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Reflexive Pronouns (Singular)

FoundationHigherAQA

Understand Reflexive Pronouns (Singular) for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Singular reflexive pronouns me, te and se are used with reflexive verbs such as se laver.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

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Higher

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Topic overview

A reflexive verb describes an action done to oneself, and it needs a reflexive pronoun matching the subject.

The singular pronouns are me, te and se. Je me lave means I wash myself, tu te laves means you wash yourself, il se lave means he washes himself. The pronoun always goes before the verb.

Many French reflexives are not reflexive in English at all. Se lever means to get up, se coucher to go to bed, s'appeler to be called, and se réveiller to wake up. Je m'appelle Marc translates as my name is Marc, but literally it is I call myself Marc — which is why the pronoun cannot be dropped.

Revision notes

The singular pronouns

Me, te, se — matching je, tu, and il or elle.

Je me lave. Tu te laves. Il se lave. Elle se lave. On se lave. The pronoun must match the subject and goes immediately before the verb.

Not reflexive in English

Se lever — to get up. Se coucher — to go to bed. S'appeler — to be called. Se réveiller — to wake up.

English has no reflexive pronoun in any of these, which is why students drop it. Je m'appelle literally means I call myself.

Before a vowel

Me, te and se shorten to m', t' and s' before a vowel.

Je m'appelle, tu t'appelles, il s'appelle. The elision is compulsory, exactly as with je becoming j'.

Key points

  • Reflexive verbs describe actions done to oneself.
  • The singular pronouns are me, te and se.
  • The pronoun matches the subject.
  • It goes before the verb.
  • Many are not reflexive in English.
  • Me, te and se shorten before a vowel.

Worked examples

Example 1

Translate: my name is Marc. [2 marks]

Working

Je m'appelle Marcuse the reflexive verb s'appeler
Me shortens to m' before the vowel in appelleapply the elision

Example 2

Complete: Il ___ lève à sept heures. [2 marks]

Working

Il se lève à sept heuresuse the reflexive pronoun matching il
Se is the pronoun for il and elleexplain the choice

Example 3

Explain why English speakers often omit the reflexive pronoun. [2 marks]

Working

English has no reflexive pronoun in phrases such as I get up or my name isstate the reason
but French requires it, because the verb is reflexive regardless of the English translationexplain the requirement

Common mistakes

  • Dropping the reflexive pronoun.

    Je lève is wrong; it must be je me lève.

  • Not matching the pronoun to the subject.

    Je me, tu te, il se — they must correspond.

  • Forgetting the elision.

    Je m'appelle, not je me appelle.

  • Assuming English reflexiveness is the guide.

    Many French reflexives are not reflexive in English.

Exam tips

  • Always include the reflexive pronoun.
  • Match it to the subject pronoun.
  • Apply the elision before a vowel.
  • Learn the common reflexives as a set.

Key terms

Reflexive verb
A verb describing an action done to oneself.
Reflexive pronoun
Me, te or se, matching the subject.
Elision
Shortening me, te or se before a vowel.
S'appeler
The reflexive verb meaning to be called.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.