
En été je me lève tôt car j'aime me promener dans mon quartier avant d'aller au travail. Mon petit frère se douche le matin avant de partir en cours, moi je me baigne le soir. *Je ne me douche pas car je préfère me relaxer dans un bain bien chaud. |
(*Note the 'ne' in front of the reflexive pronoun in a negative sentence and the place of the reflexive pronoun before the infinitive in a sentence where an infinitive form is used with another verb, such as préférer, aimer, détester).
Other reflexive verbs:
| se lever | to get up |
| se réveiller | to wake up |
| s'habiller | to get dressed |
| se promener | to take a walk |
| s'amuser | to enjoy oneself, to have a good time |
| se coucher | to go to bed |
 |