Pronominal (reflexive) verbs

1 Definition

A pronominal or reflexive verb is a verb like se lever or se permettre which takes a pronoun which refers back to the verb’s subject .

A reflexive pronoun is one which refers back to the subject of a verb. Reflexive pronouns can be direct object or indirect object , and they come before the head verb or auxiliary : they are me, te, se, nous, vous, se.

2 Word-order and agreement of pronominal verbs

2.1 Regular word order

As has been mentioned, object reflexive pronouns stand before the head verb in simple tense forms, or before the auxiliary in compound tense forms:

Tous les jours de la semaine je me lève à sept heures

Every weekday I get up at seven o’clock

Je me suis levé de bonne heure ce matin

I got up early this morning

The word order is the same for questions, both affirmative and negative :

T’es-tu / Vous êtes-vous levé de bonne heure ce matin? Ne t’es-tu pas / Ne vous êtes-vous pas levé de bonne heure ce matin ?

Did you / didn’t you get up early this morning?

2.2 Word order in the imperative

In affirmative imperative sentences, the reflexive pronoun comes immediately after the head verb . Note that the object reflexive pronoun te is replaced with the disjunctive pronoun toi:

Je me lève → Lève-toi! Levez-vous!

In negative imperative sentences, however, the word order reverts to the regular word order:

Je ne me lève pas → Ne te lève pas!

2.3 Compound tenses

2.3.1 Use of être as auxiliary

When used in a compound tense , pronominal verbs always take the auxiliary verb être:

Je me suis levé de bonne heure ce matin

I got up early this morning

Ce jour-là je m’étais levé de bonne heure

That day I had got up early

Je me souviens de m’être levé de bonne heure ce jour-là

I remember having got up early that day

2.3.2 Agreement of past participle

The past participle of pronominal verbs used in compound tenses often takes an agreement :

Elle s’est levée / Elle se souvient de s’être levée

She got up / She remembers getting up

Note, however, that the reason for the agreement is that the reflexive pronoun stands as a preceding direct object to the past participle , and not (as with non-pronominal être verbs such as venir) because the participle agrees with the subject (e.g. elle est venue). Consequently, where the reflexive pronoun is indirect there is no agreement:

Elle s'est lavé le visage avec le gant de toilette

She washed her face with the flannel

For more information on this point, see 12:5

3 Uses of pronominal verbs

3.1 Expressing reflexivity

3.1.1 Action carried out by subject

Here pronominal verbs express an action carried out by the subject on or towards itself. This action can be direct, in which case the reflexive pronoun is the direct object of the verb:

Elle s'est lavée avec le gant de toilette

She washed herself with the flannel

Or this action can be indirect, in which case the reflexive pronoun is the indirect object of the verb:

Elle s'est lavé le visage avec le gant de toilette

She washed [“to herself”] her face with the flannel

3.1.2 Reinforcement

Reflexive pronouns can be reinforced though the use of the disjunctive pronoun plus –même.

Il ne te critique pas, il se critique lui-même

He’s not criticizing you, he’s criticizing himself

3.2 Expressing reciprocity

Here pronominal verbs express an action carried out reciprocally by two (or more) parties. This action can be direct or indirect:

Ils se sont rencontrés à une soirée [direct]

They met each other at a party

Les amants se sont dit qu'ils ne se sépareraient jamais [indirect]

The lovers told each other that they would never separate

The expression l’un … l’autre is often used with pronominal verbs in the above context. For more information, see section 4 below.

3.3 Expressing passivity

Pronominal verbs are also used to express a meaning which is often (though not exclusively) rendered in English by the passive .

Ce fromage se vend à 50 francs le kilo

This cheese is sold / sells at 50 francs per kilo

Ce vin se boit frais

This wine is drunk cold

C’est un roman qui se lit facilement

It’s a novel which is easy to read / which reads easily

Dans le mot condamner, le m ne se prononce pas

In the word condamner, the m is not pronounced

3.4 Idiomatic meaning

Sometimes pronominal form can give a verb a meaning which is not obvious from its non-pronominalized form. Here is a selection of such verbs:

3.4.1 Douter, se douter

Je doute qu’il ait été à la réunion

I doubt he was at the meeting

Je me doute bien qu’il doit être très déçu

I can well imagine he is very disappointed

3.4.2 Annoncer, s'annoncer

Le gouvernement vient d’annoncer une réduction des taux d’intérêt

The government has just announced a cut in interest rates

Cette année s’annonce bonne pour les investisseurs

This year looks like being a good one for investors

3.4.3 Passer, se passer

Je suis passé te voir hier

I came to see you yesterday

Je me passerais bien de tous ces problèmes

I could do without all these problems

3.4.4 Inscrire, s'inscrire

Nous avons inscrit notre fils à l’école du quartier

We have enrolled our son in the local school

Ces mesures s’inscrivent dans la stratégie globale du gouvernement contre le chômage

These measures are part of the gouvernment’s overall strategy against unemployment

3.4.5 Imposer, s'imposer

S’il est impossible d’arriver à une solution, le gouvernement en imposera une

If it is impossible to achieve a solution, the government will impose one

Quand on est à Paris, une visite à la Tour Eiffel s’impose

When you’re in Paris, a visit to the Eiffel Tower is a must

3.5 Expressing many / all of the above functions

Some pronominal verbs can express many or all these functions. In this case it is necessary to work out the meaning from the context:

Avec un magnétophone on peut s’entendre parler [reflexive]

With a tape recorder you can hear yourself speak

Ils pouvaient s’entendre à travers le mur [reciprocal]

They could hear each other through the wall

Cette expression s’entend beaucoup chez les jeunes [passive]

This expression is used a lot by young people

Je m’entends très bien avec mon frère [idiomatic]

I get on very well with my brother

3.6 Verbs that are always pronominal

Some verbs only exist in pronominal form. These include s’abstenir, s’agenouiller, s’écrouler, s’évanouir, se moquer, s’enfuir, se souvenir, s’emparer. Unlike the above verbs, they generally do not express a sense of reflexivity, reciprocity or passivity, and they are used either with an indirect object or as an intransitive verb .

Suite au récent krach boursier, certaines économies risquent de s’écrouler

As a result of the recent stock market crash, some economies might well collapse

4 Using l’un … l’autre

4.1 General

As mentioned in 3.2 above, the expression l’un … l’autre can be used with pronominal verbs expressing reciprocity. Sometimes there is ambiguity with pronominal verbs between their reflexive and their reciprocal senses. For example, in the sentence Les deux filles se regardaient it is impossible to tell whether the subjects are looking at each other, or whether they are each looking at themselves in a mirror.

The expression l’un … l’autre is often used with pronominal verbs in their reciprocal sense as a way of removing this ambiguity, or alternatively to express reciprocity using a non-object preposition (i.e. other than à or de). In these instances the word-order is as follows:

4.1.1 Word order for verbs taking a direct object

Ils se regardaient l'un l'autre

They looked at one another

C'est en s'aidant l'un l'autre qu'ils ont réussi leurs examens

It was through helping each other that they passed their exams

4.1.2 Verbs taking an indirect object or a preposition

Ils se sont promis l’un à l’autre qu'ils ne se sépareraient jamais

They promised each other that they would never separate

Il se moquaient l'un de l'autre

They were making fun of one another

Les deux enfants lisaient appuyés l'un contre l'autre

The two children were leaning against each other reading

4.2 Agreement of l’un l’autre

Note that the construction l’un … l’autre varies in number and gender , according to who is carrying out the reciprocal action.

4.2.1Two individual subjects

If the reciprocal action being carried out has two individual subjects, one or both of which are masculine, the construction will have a masculine form:

Pierre et son frère habitent loin l’un de l’autre Pierre et sa soeur habitent loin l’un de l’autre

Pierre and his brother / sister live far (away) from each other

4.2.2 Both individual subjects feminine

If both individual subjects are feminine, the construction will have a feminine form:

Les deux soeurs habitent loin l’une de l’autre

The two sisters live far (away) from each other

4.2.3 Plural subjects

If the reciprocal action is being carried out by plural subjects, the construction will have a plural form:

Tous nos fils / enfants habitent loin les uns des autres

All our sons / children live far (away) from each other

Toutes nos filles habitent loin les unes des autres

All our daughters live far (away) from each other