Language/French/Grammar/Pronominal-verbs-used-reflexively

Pronominal verbs used reflexively

Pronominal verbs used reflexively

When pronominal verbs are used to describe something which the subject does to herself, himself, themselves, etc., they are being used reflexively:

French	Translation
Je me vois dans la glace	I can see myself in the mirror
Je me déteste	I hate myself
Il s'est fait mal	He hurt himself
Elle s'était cassé la jambe	She had broken her leg

No form of –self / reflexive pronoun always required

Note that English translations of pronominal verbs used reflexively do not always require a form of -self. In French, however, the reflexive pronoun is always required:

French	Translation
le me lave	I am washing (myself)
Il se rase	He is shaving (himself)
Il s'est roulé par terre	He rolled (himself) on the ground

Pronoun being the direct or indirect object

The pronoun itself may be the direct or indirect object of the verb. If the verb in its non-pronominal form is directly transitive, the pronoun will be a direct object. If the verb in its non-pronominal form is indirectly transitive, the pronoun will be an indirect object pronoun. For example, laver takes a direct object: laver la voiture. Therefore in Je me lave the pronoun is direct. But parler (parler à qn) takes an indirect object, e.g. parler à une amie. Therefore in Je me parle the pronoun is indirect.

The reflexive pronoun is the direct object

French	Translation
Je me lave à l'eau froide	I wash in cold water
Elle est maladroite et se blesse fréquemment	She is clumsy and often injures herself
Il se coiffe pendant des heures	He spends hours doing his hair
Tu te baignes tous les jours?	Do you have a swim every day?
Suzanne s'habille très mal	Suzanne dresses very badly
Jean-Pierre se nourrit très bien	Jean-Pierre has a healthy diet
Marianne se cache dans l'armoire	Marianne is hiding in the cupboard

The reflexive pronoun is the indirect object

French	Translation
Je me parle constamment en me promenant	I constantly talk to myself when I go for a walk
En répétant des confidences on ne peut que se nuire	By repeating secrets you only succeed in doing yourself harm
Tu t'achèteras un nouveau blouson pour la rentrée	You'll buy yourself a new jacket to go back to school
Je me reproche ces bêtises	I feel bad about this foolishness
Je me jure de continuer à travailler	I promise myself that I will continue to work
Il faut bien s'admettre la vérité	We just have to accept the truth
Marianne se cache la vérité	Marianne is hiding the truth from herself

The difference between direct object reflexives and indirect object reflexives is clear from the last example in each set:

1. Marianne se cache dans l'armoire
2. Marianne se cache la vérité

In the first example the se is the person who is hidden: Marianne cache Marianne dans l'armoire. In the second example it is la vérité which is hidden and the se is the indirect object: Marianne cache la vérité à Marianne. These differences are significant when it comes to past participle agreement.

Used pronominally as reflexives

Many ordinarily directly transitive, indirectly transitive and ditransitive verbs can be used pronominally as reflexives, for example:

• II critique son patron II se critique

He criticizes his boss He criticizes himself

• Je juge le prisonnier coupable Je me juge coupable

I consider the prisoner guilty I consider myself guilty

• Elle regarde son amie Elle se regarde

She is looking at her girlfriend She is looking at herself

• Tu offres un cadeau à Philippe Tu t'offres un cadeau

You are giving a present to Philip You are giving a present to yourself

• II parle à sa mère II se parle

He's talking to his mother He's talking to himself

• Elle cache la vérité à son mari Elle se cache la vérité

She is hiding the truth from her husband She is hiding the truth from herself