Pronominal verbs or “verbes pronominaux” also called reflexive verbs hold an important part in the French language. They are always used with reflexive pronouns that replace the subject only. These are me, m’, te, t’, se, s’, nous, vous. Throughout this chapter we will explore the use, the form and the types of the pronominal verbs. We will also learn how to conjugate the pronominal verbs into the present simple, the passé composé, the imperfect tense, the future simple, the subjunctive, the imperative, the present and past conditional.
A verb in the pronominal form when conjugated into the passé composé always uses the auxiliary “être”.
Let’s conjugate the verb se perdre and the verb perdre into the passé composé and see the difference between the two in terms of the form.
You notice that for the verb “se perdre” we used the auxiliary “être”, whereas for the verb “perdre” we used the auxiliary “avoir”. Notice also that when the auxiliary “être” is used, the past participle agrees with the subject because “se perdre” is a transitive verb that requires a direct object.
Let’s take an example with the verb “perdre” and “se perdre”:
Elle a perdu ses clés.
She lost her keys.
Elle s’est perdue dans les rues de Paris.
She got lost in the streets of Paris.
In the first example, the verb “perdre” which conjugates with the auxiliary ‘avoir” in the passé composé is a transitive verb that needs a direct object and in this case the direct object is “ses clés”. As you already know, there is no subject/verb agreement between the subject and the verb when we use the auxiliary “avoir” unless the direct object precedes the verb.
In the second example, the verb “se perdre” which always conjugates with the auxiliary “être” in the passé composé is also a transitive verb and in this case the direct object and the subject are both “elle”. It’s as if we say “ Elle a perdu elle” She lost herself. That’s why we added the “e” to the past participle.
Remember: Not all pronominal verbs are transitive and not all transitive verbs require a direct object. Many of them require an indirect object.
Let’s take the following example:
Elle s’est mise à côté de moi.
She sat /stood next to me.
Notice that “se mettre” in the example above is a transitive verb and the direct object is “elle” expressed by the reflexive pronoun “se”. That’s why the subject and the past participle agree.
Elle s’est mis en tête que je vais l’abandonner.
She got it into her head that I will leave her.
Notice that in the second example there is no agreement between the subject and the past participle. This is because she didn’t put herself in her head; she put the idea in her head; therefore, the function of the reflexive pronoun here is not of a direct object as it’s the case in the first example.
Let’s take another example:
Elles se sont donné une semaine pour réfléchir.
They gave each other a week to think it over.
You notice that in the example above there is no subject/ past participle agreement. This is because “se donner” here requires an indirect object. It’s as if we say:
Elles ont donné à elles mêmes une semaine pour réfléchir.
They gave “to” themselves a week to think it over.
Elles ont donné une semaine à elles. So “se” here is not used as a direct object but as an indirect object, and as you know there is no subject/past participle agreement when the verb requires an indirect object.
The “est-ce que form: To ask questions using the “est-ce que form” with pronominal verbs in the passé composé, we simply add “est-ce que” to the question.
For example:
Est-ce que vous vous êtes bien entendus sur le prix?
Did you agree about the price?
The inversion form: Let’s take the following example: se disputer
As for the intonation, we just keep the same sentence and add the interrogation mark at the end when we write or we add the intonation of a question when we talk.
For example:
Vous vous êtes rencontrés au café ?
Did you meet at the café?
The negative form of a pronominal verb in the passé composé is obtained by putting the reflexive pronoun + the auxiliary “être” between “ne” and “pas” then adding the past participle.
A verb in the pronominal form when conjugated into the passé composé always uses the auxiliary “être”.
Let’s conjugate the verb se perdre and the verb perdre into the passé composé and see the difference between the two in terms of the form.
Se Perdre (to get lost) | Perdre (to lose) |
| Je me suis perdu(e) | J’ai perdu |
| Tu t’es perdu(e) | Tu as perdu |
| Il s’est perdu | Il a perdu |
| Elle s’est perdue | Elle a perdu |
| On s’est perdu | On a perdu |
| Nous nous sommes perdu(e)s | Nous avons perdu |
| Vous vous êtes perdu(e)s | Vous avez perdu |
| Ils se sont perdus | Ils ont perdu |
| Elles se sont perdues | Elles ont perdu |
You notice that for the verb “se perdre” we used the auxiliary “être”, whereas for the verb “perdre” we used the auxiliary “avoir”. Notice also that when the auxiliary “être” is used, the past participle agrees with the subject because “se perdre” is a transitive verb that requires a direct object.
Let’s take an example with the verb “perdre” and “se perdre”:
Elle a perdu ses clés.
She lost her keys.
Elle s’est perdue dans les rues de Paris.
She got lost in the streets of Paris.
In the first example, the verb “perdre” which conjugates with the auxiliary ‘avoir” in the passé composé is a transitive verb that needs a direct object and in this case the direct object is “ses clés”. As you already know, there is no subject/verb agreement between the subject and the verb when we use the auxiliary “avoir” unless the direct object precedes the verb.
In the second example, the verb “se perdre” which always conjugates with the auxiliary “être” in the passé composé is also a transitive verb and in this case the direct object and the subject are both “elle”. It’s as if we say “ Elle a perdu elle” She lost herself. That’s why we added the “e” to the past participle.
Remember: Not all pronominal verbs are transitive and not all transitive verbs require a direct object. Many of them require an indirect object.
Let’s take the following example:
Elle s’est mise à côté de moi.
She sat /stood next to me.
Notice that “se mettre” in the example above is a transitive verb and the direct object is “elle” expressed by the reflexive pronoun “se”. That’s why the subject and the past participle agree.
Elle s’est mis en tête que je vais l’abandonner.
She got it into her head that I will leave her.
Notice that in the second example there is no agreement between the subject and the past participle. This is because she didn’t put herself in her head; she put the idea in her head; therefore, the function of the reflexive pronoun here is not of a direct object as it’s the case in the first example.
Let’s take another example:
Elles se sont donné une semaine pour réfléchir.
They gave each other a week to think it over.
You notice that in the example above there is no subject/ past participle agreement. This is because “se donner” here requires an indirect object. It’s as if we say:
Elles ont donné à elles mêmes une semaine pour réfléchir.
They gave “to” themselves a week to think it over.
Elles ont donné une semaine à elles. So “se” here is not used as a direct object but as an indirect object, and as you know there is no subject/past participle agreement when the verb requires an indirect object.
Interrogative form
As you know there are three ways of asking questions in French:| The est-ce que form: Standard form The subject/verb or auxiliary inversion: Formal form The intonation: Colloquial form |
The “est-ce que form: To ask questions using the “est-ce que form” with pronominal verbs in the passé composé, we simply add “est-ce que” to the question.
For example:
Est-ce que vous vous êtes bien entendus sur le prix?
Did you agree about the price?
The inversion form: Let’s take the following example: se disputer
| Me suis-je disputé(e) ? T’es-tu disputé(e) ? S’est-il disputé ? S’est-elle disputée ? S’est-on disputé ? Nous sommes-nous disputé(e)s ? Vous êtes-vous disputé(e)s ? Se sont-ils disputés ? Se sont-elles disputées ? |
As for the intonation, we just keep the same sentence and add the interrogation mark at the end when we write or we add the intonation of a question when we talk.
For example:
Vous vous êtes rencontrés au café ?
Did you meet at the café?
The negative form
Let’s conjugate the verb ne pas se baigner into the passé composé.| Je ne me suis pas baigné(e) Tu ne t’es pas baigné(e) Il ne s’est pas baigné On ne s’est pas baigné(e)s Nous nous sommes pas baigné(e)s Vous ne vous êtes pas baigné(e)s Ils ne se sont pas baignés Elles ne se sont pas baignées |
The negative form of a pronominal verb in the passé composé is obtained by putting the reflexive pronoun + the auxiliary “être” between “ne” and “pas” then adding the past participle.