French Reciprocal Verbs and Idiomatic Pronominal Verbs

French has three kinds of pronominal verbs. The most common are reflexive verbs, but there are also two lesser-known types: reciprocal verbs and idiomatic pronominal verbs.

French Reciprocal Verbs - Verbes à sens réciproque

While reflexive verbs tell you that one or more subjects are acting upon themselves, reciprocal verbs indicate that there are two or more subjects acting on one another. Here are the most common French reciprocal verbs:

   s'adorer     to adore (one another)
   s'aimer     to love
   s'apercevoir     to see
   se comprendre     to understand
   se connaître     to know
   se détester     to hate
   se dire     to tell
   se disputer     to argue
   s'écrire     to write to
   s'embrasser     to kiss
   se parler     to talk to
   se promettre     to promise
   se quitter     to leave
   se regarder     to look at
   se rencontrer     to meet
   se sourire     to smile at
   se téléphoner     to call
   se voir     to see

   Nous nous adorons !   We adore one another!
   Elles se voient le lundi.   They see each other on Mondays.

Note that reciprocal verbs can also be used without the pronoun for a non-reciprocal meaning:

   Nous nous comprenons.   We understand each other.
     vs
   Nous comprenons la question.   We understand the question.

   Ils s'aiment.   They love each other.
     vs
   Ils m'aiment.   They love me.


French Idiomatic Pronominal Verbs - Verbes à sens idiomatique

Idiomatic pronominal verbs are verbs that take on a different meaning when used with a reflexive pronoun. Here are the most common French idiomatic pronominal verbs (and their non-pronominal meanings):

   s'en aller   to go away   (to go)
   s'amuser   to have a good time   (to amuse)
   s'appeler   to be named   (to call)
   s'approprier   to appropriate   (to suit, adapt to)
   s'arrêter   to stop (oneself)   (to stop [s.o. or s.t. else])
   s'attendre (à)   to expect   (to wait for)
   se demander   to wonder   (to ask)
   se débrouiller   to manage, get by   (to disentangle)
   se dépêcher   to hurry   (to send quickly)
   se diriger vers   to head toward   (to run, be in charge of)
   se douter   to suspect   (to doubt)
   s'éclipser   to slip away/out   (to eclipse, overshadow)
   s'éloigner   to move (oneself) away   (to move s.t. else away)
   s'endormir   to fall asleep   (to put to sleep)
   s'ennuyer   to be bored   (to bother)
   s'entendre   to get along   (to hear)
   se fâcher   to get angry   (to make angry)
   se figurer   to imagine, picture   (to represent, to appear)
   s'habituer à   to get used to   (to get in the habit of)
   s'inquiéter   to worry   (to alarm)
   s'installer   to settle in (to a home)    (to install)
   se mettre à   to begin to   (to place, put)
   se perdre   to get lost   (to lose)
   se plaindre   to complain   (to pity, begrudge)
   se refuser de   to deny oneself (the opportunity)o   (to refuse)
   se rendre à   to go to   (to return)
   se rendre compte de    to realize   (to account for)
   se réunir   to meet, get together   (to gather, collect)
   se servir   to use, make use of   (to serve)
   se tromper   to be mistaken   (to deceive)
   se trouver   to be located   (to find)

See how the meaning changes when idiomatic pronominal verbs are used with and without the reflexive pronoun:

   Je m'appelle Sandrine.   My name is Sandrine.
     vs
   J'appelle Sandrine.   I'm calling Sandrine.

   Tu te trompes.   You are mistaken.
     vs
   Tu me trompes.   You are deceiving me.


More of this lesson
Pronominal voice, pronominal verbs, and reflexive verbs
Reciprocal verbs and idiomatic pronominal verbs
Pronominal verbs and word order with negation and questions
Pronominal verbs, compound tenses, and agreement
Pronominal verbs as infinitives or present participles
Pronominal verbs test

French grammar glossary

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