40) Reflexive verbs

Reflexive verbs are used much more frequently in French than in English. Below you’ll find a list of the most common ones.

• s'amuser (to enjoy oneself)
• s'appeler (to be called)
• se baigner (to bathe)
• se brosser (to brush)
• se coucher (to go to bed)
• se dépêcher (to be in a hurry)
• s'entendre (to get on)
• se faire mal (to hurt oneself)
• s'habiller (to get dressed)

s’amuser To enjoy oneself

Je m’amuse I’m enjoying myself

Il s’amuse He’s enjoying himself

Elle s’amuse She’s enjoying herself

Nous nous amusons We’re enjoying ourselves

Vous vous amusez You’re enjoying yourself

Ils s’amusent They’re enjoying themselves

Amusez-vous Enjoy yourself (imperative)

Se laver To wash oneself

Je me lave I wash myself

Je vais me laver I’m going to wash myself

Je me laverai I will wash myself

Je me suis lave I washed myself

Je me lavais I was washing myself

Se coucher To take onself to bed

Il se couche He’s puts himself to bed

Il va se coucher He’s going to put himself to bed

Il se couchera He will put himself to bed

Il s’est couche He put himself to bed

Il se couchait He was putting himself to bed

Se baigner to bathe oneself

Elle se baigne She bathes herself

Elle va se baigner She’s going to bathe herself

Elle se baignera She will bathe herself

Elle s’est baigne She bathed herself

Elle bagnait She was bathing herself

S’habiller to dress oneself

Nous nous habillons we get ourselves dressed

Nous allons nous habiller We’re going to get dressed

Nous nous habillerons We will get dressed

Nous nous sommes habilles We got dressed

Nous nous habillions We were getting dressed

Habillons-nous Lets get ourselves dressed

Se lever To get onself up

Vous vous levez You get yourself up

Vous allez vous lever You’re going to get yourself up

Vous vous leverez You will get yourself up

Vous vous etes leve You got yourself up

Vous vous leviez You were getting yourself up

Levez-vous Get yourself up

Se faire mal to hurt oneself

Ils se font mal They hurt themselves

Ils vont se fair mal They are going to hurt themselves

Ils se feront mal They will hurt themselves

Ils se sont fait mal They hurt themselves

Ils se faisaient mal They were hurting themselves

There are some reflexive verbs in French which we wouldn’t necesarily expect. For example, se trouver means to be situated (literally to find oneself) and se demander means to wonder (literally to ask oneself)