3.3.12 - Learn How To Use Reflexive Verbs In The Passé Composé

Question 1

s’amuser

Answer 1

to have fun

Question 2

s’appeler

Answer 2

to be named, to “call oneself”

Question 3

s’en aller

Answer 3

to go away, to “get out of here”

Question 4

s’endormir

Answer 4

to fall asleep

Question 5

s’habiller

Answer 5

to get dressed

Question 6

se baigner

Answer 6

to bathe

Question 7

se brosser (les dents, les cheveux, etc…)*

Answer 7

to brush (teeth, hair, etc..)

Question 8

se coucher

Answer 8

to go to bed

Question 9

se demander

Answer 9

to wonder

Question 10

se doucher**

Answer 10

to shower

Question 11

se laver

Answer 11

to wash oneself, to get washed up

Question 12

se lever

Answer 12

to get up

Question 13

se passer

Answer 13

to happen

Question 14

se peigner

Answer 14

to comb (one’s hair)

Question 15

se promener

Answer 15

to take / go for / go on a walk

Question 16

se raser

Answer 16

to shave

Question 17

se rendre compte (de)

Answer 17

to realize

Question 18

se reposer

Answer 18

to rest

Question 19

se réveiller

Answer 19

to wake up

Question 20

se soigner

Answer 20

to care of oneself

Question 21

se souvenir (de)

Answer 21

to remember

Question 22

*When you use a reflexive verb followed by a body part, do you use the definite article of the indefinite article in front of it?

Answer 22

You use the definite article in front of a body part preceded by a reflexive verb

Question 23

**Which is more widely used in France: “se doucher” or “prendre une douche” ?

Answer 23

prendre une douche

Question 24

What is a reflexive verb?

Answer 24

a verb that expresses an action that people are doing to themselves

Question 25

What do most reflexive verbs have to do with?

Answer 25

Most have to do with what people do to take care of themselves as part of their daily routine (brushing their own hair, washing their own body, etc)

Question 26

When using reflexive verbs we need to put the word their in our sentence to convey that someone is doing it to themself. True or False?

Answer 26

False. The “se” part of the verb shows that someone is doing it to themself. Therefore, “their” is not needed

Question 27

What does “se” change into to agree with the subject?

Answer 27

je = me           nous = nous
tu = te             vous = vous
il/elle/on = se  ils/elles = se

Question 28

What are the forms of “se” in order of subject.

Answer 28

me, te, se, nous, vous, se

Question 29

In the passé composé, which helping verb do reflexive verbs use?

Answer 29

Reflexive verbs use être in the passé composé.

Question 30

Do reflexive verbs need to agree with the subject in the passé composé?

Answer 30

Yes, because anything that uses être must agree with the subject. Just like all the other VANDERTRAMPP verbs.

Question 31

Does the reflexive pronoun come before or after the form of être?

Answer 31

BEFORE. In the passé composé, the reflexive pronoun comes before the form of être.

Question 32

What is the special case where the past participle doesn’t need to agree with the subject?

Answer 32

If there is a body part mentioned it doesn’t need to agree. (or if any other direct object is mentioned)
Elle s’est lavée. BUT Elle s’est lavé la figure.
She got washed up. She washed her face.

Question 33

When in english the words “my” or “their” are in front of a body part, in french what do we put in front of that body part?

Answer 33

We just put a definite article because the reflexive pronoun makes that clear.

Question 34

Translate: Je me suis brossé les dents.

Answer 34

I brushed my teeth.

Question 35

Translate: Ils se sont lavé les cheveux.

Answer 35

They washed their hair.

Question 36

Where do you put ne… pas to make a reflexive verb negative?

Answer 36

Ne… pas goes around the conjugated verb so ne… pas goes around BOTH PARTS of the reflexive verb. ne me couche pas

Question 37

Where does ne… pas go to make a reflexive verb negative in the passé composé?

Answer 37

Ne… pas goes around reflexive pronoun and être. Je ne me suis pas.

Question 38

Why does the placement of ne pas in the passe compose with reflexive verbs make sense.

Answer 38

It makes sense because ne.. pas only goes around the conjugated part and in the passe compose the main verb part has the same past tense form the whole time so it isn’t really conjugated.

Question 39

No matter how complicated the sentence gets the “ne” always comes where in the sentence.

Answer 39

The “ne” is always the second piece in the sentence, right after the subject.

Question 40

In the passe compose, if you want to use a reflexive verb that shows the action is being performed to something other than oneself what changes?

Answer 40

A reflexive verb can be NON-reflexive (the action is performed for another person or thing) and what changes is in the passe compose, is it will use avoir and we don’t have to worry about agreement.

Question 41

Translate to French: 
She got washed up (she "washer herself")
She washed the car.
We got dressed (We "dressed ourselves")
We dressed the children.

Answer 41

Elle s’est lavée.
Elle a lavé la voiture.
Nous nous sommes habillés.
Nous avons habillé les enfants.

Question 42

Translate to french: Reflexive Verbs

Answer 42

Les verbes pronominaux