Reflexive pronouns are used to refer the subject back to itself, either to mark an action done on one’s own body or person, or to express a mutual relationship or an idiomatic construction. They are part of the pronoun system and are mainly used with pronominal verbs, where their presence changes the meaning of the verb. Their position, form, and agreement follow precise rules depending on the mood, negation, and the presence of an infinitive.

The reflexive pronoun agrees with the grammatical person, not with the gender of the subject. In first and second person, it takes me, te, nous and vous, while in the third person it takes se, with elision before a vowel. These forms are used in reflexive constructions, but also in reciprocal and idiomatic uses.

PersonnePerson.	FormeForm.	ExempleExample.
1re singulier1st person singular.	meme.	Je me laveI wash myself.
2e singulier2nd person singular.	teyou.	Tu te préparesYou are getting ready.
1re pluriel1st person plural.	nousus.	Nous nous retrouvonsWe meet up.
2e pluriel2nd person plural.	vousyou.	Vous vous reposezYou rest.
3e personne3rd person.	sese (reflexive pronoun).	Ils se parlentThey talk to each other.
Devant voyelleBefore a vowel.	s’se' (elided before a vowel).	Elle s’habilleShe gets dressed.

The reflexive pronoun is normally placed before the conjugated verb, as in personal pronouns and object pronouns, but it also precedes the infinitive when the verb is in the infinitive. In the affirmative imperative, it is placed after the verb with a hyphen, and it returns to its pre-verbal position in negation. This mobility shows that its position depends on the verb form and not on the reflexive meaning alone.

IdéeIdea.	ExempleExample.
Le pronom réfléchi se place avant le verbe conjuguéThe reflexive pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb.	Je me rends compteI realize.
Le pronom réfléchi se place avant l’infinitifThe reflexive pronoun is placed before the infinitive.	Se laver après le sportTo wash after sport.
À l’impératif affirmatif, le pronom suit le verbe avec trait d’unionIn the affirmative imperative, the pronoun follows the verb with a hyphen.	Lève-toiGet up.
Dans la négation, le pronom reste avant le verbe conjuguéIn negation, the pronoun remains before the conjugated verb.	Je ne me trompe pasI am not mistaken.

A pronominal verb can be reflexive when the subject acts on itself, as in se laver; reciprocal when several subjects act on each other, as in se parler; or idiomatic when the expression is lexicalized, as s’en aller. In these uses, the pronoun is not always replaceable by a direct object pronoun, because it is part of the verbal meaning. The difference with le, la, and les is therefore essential to distinguish an action directed toward oneself from an object truly undergone.

UsageUsage.	SensMeaning.	ExempleExample.
RéfléchiReflexive.	Le sujet agit sur lui-même.The subject acts on itself.	Elle se regardeShe looks at herself.
RéciproqueReciprocal.	Les sujets agissent l’un sur l’autre.The subjects act on one another.	Ils se parlent souventThey talk to each other often.
IdiomaticIdiomatic.	L’expression a un sens fixé par l’usage.The expression has a meaning fixed by usage.	Ils s’en vont maintenantThey are leaving now.
Complément directDirect object.	Le pronom désigne un objet distinct du sujet.The pronoun designates an object distinct from the subject.	Il le laveHe washes it.

With certain pronominal verbs, the past participle agrees with the subject when the reflexive pronoun is not analyzed as COD. This agreement appears notably when the verb is built without an expressed direct object after it, as in Elle s’est lavée. When the meaning or structure introduces a COD, the agreement can change, which brings this point closer to the general functioning of object pronouns.

IdéeIdea.	ExempleExample.
Le participe passé s’accorde avec le sujet quand il n’y a pas de COD expriméThe past participle agrees with the subject when there is no direct object expressed.	Elle s’est lavéeShe washed herself.
Le participe passé peut rester invariable quand un COD suit le verbeThe past participle can remain invariable when a direct object follows the verb.	Elle s’est lavé les mainsShe washed her hands.
L’accord dépend de l’analyse grammaticale du pronom réfléchiThe agreement depends on the grammatical analysis of the reflexive pronoun.	Ils se sont parléThey spoke to each other.

In informal speech, certain constructions may drop or move the pronoun in limited uses, especially in very common expressions or depending on regional usage. In standard French, the pronominal form remains the reference for writing and for most formal contexts. Canadian and Francophone usages may retain different habits depending on the constructions, without changing the general logic of the system.

RégionRegion.	Forme ou expressionForm or expression.	Définition régionaleRegional definition.	ExempleExample.
FranceFrance.	Omission familièreColloquial omission.	Le pronom peut parfois être sous entendu à l’oral très relâché.The pronoun can sometimes be implied in very relaxed spoken French.	Je vais laver quand je rentreI am going to wash when I get home.
QuébecQuebec.	Tournure conservéeConserved phrasing.	Certaines formes pronominales se maintiennent là où d’autres variétés préfèrent une autre structure.Some pronominal forms stay where other varieties prefer a different structure.	Il s’en va parce qu’il est tardHe is leaving because it is late.
FrancophonieFrancophonie.	Usage fixéFixed usage.	Les locutions pronominales idiomatiques gardent souvent leur forme traditionnelle.Idiomatic pronominal phrases often keep their traditional form.	Elle se rend compte de la nouvelleShe realizes the news.

The system of reflexive pronouns is understood by linking the person, the position in the sentence, and the meaning of the verb. A good command of me, te, se, nous and vous helps to recognize pronominal verbs, to choose the correct position before the conjugated verb or the infinitive, and to avoid confusion with object pronouns. These guidelines are useful for reading and writing correctly, but also for understanding variations in spoken language.