2 TYPE DE VERBE PRONOMINAUX:
***all pronominal verbs are conjugated with être in compound tenses.
1. Verbes Réfléchis
"Verbes réfléchis" describe an action carried out on oneself:
- Je me lève = I get up (I get myself up)
- Il se voit dans la glace = he sees himself in the mirror
In other words person A does something to person A. The pronoun will usually be translated as "myself", "himself", "yourselves", etc.
- Je me lève = I get up (I get myself up)
- Il se voit dans la glace = he sees himself in the mirror
In other words person A does something to person A. The pronoun will usually be translated as "myself", "himself", "yourselves", etc.
2. Verbes réciproques
"Verbes réciproques" describe an action carried out mutually on different people:
- Ils s'écrivent et se téléphonent depuis des mois = They've been writing and phoning each other for months.
In other words person A does something to person B and person B does something to person A, mutually.
With reciprocal verbs the pronoun "se", "nous" or "vous" will usually be translated as "(to/from/for, etc.) each other".
Reciprocal verbs will always be in the plural.
Some verbs are ambiguous and could be either reflexive or reciprocal:
- Ils se lavent le dos
could mean "they wash their backs" (ie he washes his back and she washes her back) or "they wash each other's backs".
- Ils s'écrivent et se téléphonent depuis des mois = They've been writing and phoning each other for months.
In other words person A does something to person B and person B does something to person A, mutually.
With reciprocal verbs the pronoun "se", "nous" or "vous" will usually be translated as "(to/from/for, etc.) each other".
Reciprocal verbs will always be in the plural.
Some verbs are ambiguous and could be either reflexive or reciprocal:
- Ils se lavent le dos
could mean "they wash their backs" (ie he washes his back and she washes her back) or "they wash each other's backs".