me / te / se / nous / vous / se

Reflexive Pronoun Forms

Level 2

Reflexive pronouns are used with pronominal verbs to show that the action reflects back to the subject. They change based on the person (I, you, he/she, etc.) and usually sit right before the verb.

How It Works

Reflexive pronouns are essential for using reflexive verbs. Note that the broader term is 'pronominal verbs' (les verbes pronominaux), which includes verbs that use these pronouns even when the strict 'self' meaning is lost.

The Forms:

  • Je me (myself)
  • Tu te (yourself)
  • Il/Elle/On se (himself/herself/oneself)
  • Nous nous (ourselves)
  • Vous vous (yourself/yourselves)
  • Ils/Elles se (themselves)

Key Rules:
1. Placement: The pronoun usually goes immediately before the conjugated verb (e.g., Je me lave). In negation, the pronoun stays between ne and the verb (e.g., Je ne me lave pas).
2. Elision and Liaison: The singular forms me, te, se become m', t', s' before a vowel or silent 'h' (e.g., Je m'appelle). This is a form of elision. Additionally, the plural forms nous and vous require a mandatory liaison (a spoken 'z' sound) before a vowel or silent 'h' (e.g., Nous nous habillons).
3. Compound Tenses: In the passé composé and other compound tenses, ALL reflexive verbs take the auxiliary verb être and never avoir. The pronoun stays before the auxiliary verb. Note that past participle agreement is required if the pronoun is a direct object, but it is dropped if a specific direct object (like a body part) follows the verb (e.g., Elle s'est lavé les mains) or if the verb takes an indirect object (e.g., Ils se sont parlé).
4. Infinitives: When a conjugated verb is followed by an infinitive (such as with the futur proche or modal verbs), the pronoun moves to stand immediately before the infinitive. Crucially, the reflexive pronoun must still agree with the subject of the main verb (e.g., Je vais me coucher, not Je vais se coucher). When an infinitive is used impersonally or without a specific subject, the pronoun defaults to se (e.g., Il est important de se reposer).
5. Imperative: In the affirmative imperative, the pronoun follows the verb with a hyphen, and me/te become moi/toi (e.g., Lève-toi ! - note that the 's' from the 'tu' form is dropped for -er verbs). An exception occurs if the pronoun is immediately followed by y or en, where me/te contract to m'/t' (e.g., Va-t'en !). However, in the negative imperative, the pronoun moves back before the verb and returns to its normal form (e.g., Ne te lève pas !).
6. Reciprocity: The plural reflexive pronouns (nous, vous, se) can also be used to mean 'each other' or 'one another' (e.g., Ils se parlent - They talk to each other; Nous nous parlons - We talk to each other).

Examples (6)

  1. Je me lave les mains.

    I am washing my hands.

    Word by Word: I myself wash the hands.

    Note that 'me' is used for 'myself', and we use the definite article 'les' instead of a possessive adjective for body parts.

  2. Tu t'appelles comment ?

    What is your name?

    Word by Word: You yourself call how?

    The pronoun 'te' becomes 't'' because 'appelles' starts with a vowel.

  3. Nous nous levons à sept heures.

    We get up at seven o'clock.

    Word by Word: We ourselves raise at seven hours.

    The first 'nous' is the subject; the second 'nous' is the reflexive pronoun.

  4. Ils se regardent dans le miroir.

    They look at themselves in the mirror.

    Word by Word: They themselves look in the mirror.

    'Se' is used for both singular and plural third-person subjects.

  5. Lève-toi ! Ne te lève pas !

    Get up! Don't get up!

    Word by Word: Raise-yourself! Not yourself raise not!

    In the affirmative imperative, the pronoun follows the verb (toi). In the negative imperative, it moves back before the verb and reverts to 'te'.

  6. Elle s'est lavé les mains.

    She washed her hands.

    Word by Word: She herself is washed the hands.

    In the passé composé, there is no agreement if a direct object (like 'les mains') follows the verb.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'avoir' instead of 'être' in the past tense.

    Je m'ai trompé.
    Je me suis trompé.

    All reflexive verbs must use 'être' as the auxiliary verb in compound tenses like the passé composé.

  • Using possessive adjectives with body parts.

    Je me lave mes mains.
    Je me lave les mains.

    When using a reflexive verb with a body part, French uses the definite article (le, la, les) because the reflexive pronoun already indicates whose body part it is.

  • Omitting the pronoun because it isn't used in English.

    Je lave à huit heures.
    Je me lave à huit heures.

    In English, we can just say 'I wash', but in French, you must specify 'I wash myself' (Je me lave) unless you are washing something else (e.g., Je lave la voiture).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

me / te / se / nous / vous / seLevel 2Reflexive Pronoun Forms

Learn This First

To understand reflexive pronouns, you must first be familiar with the French subject pronouns they correspond to. Additionally, you need to understand the concept of elision (dropping vowels before other vowels) and the distinction between formal and informal 'you' to choose the correct pronoun form.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

te