Goal
You’ll be able to conjugate reflexive verbs correctly, and understand the genuinely important placement rule for the reflexive pronoun relative to the verb.
Learn
A reflexive verb is used when the subject performs an action on/for itself. French marks this with reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) placed before the conjugated verb:
se laver (to wash oneself):
je me lave, tu te laves, il/elle se lave,
nous nous lavons, vous vous lavez, ils/elles se lavent Notice the reflexive pronoun genuinely changes to match the subject (me, te, se, nous, vous, se), and always sits directly before the verb — je me lave (I wash myself), not je lave me.
A genuinely useful conceptual test, the same reasoning that applies in Spanish: ask whether the subject and the object of the action are the same entity. Je me lave (I wash myself) is reflexive because “I” am both performing and receiving the action. Je lave la voiture (I wash the car) is not reflexive, since “I” and “the car” are genuinely different entities — no reflexive pronoun is needed here at all.
Decision Task
You want to say “I get up” (referring to yourself getting out of bed), using se lever. Before reading on: where does the reflexive pronoun go, relative to the conjugated verb?
Show Answer
Before the verb — je me lève, not je lève me. French reflexive pronouns are always placed directly before the conjugated verb, genuinely different from some other possible word orders you might expect.
Common Mistake
Placing the reflexive pronoun after the verb, or forgetting it needs to change to match the subject. French reflexive pronouns must both match the subject correctly (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) and be placed before the conjugated verb, not after it.
Practice Questions
1. Conjugate se laver for “tu”.
Show Answer
tu te laves
2. Is je lave la voiture (I wash the car) reflexive? Why or why not?
Show Answer
No — “I” and “the car” are different entities; the subject and object of the action aren’t the same, so no reflexive pronoun is needed.
3. Where does the reflexive pronoun go, relative to the conjugated verb?
Show Answer
Directly before it.
4. Conjugate se lever for “nous” (we get up).
Show Answer
nous nous levons
5. What conceptual test identifies whether a verb usage is genuinely reflexive?
Show Answer
Whether the subject and the object of the action are the same entity.
Try It Yourself
Without looking back, fully conjugate se laver across all six subject forms.
Show Answer
je me lave, tu te laves, il/elle se lave, nous nous lavons, vous vous lavez, ils/elles se lavent
Quick Check
1. What makes a verb usage genuinely reflexive?
Show Answer
The subject and object of the action are the same entity.
2. Where does the French reflexive pronoun go?
Show Answer
Directly before the conjugated verb.
3. What are the six reflexive pronouns?
Show Answer
me, te, se, nous, vous, se
4. What is the reflexive pronoun for “je”?
Show Answer
me
5. Is je lave la voiture reflexive?
Show Answer
No.