🪞French Reflexive (Pronominal) Verbs
Stop tripping over 'se' and the être-agreement rule. Build the reflexive instinct — action turned on the subject, past participle matching the body doing it — and prove it by writing your morning routine with eight pronominal verbs across present and past.
Phase 1The 'Se' That Turns the Verb Around
See why French marks the self-acting subject with 'se'
'Se' is a mirror the verb looks into
6 min'Se' is a mirror the verb looks into
The reflexive pronoun must match the subject
6 minThe reflexive pronoun must match the subject
'Se' can mean 'myself' or 'each other'
6 min'Se' can mean 'myself' or 'each other'
Map your morning to ten pronominals
7 minMap your morning to ten pronominals
Phase 2Drilling Daily-Routine Pronominals
Drill daily-routine pronominals across every subject pronoun
Conjugate 'se lever' without the stem trap
6 minConjugate 'se lever' without the stem trap
S'habiller and the silent-h elision
6 minS'habiller and the silent-h elision
Body-part verbs take definite articles, not possessives
7 minBody-part verbs take definite articles, not possessives
Build a five-sentence morning in the present
7 minBuild a five-sentence morning in the present
Seven idiomatic 'se' verbs that carry everyday meaning
7 minSeven idiomatic 'se' verbs that carry everyday meaning
Phase 3Past Agreement: When the Participle Matches
Master when the past participle agrees and when it stays flat
All pronominals take être in the passé composé
6 minAll pronominals take être in the passé composé
Agreement happens when the direct object comes first
7 minAgreement happens when the direct object comes first
Body parts flip the agreement off
7 minBody parts flip the agreement off
Preposition verbs never agree with 'se'
8 minPreposition verbs never agree with 'se'
Phase 4Your Morning Routine in Both Tenses
Write your morning routine in both present and past
Write your morning in both tenses — today and yesterday
12 minWrite your morning in both tenses — today and yesterday
Frequently asked questions
- What is a reflexive (pronominal) verb in French?
- This is covered in the “French Reflexive (Pronominal) Verbs” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Why do French reflexive verbs take être instead of avoir in the past tense?
- This is covered in the “French Reflexive (Pronominal) Verbs” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- When does the past participle of a reflexive verb agree with the subject?
- This is covered in the “French Reflexive (Pronominal) Verbs” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- What's the difference between a reflexive and a reciprocal pronominal verb?
- This is covered in the “French Reflexive (Pronominal) Verbs” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
- Why does 'elle s'est lavée' agree but 'elle s'est lavé les mains' doesn't?
- This is covered in the “French Reflexive (Pronominal) Verbs” learning path. Start with daily 5-minute micro-lessons that build from fundamentals to hands-on application.
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