Why is "Dropping the reflexive pronoun (writing 'je lève' instead of 'je me lève')" a common mistake in Reflexive verbs?

Why it happens: English hides the 'self' idea — we say 'I get up', not 'I get myself up' — so beginners forget to add the pronoun. How to avoid it: Learn each reflexive verb WITH its se: *se lever*, *se laver*, *s'habiller*. When the infinitive starts with se, the pronoun is compulsory in every form (*je **me** lève*). Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4

Why is "Using avoir instead of être in the perfect tense (*j'ai me levé*)" a common mistake in Reflexive verbs?

Why it happens: Most common verbs use avoir in the passé composé, so learners over-apply it to reflexives. How to avoid it: Memorise the golden rule: ALL reflexive verbs take être. The pattern is *je me suis…, tu t'es…, il s'est…*. Never put a form of avoir with a reflexive verb. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Forgetting past-participle agreement (a girl writing 'je me suis levé' without -e)" a common mistake in Reflexive verbs?

Why it happens: The endings -é, -ée, -és, -ées all sound the same, so the agreement is invisible in speech and easy to miss when writing. How to avoid it: After être, ask 'who is the subject?' and add -e (fem.), -s (masc. pl.) or -es (fem. pl.). A girl writes *je me suis lev**ée***; a group of boys writes *ils se sont lev**és***. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy

Why is "Not eliding before a vowel (*je me habille*, *il se amuse*)" a common mistake in Reflexive verbs?

Why it happens: Learners apply the basic pronoun (me, te, se) without remembering the apostrophe before a vowel. How to avoid it: Before a vowel or silent h, shorten me/te/se to m'/t'/s': *je **m'**habille*, *tu **t'**amuses*, *il **s'**appelle*. Write the apostrophe — it is part of the spelling. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Wrong word order in the negative (*je me ne lève pas*, *il ne lève se pas*)" a common mistake in Reflexive verbs?

Why it happens: Beginners are unsure where the reflexive pronoun sits relative to *ne … pas*. How to avoid it: Keep the reflexive pronoun glued to the verb and wrap *ne … pas* around the pair: **ne + pronoun + verb + pas** → *je **ne** me lève **pas***. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)

Why is "Using a possessive with body parts (*je me brosse mes dents*)" a common mistake in Reflexive verbs?

Why it happens: English says 'my teeth', so learners add a possessive, doubling up the ownership the reflexive already shows. How to avoid it: Use the definite article with body parts after a reflexive verb: *je me brosse **les** dents*, *elle se lave **les** mains*. The reflexive pronoun already shows whose body part it is. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking) & Paper 4 (Writing)

Cambridge IGCSE French (0520)

Reflexive verbs

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Detailed Study Notes

Detailed notes on Verb Tenses and Moods for Cambridge IGCSE French, covering key concepts, explanations, examples, and exam-focused revision points.

French reflexive verbs (verbes pronominaux) — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

A complete beginner's guide to reflexive verbs — the 'self' verbs you need for daily routine, feelings and getting ready. Learn the reflexive pronouns (me, te, se…), how to conjugate in the present, and how the perfect tense uses être with agreement — exactly the marks examiners look for.

At a glance

A reflexive verb describes an action you do to yourself: je me lave (I wash myself / I get washed). The infinitive always starts with se: se laver (to wash oneself).
Every reflexive verb has an extra little word — a reflexive pronoun — that matches the subject: me, te, se, nous, vous, se.
These pronouns mean 'myself, yourself, himself/herself…' but English often hides them: je me lève = simply 'I get up'.
Reflexive verbs are everywhere in daily routine vocabulary: se réveiller (to wake up), se lever (to get up), s'habiller (to get dressed), se coucher (to go to bed).
Before a vowel, me/te/se drop their e and use an apostrophe (elision): je m'appelle (my name is), il s'habille (he gets dressed).
In the perfect tense (passé composé), reflexive verbs ALWAYS take être (not avoir) as their auxiliary: je me suis levé(e) (I got up).
Because the auxiliary is être, the past participle agrees with the subject — add -e for feminine and -s for plural: elle s'est levée, ils se sont levés.
In a negative sentence the ne … pas wraps around the pronoun and the verb: je ne me lève pas (I do not get up).

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 syllabus (2025-2027).

Recognise a reflexive verb from its infinitive (se + verb) and explain what 'reflexive' means.
Recall the six reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nous, vous, se) and match each to its subject.
Conjugate common regular -er reflexive verbs in the present tense, including elision before a vowel.
Use high-frequency reflexive verbs to describe a daily routine.
Form the negative and the question forms of reflexive verbs.
Form the perfect tense of reflexive verbs using être and apply past-participle agreement.
Avoid the most common anglophone errors with reflexive verbs in Speaking and Writing.

What is a reflexive verb? The 'self' idea

A reflexive verb shows the subject doing the action to itself; its infinitive starts with se.

A reflexive verb (in French, un verbe pronominal — a pronominal verb) describes an action that the subject does to itself. Think of a mirror: the person doing the action and the person receiving it are the same person.

Compare these two sentences:

Je lave la voiture. (I wash the car.) — ordinary verb, the action goes outward to the car.
Je me lave. (I wash myself / I get washed.) — reflexive verb, the action comes back to me.

That little extra word me ('myself') is what makes the second sentence reflexive. Every reflexive verb has one of these.

How to spot a reflexive verb in the dictionary. The infinitive always begins with se (or s' before a vowel). The se means 'oneself':

Reflexive infinitive	Literal meaning	Natural English
se laver	to wash oneself	to get washed
se lever	to raise oneself	to get up
s'appeler	to call oneself	to be called / one's name is
se reposer	to rest oneself	to rest / relax
s'amuser	to amuse oneself	to have fun

A friendly warning about English. English usually hides the 'self' idea. We say "I get up", not "I get myself up"; we say "my name is Marc", not "I call myself Marc". But French keeps the reflexive pronoun every single time. So you must add it even when English would not — this is the number-one beginner trap.

Worked mini-example. "I get dressed" feels like it has no 'self' word in English. In French the verb is s'habiller (to dress oneself), so you must say *je **m'*habille — never je habille. The m' is compulsory.

A reflexive verb has the subject act on itself: je me lave (I wash myself).
The infinitive always starts with se (or s' before a vowel): se laver, s'amuser.
The se means 'oneself' and changes to match the subject (me, te, se…).
English often hides the 'self' word — French always keeps it.

The six reflexive pronouns — me, te, se, nous, vous, se

Each subject has its own reflexive pronoun; learn the set as a block.

The six reflexive pronouns matched to each subject, plus the elision rule before a vowel.

Every reflexive verb needs a reflexive pronoun sitting just before the verb. There are six, one for each subject. Learn them as a single block — they never change from verb to verb.

Subject	Reflexive pronoun	Means
je	me	myself
tu	te	yourself
il / elle / on	se	himself / herself / itself / oneself
nous	nous	ourselves
vous	vous	yourself / yourselves
ils / elles	se	themselves

Notice that nous and vous look exactly like their subjects — that makes them easy. The three that change are me, te, se.

Elision before a vowel. When the verb begins with a vowel or a silent h, the pronouns me, te, se drop their e and take an apostrophe — exactly the elision rule from pronunciation:

je me appelle → je m'appelle (my name is)
tu te amuses → tu t'amuses (you have fun)
il se habille → il s'habille (he gets dressed)

The nous and vous pronouns never elide.

Worked mini-example. Choose the right pronoun for (nous) se reposer (to rest). The subject is nous, so the reflexive pronoun is also nous: nous nous reposons (we rest). Yes, you really do write nous twice — the first is the subject, the second is the reflexive pronoun. This looks odd at first but is completely correct.

Six pronouns: me, te, se, nous, vous, se — one for each subject.
nous and vous are identical to their subjects.
me, te, se elide to m', t', s' before a vowel or silent h.
With nous/vous subjects you write the word twice: nous nous reposons.

Conjugating reflexive verbs in the present tense

Put the reflexive pronoun before a normally-conjugated verb.

Conjugating a reflexive verb is easy once you see the recipe: subject + reflexive pronoun + the verb conjugated normally. Most daily-routine reflexives are regular -er verbs, so the endings are the familiar -e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent.

Here is se laver (to get washed / wash oneself) in full:

Subject	Pronoun	Verb	Full form	English
je	me	lave	je me lave	I get washed
tu	te	laves	tu te laves	you get washed
il / elle / on	se	lave	il se lave	he gets washed
nous	nous	lavons	nous nous lavons	we get washed
vous	vous	lavez	vous vous lavez	you get washed
ils / elles	se	lavent	ils se lavent	they get washed

The verb part (lave, laves, lave, lavons, lavez, lavent) is conjugated exactly as if it were the ordinary verb laver — the only new thing is the reflexive pronoun in front.

Two small spelling-change reflexives to know. A couple of very common daily-routine verbs change a letter in some forms (they are still -er verbs):

se lever (to get up) takes a grave accent in most forms: je me lève, tu te lèves, il se lève, nous nous levons, vous vous levez, ils se lèvent.
s'appeler (to be called) doubles the l: je m'appelle, tu t'appelles, il s'appelle, nous nous appelons, vous vous appelez, ils s'appellent.

Notice the nous and vous forms are the 'plain' ones in both cases — the change disappears there.

A daily-routine starter pack.

Infinitive	English	Example (je)
se réveiller	to wake up	je me réveille (I wake up)
se lever	to get up	je me lève (I get up)
se laver	to get washed	je me lave (I get washed)
se brosser (les dents)	to brush (one's teeth)	je me brosse les dents (I brush my teeth)
s'habiller	to get dressed	je m'habille (I get dressed)
se reposer	to rest	je me repose (I rest)
s'amuser	to have fun	je m'amuse (I have fun)
se coucher	to go to bed	je me couche (I go to bed)

Worked mini-example. Describe your morning: "I wake up, I get up and I get dressed." Build each verb with its pronoun: *Je me réveille, je me lève et je **m'*habille. Note the elision in m'habille because habiller starts with a silent h.

Recipe: subject + reflexive pronoun + verb conjugated normally.
Most routine reflexives are regular -er verbs (-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent).
se lever adds a grave accent (je me lève); s'appeler doubles the l (je m'appelle).
The accent/letter change vanishes in the nous and vous forms.

Negatives and questions with reflexive verbs

ne … pas wraps the pronoun and verb together; questions can use est-ce que.

Negatives — wrap ne … pas around the pronoun AND the verb. The reflexive pronoun stays glued to the verb, and the negative goes around the whole unit (pronoun + verb):

Je me lève. (I get up.) → Je ne me lève pas. (I do not get up.)
Il s'habille. (He gets dressed.) → Il ne s'habille pas. (He does not get dressed.)
Nous nous reposons. (We rest.) → Nous ne nous reposons pas. (We do not rest.)

The order is always ne + [reflexive pronoun] + [verb] + pas. Do not split the pronoun from the verb.

Questions — the easy way for beginners. The simplest, fully-correct way to ask a reflexive question is to add est-ce que at the front (or just use a rising voice):

Est-ce que tu te lèves tôt ? (Do you get up early?)
Est-ce que vous vous amusez ? (Are you having fun / having a good time?)
Tu te couches à quelle heure ? (What time do you go to bed?) — rising intonation, no inversion needed.

Inversion (for recognition). In more formal French the subject and verb swap and join with a hyphen, but the reflexive pronoun stays in front: Te lèves-tu tôt ? (Do you get up early?), Comment vous appelez-vous ? (What is your name?). You only need to recognise this; est-ce que is perfectly acceptable for your own answers.

Worked mini-example. Make "We don't go to bed late" negative. Verb: se coucher. Subject nous → pronoun nous. Wrap it: Nous ne nous couchons pas tard. (We do not go to bed late.) The ne … pas surrounds nous couchons as one block.

Negative order: ne + pronoun + verb + pas — keep the pronoun next to the verb.
Je ne me lève pas (I do not get up); Il ne s'habille pas (He does not get dressed).
Easiest question form: add est-ce que or use rising intonation.
Inversion keeps the pronoun in front: Comment vous appelez-vous ?

Reflexive verbs in the perfect tense — être + agreement

Reflexive verbs always use être in the passé composé, so the past participle agrees with the subject.

Reflexive verbs in the passé composé use être, so the past participle agrees with the subject.

To talk about the past ("I got up", "she woke up"), you use the perfect tense (passé composé). There is one golden rule you must never forget:

Reflexive verbs ALWAYS form the perfect tense with être, never avoir.

The recipe is: subject + reflexive pronoun + present tense of être + past participle.

Here is se laver (to get washed) in the perfect tense:

Subject	Form	English
je	je me suis lavé(e)	I got washed
tu	tu t'es lavé(e)	you got washed
il	il s'est lavé	he got washed
elle	elle s'est lavée	she got washed
nous	nous nous sommes lavé(e)s	we got washed
vous	vous vous êtes lavé(e)(s)	you got washed
ils	ils se sont lavés	they got washed (m.)
elles	elles se sont lavées	they got washed (f.)

The agreement rule. Because the auxiliary is être, the past participle agrees with the subject, just like the être verbs of motion (allé, venu…):

feminine subject → add -e: elle s'est lavée.
masculine plural → add -s: ils se sont lavés.
feminine plural → add -es: elles se sont lavées.
masculine singular → no change: il s'est lavé.

The endings -é, -ée, -és, -ées all sound identical when spoken, so agreement mainly matters in writing (Paper 4).

Building it step by step. To say "she got up":

Subject = elle; reflexive pronoun = se → s' before the vowel of est.
Auxiliary = present of être for elle = est.
Past participle of se lever = levé; subject is feminine singular → add -e = levée.
Result: Elle s'est levée. (She got up.)

Worked mini-example. "My sisters woke up early." Verb se réveiller; subject mes sœurs (feminine plural) → use elles. Auxiliary sont; participle réveillé + -es (fem. plural) = réveillées. Answer: Mes sœurs se sont réveillées tôt. (My sisters woke up early.)

Reflexive verbs always take être in the perfect tense, never avoir.
Recipe: pronoun + present of être (suis, es, est, sommes, êtes, sont) + past participle.
The past participle agrees with the subject: +e (fem.), +s (masc. pl.), +es (fem. pl.).
Elle s'est levée, ils se sont levés, elles se sont levées; il s'est levé (no change).
Endings sound the same — agreement counts mostly in writing.

Other useful reflexives — feelings, going wrong and 'each other'

Reflexive verbs also express feelings, things going wrong, and reciprocal 'each other' actions.

Reflexive verbs are not only about washing and dressing. Several high-frequency verbs you will need for the exam are reflexive even though the 'self' idea is hidden in English.

Feelings and states.

Reflexive verb	English	Example
s'appeler	to be called	Je m'appelle Léa. (My name is Léa.)
se sentir	to feel	Je me sens bien. (I feel well.)
s'ennuyer	to be/get bored	Je m'ennuie en classe. (I'm bored in class.)
s'intéresser à	to be interested in	Je m'intéresse au sport. (I'm interested in sport.)
se fâcher	to get angry	Il se fâche vite. (He gets angry quickly.)
s'inquiéter	to worry	Ne t'inquiète pas ! (Don't worry!)

Things going wrong (very common in stories).

Reflexive verb	English	Example
se tromper	to make a mistake / be wrong	Je me suis trompé(e). (I made a mistake.)
se dépêcher	to hurry	Dépêche-toi ! (Hurry up!)
se perdre	to get lost	Nous nous sommes perdus. (We got lost.)

'Each other' — the reciprocal meaning. With a plural subject, a reflexive verb can mean the people do the action to each other:

Ils se parlent. (They talk to each other.)
Nous nous retrouvons au café. (We meet up / meet each other at the café.)
Elles s'aiment. (They love each other.)

The imperative (giving an order). When you tell someone to do a reflexive action, the pronoun moves after the verb and te becomes toi:

Lève-toi ! (Get up!) — from se lever.
Dépêche-toi ! (Hurry up!) — from se dépêcher.
Asseyez-vous, s'il vous plaît. (Sit down, please.) — from s'asseoir.

Worked mini-example. Tell a friend "Don't worry, hurry up!" Use s'inquiéter and se dépêcher. Negative imperative keeps the pronoun before: *Ne **t'*inquiète pas ; positive imperative moves it after: dépêche-toi . Answer: Ne t'inquiète pas, dépêche-toi !

Many feelings are reflexive: se sentir (to feel), s'ennuyer (to be bored), s'inquiéter (to worry).
'Going wrong' verbs: se tromper (to be mistaken), se dépêcher (to hurry), se perdre (to get lost).
With a plural subject, reflexives can mean 'each other': ils se parlent (they talk to each other).
In a positive command the pronoun moves after the verb and te → toi: Lève-toi ! (Get up!).

Quick recap

A reflexive verb shows the subject acting on itself; the infinitive starts with se (se laver, s'habiller).
Six reflexive pronouns — me, te, se, nous, vous, se — sit before the verb; me/te/se elide to m'/t'/s' before a vowel.
Present tense = subject + reflexive pronoun + verb conjugated normally (mostly regular -er endings).
se lever takes a grave accent (je me lève); s'appeler doubles the l (je m'appelle).
Negative wraps ne … pas around the pronoun + verb: je ne me lève pas.
Perfect tense always uses être: je me suis levé(e); the past participle agrees with the subject (+e, +s, +es).
Reflexives also express feelings (se sentir), mishaps (se tromper) and 'each other' (ils se parlent); commands move the pronoun after and change te → toi (Lève-toi !).

Memorise this

Verbatim phrases and definitions Cambridge mark schemes credit.

Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nous, vous, se (m'/t'/s' before a vowel).
se laver present: je me lave, tu te laves, il se lave, nous nous lavons, vous vous lavez, ils se lavent.
se lever (accent): je me lève … nous nous levons, vous vous levez … ils se lèvent.
s'appeler (double l): je m'appelle … nous nous appelons, vous vous appelez … ils s'appellent.
Daily routine: se réveiller, se lever, se laver, se brosser les dents, s'habiller, se reposer, se coucher.
Negative: je ne me lève pas.
Perfect = être: je me suis levé(e), elle s'est levée, ils se sont levés, elles se sont levées.
Command: Lève-toi ! (Get up!), Dépêche-toi ! (Hurry up!), Asseyez-vous (Sit down).
Body parts: je me brosse les dents (not mes dents).

How it’s examined

Reflexive verbs are core daily-routine grammar and surface in all four papers of Cambridge IGCSE French 0520.

Paper 1 (Listening): Daily-routine descriptions and timetables use reflexives heavily (je me lève à sept heures — I get up at seven). You must catch the reflexive pronoun and the verb to answer 'what time / in what order' questions.
Paper 2 (Reading): Texts about routines, holidays and feelings are full of reflexives, including past-tense ones (elle s'est réveillée). Recognising se + verb and the être-perfect helps you follow who did what and when.
Paper 3 (Speaking): The 'typical day' / 'this morning' topics almost guarantee reflexives. Examiners reward correct present forms (je me douche, je m'habille) and, for higher marks, correct perfect forms with agreement (je me suis levé(e)).
Paper 4 (Writing): This is where agreement and the apostrophe earn or lose accuracy marks. A candidate writing about her own morning must produce je me suis levée (with -e) and remember the être auxiliary, the elision (je m'habille), and the negative word order (je ne me lève pas).

Examiner reports for 0520 regularly note two errors: using avoir instead of être in the perfect tense of reflexive verbs, and dropping the reflexive pronoun because English hides it. Mastering these two points is a quick route to extra accuracy marks.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Syllabus 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Paper 3 (Speaking) & Paper 4 (Writing) Specimen 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports 2022-2024. Last reviewed 2026-06-02.

Take this whole topic with you

Step-by-step worked examples — Reflexive verbs

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on reflexive verbs, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Choose the correct reflexive pronoun
Getting started
Question
Complete each gap with the right reflexive pronoun: Je ___ lave. Tu ___ amuses. Nous ___ reposons. Ils ___ couchent. (I get washed. You have fun. We rest. They go to bed.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Match the pronoun to the subject. je → me, tu → te, il/elle/on → se, nous → nous, vous → vous, ils/elles → se.
2. Step 2
  Check for elision. amuses starts with a vowel, so te becomes t' → *tu **t'*amuses. The others start with consonants, so no elision.
3. Step 3
  Fill the gaps: *Je me lave. Tu **t'*amuses. Nous nous reposons. Ils se couchent.
Answer
Je me lave. Tu t'amuses. Nous nous reposons. Ils se couchent. (me; t' by elision; nous; se.)
Examiner tip
The two traps here are the elision (te → t'amuses before a vowel) and remembering that nous appears twice — once as subject, once as reflexive pronoun. Both are tested for accuracy in Paper 4.
2Conjugate a daily routine in the present tense
Building confidence
Question
Write three sentences about your morning using se réveiller (to wake up), se lever (to get up) and s'habiller (to get dressed), all with je.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Set up the recipe: je + reflexive pronoun me + verb. For a vowel-initial verb, me becomes m'.
2. Step 2
  se réveiller is a regular -er verb: je me réveille (I wake up).
3. Step 3
  se lever adds a grave accent in the je form: je me lève (I get up) — not je me leve.
4. Step 4
  s'habiller starts with a silent h, so elision applies: *je **m'*habille (I get dressed).
Answer
Je me réveille, je me lève et je m'habille. (I wake up, I get up and I get dressed.) Note the accent on lève and the elision in m'habille.
Examiner tip
se lever needs the grave accent (je me lève) and s'habiller needs the apostrophe (je m'habille). Examiner reports list both the missing accent and the missing apostrophe as frequent accuracy slips in routine descriptions.
3Make a reflexive sentence negative
Building confidence
Question
Make these negative: Il se lève tôt. (He gets up early.) and Nous nous amusons. (We are having fun.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Find the unit to wrap. The reflexive pronoun and the verb travel together: se lève, nous amusons. The ne … pas goes around the whole unit.
2. Step 2
  Place ne before the pronoun and pas after the verb: Il ne se lève pas tôt.
3. Step 3
  Repeat for the second sentence: Nous ne nous amusons pas. The first nous is the subject, the second is the reflexive pronoun — both stay inside, with ne in front and pas after.
Answer
Il ne se lève pas tôt. (He does not get up early.) Nous ne nous amusons pas. (We are not having fun.)
Examiner tip
The order is always ne + reflexive pronoun + verb + pas. A common error is splitting the pair (il ne lève se pas); the pronoun must stay directly in front of the verb.
4Form the perfect tense with être and agreement
Stretch
Question
Put into the perfect tense (passé composé): (a) Marie / se lever / tôt and (b) Mes frères / se coucher / tard. (Marie got up early; my brothers went to bed late.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Remember the golden rule: reflexive verbs take être, never avoir. Recipe = subject + reflexive pronoun + present of être + past participle.
2. Step 2
  (a) Marie is feminine singular → pronoun se (→ s' before est), auxiliary est, participle levé + -e for feminine = levée: Marie s'est levée tôt.
3. Step 3
  (b) Mes frères is masculine plural → use ils; pronoun se, auxiliary sont, participle couché + -s for masculine plural = couchés: Mes frères se sont couchés tard.
4. Step 4
  Double-check the agreement. Feminine adds -e, masculine plural adds -s, feminine plural adds -es. Marie → -e; mes frères → -s.
Answer
(a) Marie s'est levée tôt. (b) Mes frères se sont couchés tard. Both use être; the participle agrees: levée (fem. sing.), couchés (masc. pl.).
Examiner tip
This is the highest-value reflexive skill in Paper 4. The two things examiners check are (1) être not avoir as the auxiliary, and (2) the past-participle agreement with the subject. The endings sound identical, so they only show up — and only earn marks — in writing.

Model Answers — Reflexive verbs

High-scoring sample answers for reflexive verbs on the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
Paper 3 (Speaking) / Paper 4 (Writing) style. Décris une journée typique. (Describe a typical day.) Give a short model answer for a girl, using several reflexive verbs in the present.
Model answer
En semaine, je me réveille à six heures et demie et je me lève tout de suite. (On weekdays, I wake up at half past six and I get up straight away.)

Je me lave, je me brosse les dents et je m'habille. (I get washed, I brush my teeth and I get dressed.)

Le soir, je me repose un peu, puis je me couche vers dix heures. (In the evening, I rest a little, then I go to bed around ten o'clock.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It strings together six reflexive verbs with the correct pronoun me (and the elision m'habille), uses the body-part construction je me brosse les dents (definite article, not mes), and adds time phrases and connectives (puis, le soir). All present forms are accurate — exactly the control the routine topic rewards.
Question 2
Paper 4 (Writing) style. Qu'est-ce que tu as fait ce matin ? (What did you do this morning?) Give a model answer in the perfect tense for a boy.
Model answer
Ce matin, je me suis réveillé à sept heures, mais je ne me suis pas levé tout de suite. (This morning, I woke up at seven, but I didn't get up straight away.)

Ensuite, je me suis lavé et je me suis habillé rapidement. (Then I got washed and got dressed quickly.)

Malheureusement, je me suis dépêché et je me suis trompé de bus ! (Unfortunately, I rushed and got on the wrong bus!)
Why this scores
Why this scores. Every reflexive verb correctly uses être (je me suis…), the participles stay masculine singular for a boy (réveillé, levé, lavé, habillé), and the negative perfect is well handled: je ne me suis pas levé (the ne … pas wraps the auxiliary). The verb se tromper de bus (to get the wrong bus) adds range.
Question 3
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. Comment te sens-tu en ce moment ? (How do you feel at the moment?) Give a short model answer using reflexive 'feeling' verbs.
Model answer
En général, je me sens bien, mais en classe je m'ennuie parfois. (In general, I feel well, but in class I sometimes get bored.)

Je m'intéresse beaucoup au sport, donc je m'amuse le week-end. (I'm very interested in sport, so I have fun at the weekend.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It shows that 'feeling' verbs are reflexive in French — se sentir (to feel), s'ennuyer (to get bored), s'intéresser à (to be interested in), s'amuser (to have fun) — with correct me/m' pronouns and a connective (donc). Expressing feelings and opinions lifts the communication mark.

Key Definitions and Keywords — Reflexive verbs

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for reflexive verbs answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0520 sitting.

verbe pronominal (reflexive verb)
Examiner keyword
A verb where the subject does the action to itself; its infinitive starts with se (or s') and it carries a reflexive pronoun.
Example
se laver (to get washed) → je me lave (I wash myself / I get washed).
me, te, se, nous, vous, se
Examiner keyword
The six reflexive pronouns, one for each subject (myself, yourself, him/herself, ourselves, yourself/-selves, themselves). They sit just before the verb.
Example
tu te laves (you get washed); nous nous reposons (we rest).
se laver (present)
Examiner keyword
Model regular -er reflexive: je me lave, tu te laves, il se lave, nous nous lavons, vous vous lavez, ils se lavent.
Example
Le matin, il se lave. (In the morning, he gets washed.)
se lever (to get up)
Examiner keyword
A reflexive -er verb that takes a grave accent in most forms: je me lève, but nous nous levons, vous vous levez.
Example
Je me lève à sept heures. (I get up at seven.)
s'appeler (to be called)
Examiner keyword
A reflexive verb that doubles the l in most forms: je m'appelle, tu t'appelles, il s'appelle; used to give your name.
Example
Comment tu t'appelles ? — Je m'appelle Léa. (What's your name? — My name is Léa.)
elision (me/te/se → m'/t'/s')
Examiner keyword
Before a vowel or silent h, the pronouns me, te, se drop their e and take an apostrophe.
Example
je m'habille (I get dressed); il s'amuse (he has fun).
auxiliaire être (in the perfect)
Examiner keyword
Reflexive verbs always form the passé composé with être, not avoir, so the past participle agrees with the subject.
Example
je me suis levé(e) (I got up); elle s'est levée (she got up).
accord du participe passé (agreement)
With être, the past participle adds -e (feminine), -s (masculine plural) or -es (feminine plural) to match the subject.
Example
ils se sont couchés (they went to bed, m. pl.); elles se sont levées (they got up, f. pl.).
impératif (Lève-toi !)
In a positive command, the reflexive pronoun moves after the verb and te becomes toi.
Example
Lève-toi ! (Get up!); Dépêche-toi ! (Hurry up!); Asseyez-vous. (Sit down.)
se brosser les dents
With body parts, French uses the reflexive plus the definite article (le/la/les), not a possessive.
Example
je me brosse les dents (I brush my teeth) — never mes dents.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — Reflexive verbs

The traps other students keep falling into on reflexive verbs questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0520 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Dropping the reflexive pronoun (writing 'je lève' instead of 'je me lève')
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4
Why it happens
English hides the 'self' idea — we say 'I get up', not 'I get myself up' — so beginners forget to add the pronoun.
How to avoid it
Learn each reflexive verb WITH its se: se lever, se laver, s'habiller. When the infinitive starts with se, the pronoun is compulsory in every form (je me lève).
✕Using avoir instead of être in the perfect tense (j'ai me levé)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
Most common verbs use avoir in the passé composé, so learners over-apply it to reflexives.
How to avoid it
Memorise the golden rule: ALL reflexive verbs take être. The pattern is je me suis…, tu t'es…, il s'est…. Never put a form of avoir with a reflexive verb.
✕Forgetting past-participle agreement (a girl writing 'je me suis levé' without -e)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy
Why it happens
The endings -é, -ée, -és, -ées all sound the same, so the agreement is invisible in speech and easy to miss when writing.
How to avoid it
After être, ask 'who is the subject?' and add -e (fem.), -s (masc. pl.) or -es (fem. pl.). A girl writes je me suis levée; a group of boys writes ils se sont levés.
✕Not eliding before a vowel (je me habille, il se amuse)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
Learners apply the basic pronoun (me, te, se) without remembering the apostrophe before a vowel.
How to avoid it
Before a vowel or silent h, shorten me/te/se to m'/t'/s': *je **m'*habille, *tu **t'*amuses, *il **s'*appelle. Write the apostrophe — it is part of the spelling.
✕Wrong word order in the negative (je me ne lève pas, il ne lève se pas)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
Beginners are unsure where the reflexive pronoun sits relative to ne … pas.
How to avoid it
Keep the reflexive pronoun glued to the verb and wrap ne … pas around the pair: ne + pronoun + verb + pas → je ne me lève pas.
✕Using a possessive with body parts (je me brosse mes dents)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking) & Paper 4 (Writing)
Why it happens
English says 'my teeth', so learners add a possessive, doubling up the ownership the reflexive already shows.
How to avoid it
Use the definite article with body parts after a reflexive verb: je me brosse les dents, elle se lave les mains. The reflexive pronoun already shows whose body part it is.

Reflexive verbs

Detailed Study Notes

At a glance

What you’ll learn

Quick recap

Memorise this

How it’s examined

Take this whole topic with you

1Choose the correct reflexive pronoun

2Conjugate a daily routine in the present tense

3Make a reflexive sentence negative

4Form the perfect tense with être and agreement

verbe pronominal (reflexive verb)

me, te, se, nous, vous, se

se laver (present)

se lever (to get up)

s'appeler (to be called)

elision (me/te/se → m'/t'/s')

auxiliaire être (in the perfect)

accord du participe passé (agreement)

impératif (Lève-toi !)

se brosser les dents

✕Dropping the reflexive pronoun (writing 'je lève' instead of 'je me lève')

✕Using avoir instead of être in the perfect tense (j'ai me levé)

✕Forgetting past-participle agreement (a girl writing 'je me suis levé' without -e)

✕Not eliding before a vowel (je me habille, il se amuse)

✕Wrong word order in the negative (je me ne lève pas, il ne lève se pas)

✕Using a possessive with body parts (je me brosse mes dents)