Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Se Souvenir' ('to Remember')

The Simple Conjugations of the Reflexive 'Se Souvenir de'

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Se souvenir is an irregular pronominal verb, which means the full conjugation doesn't adhere to a pattern (irregular) and the root verb souvenir must be preceded by the impersonal reflexive pronoun se, which changes to agree with the subject. The full verb is actually se souvenir de because the verb is followed by de when there is an object ("I remember something.") 

In the table below are all the simple conjugations of se souvenir de; compound conjugations, which include a form of the auxiliary verb être and the past participle souvenu, are not included here.

The grammatical term "pronominal," actually means "relating to a pronoun." In this case, it's a reflexive pronoun. So pronominal verbs need both a subject pronoun and a reflexive pronoun, like this:

   Nous nous habillons. > We're getting dressed (dressing ourselves).
   Tu te baignes. > You're taking a bath (bathing yourself).

'Se Souvenir de' Is Irregular 

Se souvenir de, because it is irregular, follows its own conjugations; to use it you will have to memorize them because they don't follow the patterns that regular verbs do. In the compound conjugations, pronominal verbs usually require agreement.

There are a few kinds of French pronominal verbs. But in general, we can say the action and, thus construction, of the pronominal verb is reflexive or reciprocal.  

Types of Pronominal Verbs

  1. Reflexive verbs: subject acts on itself. 
  2. Reciprocal verbs: subjects act on one another
  3. Idiomatic pronominal verbs: reflexive pronoun changes the meaning of the verb
  4. Intrinsically pronominal verbs: verb can only be used pronominally

'Se Souvenir de' is Reflexive

Se souvenir de is a reflexive pronominal verb. The most common pronominal verbs are reflexive verbs (verbes à sens réfléchi), which indicate that the subject of the verb is performing the action upon himself, herself or itself.

Reflexive verbs mainly have to do with parts of the bodyclothing, personal circumstance or location. Note that when referring to parts of the body, the French possessive pronoun is rarely used; instead, the owner is indicated with a reflexive pronoun, and a definite article precedes the body part.

Common Reflexive Pronominal Verbs

  •    s'adresser à > to address, speak to
  •    s'approcher de > to approach
  •    s'asseoir > to sit down
  •    se baigner > to bathe, swim
  •    se brosser (les cheveux, les dents) > to brush (one's hair, one's teeth)
  •    se casser (la jambe, le bras) > to break (one's leg, one's arm)
  •    se coiffer > to fix one's hair
  •    se coucher > to go to bed
  •    se couper  > to cut oneself
  •    se dépêcher >  to hurry
  •    se déshabiller > to get undressed
  •    se doucher > to take a shower
  •    s'énerver > to get annoyed
  •    s'enrhumer > to catch a cold
  •    se fâcher > to get angry
  •    se fatiguer > to get tired
  •    se fier > to trust
  •    s'habiller > to get dressed
  •    s'habituer à > to get used to
  •    s'imaginer > to imagine
  •    s'intéresser à  > to be interested in
  •    se laver (les mains, la figure) > to wash (one's hands, one's face)
  •    se lever > to get up
  •    se maquiller > to put on makeup
  •    se marier (avec) > to get married (to)
  •    se méfier de > to mistrust, distrust, beware of/about
  •    se moquer de > to make fun of (someone else)
  •    se moucher > to blow one's nose
  •    se noyer > to drown
  •    se peigner > to comb one's hair
  •    se promener > to take a walk
  •    se raser > to shave
  •    se refroidir > to cool down, get cold
  •    se regarder > to look at oneself
  •    se reposer > to rest
  •    se réveiller > to wake up
  •    se soûler > to get drunk
  •    se souvenir de > to remember
  •    se taire > to be quiet

 Examples

  •    Il se souvient d'avoir reçu cette lettre. > He remembers receiving this letter.
  •   Je me souviens de votre gentillesse. > I remember your kindness.
  •   Tu te reposes. > You're resting.
  •   Il se lève à 8h00. > He gets up at 8:00.

Simple Conjugations of the Irregular Pronominal French Verb 'Se Souvenir'

Present Future Imperfect Present participle
je me souviens souviendrai souvenais se souvenant
tu te souviens souviendras souvenais
il se souvient souviendra souvenait Passé composé
nous nous souvenons souviendrons souvenions Auxiliary verb être
vous vous souvenez souviendrez souveniez Past participle souvenu
ils se souviennent souviendront souvenaient
Subjunctive Conditional Passé simple Imperfect subjunctive
je me souvienne souviendrais souvins souvinsse
tu te souviennes souviendrais souvins souvinsses
il se souvienne souviendrait souvint souvînt
nous nous souvenions souviendrions souvînmes souvinssions
vous vous souveniez souviendriez souvîntes souvinssiez
ils se souviennent souviendraient souvinrent souvinssent
Imperative
(tu) souviens-toi
(nous) souvenons-nous
(vous) souvenez-vous
Format
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Team, ThoughtCo. "Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Se Souvenir' ('to Remember')." ThoughtCo, Dec. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/se-souvenir-to-remember-1370918. Team, ThoughtCo. (2021, December 6). Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Se Souvenir' ('to Remember'). Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/se-souvenir-to-remember-1370918 Team, ThoughtCo. "Conjugate the Irregular French Verb 'Se Souvenir' ('to Remember')." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/se-souvenir-to-remember-1370918 (accessed March 29, 2024).