1. Leçon 2A – La routine quotidienne
Unité 2: La santé

2. Reflexive Verbs
A reflexive verb usually describes what a person does to or for himself or herself. In other words, it “reflects” the action of the verb back to the subject. Reflexive verbs always use reflexive pronouns.
ex. André se rase à huit heures.

3. Reflexive Verbs - example
se laver (to wash oneself) je me lave I wash (myself) tu te laves You wash (yourself) il/elle/on se lave he/she/it washes (himself/herself/itself) nous nous lavons we wash (ourselves) vous vous lavez you wash (yourself/yourselves) ils/elles se lavent they wash (themselves)

4. Reflexive Verbs
The pronoun se before an infinitive identifies the verb as reflexive: se laver
When a reflexive verb is conjugated, the reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject. Except for se, reflexive pronouns have the same forms as direct and indirect object pronouns; se is used for both singular and plural 3rd person subjects.

5. Reflexive Verbs - examples
Tu te couches. (You’re going to bed)
Je me maquille aussi. (I put on makeup too)
Les enfants se réveillent. (The children wake up)
Nous nous levons très tôt. (We get up very early)

6. Reflexive Verbs
Note that the reflexive pronouns nous and vous are identical to the corresponding subject pronouns.
Nous nous regardons dans le miroir. (We look at ourselves in the mirror)
Vous habillez-vous déjà? (Are you getting dressed already?)

7. Common Reflexive Verbs
se brosser les cheveux se brosser les dents se coiffer se coucher se déshabiller s’endormir s’habiller
se laver (les mains) se lever se maquiller se raser se regarder se réveiller se sécher

8. Reflexive Verbs
S’endormir is conjugated like dormir. Se lever and se sécher follow the same spelling- change patterns as acheter and espérer, respectively.
Il s’endort tôt. (He falls asleep early)
Tu te lèves à quelle heure? (What time do you get up?)
Elles se sèchent. (They dry off)

9. Reflexive Verbs
Some verbs can be used both reflexively and non-reflexively. If the verb acts upon something other than the subject, the non- reflexive form is used.
La mère se réveille à sept heures. Ensuite, elle réveille son fils. (The mother wakes up at 7 o’clock. Then, she wakes her son up.)
Je me lave les mains. Ensuite, je lave la vaiselle. (I wash my hands, then I wash the dishes.)

10. Reflexive Verbs
When a body part is the direct object of a reflexive verb, it is usually preceded by a definite article.
Vous vous lavez les mains.
Je ne me brosses pas les dents.

11. Reflexive Verbs
You form the imperative (command form) of a reflexive verb as you would a non-reflexive verb. Add the reflexive pronoun to the end of an affirmative command. In negative commands, place the reflexive pronoun between ne and the verb. (Remember to change me/te to moi/toi in affirmative command.)
Réveille-toi, Bruno! but Ne te réveille pas!
Lave-toi les mains!
Assieds-toi!

12. Reflexives: sens idiomatique
You’ve learned that reflexive verbs “reflect” the action back to the subject. Some reflexive verbs, however, do not literally express a reflexive meaning.

13. Common idiomatic reflexives
s’amuser
s’appeler
s’arrêter
s’asseoir
se dépêcher
se détendre
se disputer (avec)
s’énerver
s’ennuyer
bien s’entendre (avec)
s’inquiéter
to play; to have fun
to be called
to stop
to sit down
to hurry
to relax
to argue (with)
to get worked up, to become upset
to get bored
to get along (with)
to worry

14. Common idiomatic reflexives
s’intéresser (à)
se mettre à
se mettre en colère
s’occuper (de)
se préparer
se promener
se rendre compte (de/que)
se reposer
se souvenir (de)
se tromper
se trouver
to be interested (in)
to begin to
to become angry
to take care of, to keep oneself busy
to get ready
to take a walk
to realize
to rest
to remember
to be mistaken
to be located

15. Reflexives: sens idiomatique
S’ennuyer has the same spelling changes as envoyer. Se promener and s’inquiéter have the same spelling changes as acheter and espérer, respectively.
Je m’ennuie à mourir aujourd’hui (I’m bored to death today.)
On se promène dans le parc (We take a walk in the park.)
Ils s’inquiètenet pour leur fille. (They worry about their daughter.)
Se souvenir is conjugated like venir.
Souviens-toi de son anniversaire! (Remember her birthday)
Nous nous souvenons de cette date. (We remember that date)

16. Reflexives: sens idiomatique
Note the spelling changes of s’appeler in the present tense.
je m’appelle nous nous appelons
tu ta’ppelles vous vous appelez
il/elle s’appelle ils/elles s’appellent
Note the irregular conjugation of the verb s’asseoir.
je m’assieds nous nous asseyons
tu t’assieds vous vous asseyez
il/elle s’assied ils/elles s’asseyent

17. Reflexives: sens idiomatique
Many idiomatical reflexive expressions can be used alone, with a preposition, or with the conjunction que.
Tu te trompes (You’re wrong)
Il se trompe toujours de date. (He’s always mixing up the date)
Marlène s’énerve facilement. (Marlène gets mad easily.)
Marlène s’énerve contre Thierry. (Marlène gets mad at Thierry.)
Ils se souviennent de ton anniversaire. (They remember your birthday.)
Je me souviens que tu m’as téléphoné. (I remember you phoned me.)