Isgenderova Vusala

Ganja State University

The classification of reflexive verbs in French

The reflexive verbs are characterized by the use of personal pronouns, introducing the subject. Unlike the imperative mood, personal pronouns are added from the left. In French grammar, the reflexive verbs are conjugated by pronoun which is added to the subject. The verb which is accompanied by the pronouns: me, te, se, nous, vous, se is a reflexive verb. These pronouns don’t indicate person, animal, thing.

Notional reflexive verbs.

They can’t be used in simple form. In this case ‘se’ is lexicalized. This kind of reflexive verbs are called ‘subjective’ or ‘notional’ reflexive verbs.

s’abstenir-to abstain	s’écrier-to exclaim
s’accouder-to lean on	s’efforcer-to try
s’accroupir-to squat	s’emparer-to take
s’acharner-to set upon	s’empresser-to hasten to do
s’affairer-to run	se suicider-to commit suicide
s’agenouiller-to kneel	s’enfuir-to run away

Notional reflexive verbs don’t indicate passive, reflexive and reciprocal meaning. It’s very hard and almost impossible to indicate the function of pronoun which is used with reflexive verb. In ancient French these verbs had either reflexive or reciprocal meaning. Though they aren’t used in this meaning their pronouns remained unchanged. Some of the notional reflexive verbs can be used with direct or indirect object.

Elles se sont rappelle leur jeunesse.( direct object) They remember their young days. Je me doute du refus de Pierre. I’m suspicious on Pierre’s refusal. (indirect object)

Accidental reflexive verbs.

Accidental reflexive verbs are used in simple or reflexive form, ‘se’ is not lexicalized here. Accidental reflexive verbs are transitive which can be used in non-reflexive constructions.

Je regarde la television ou Je la regarde. I’m watching TV or I’m watching it. ( the verb which isn’t reflexive). Je me regarde dans le miroir. I look at myself in mirror.( reflexive verb)

Accidental reflexive verbs can be used in reflexive, reciprocal and passive form.

s’accuser-to accuse - accuser-to accuse
s’appeler-to be called - appeler-to call se contempler-to gaze at - contempler-to gaze at

s’écrire-to be spelled - écrire-to write

se heurter- to bump into - heurter-to bump
se regarder-to look at each other - regarder-to look at

Reflexive pronominal verbs.

Reflexive pronominal verbs denote an action which is performed by the subject passes back to it or associated with it, i.e. the action takes place on the object itself. The pronouns that are attached to reflexive verbs can be used in different functions.

1. Case. Il nous (lui, toi et moi) croyait seuls. He only believed us. Subject and pronoun are the parts of the same concept. Here we talk about the reflexive pronoun. 2. Case. Il nous croyait seuls. He only believed us. Subject and pronoun aren’t the parts of the same concept. Verb is not reflexive.

We talk about the reflexive verbs when the action takes place on the noun which is used as a subject.

Is se lave soigneusement. He washes himself slowly. Vous vous cultiverez en frequentant les bibliothèques. You enrich your knowledge by working at libraries. Elle s’est acheté un telescope. She bought a telescope.

The pronoun can be used both as indirect and direct object.

Direct object- Pierre se regarde dans le miroir. Pier looks at himself in mirror.

Indirect object- Elle se parle toute seule. He speaks to himself solely.

Reflexive verbs in reciprocal meaning.

Reciprocal reflexive verbs denote an action which is expressed by two or more subjects. Here subjects are interrelated. As a rule, the pronoun is used before the verb is in the same person with the subject.

Je me leve. I get up. Ils se regardent dans le miroir. They looks at themselves in mirror.

Reciprocal reflexive verbs denote an action which is expressed on other objects denoted by the subject. The reason of calling it reciprocal reflexive verbs is that at least 2 parts become the subject and the object of the action.

Les deux enfants se sont battus. The two children are arguing. Ils se sont dit des insurjés. They swore at each-other.

‘Arguing’ is indirect reciprocal reflexive verb. ‘Told’ is direct reciprocal reflexive verb. Some of the reciprocal verbs are emphasized by the prefix ‘entre’.

s’entraider-to help each other s’entre-déchirer-tearing each other apart s’entr’égorger-killing each other s’entre-pousser – is between puch

s’entre-dévorer- devour each other s’entre-nuire- is between harm each s’entre-tuer-to kill each other s’entr’aimer- love one another

Reflexive verbs with successive meaning.

A group of verbs determine time, place and result connections.

Les jours se suivent. The days are passing.

Reflexive verbs with passive meaning.

Ex : Cette leçon se comprend bien. This lesson is understood well. La porte s’est refermée brusquement. The door is opened suddenly.

The reflexive verbs with the passive meaning is the same with the verbs which are used in passive voice without an object.

Ex: Ce vin se boit très frais. This wine is drunk cool. Tout s’oublie avec le temps. Everything is forgotten over time.

Conclusion.

During the semantic classification of reflexive verbs in French, some meanings can be found. Notional reflexive verbs are used only as reflexive verbs, but reciprocal reflexive verbs are used when the action is expressed by two or more persons.

Literature

1. Claire Chuilon, Grammaire pratique : Le français de A à Z, Paris, Hatier, 1986

2. Monique Callamand, Grammaire vivante du français, Paris, Larousse, 1989

3. Maurice Grevisse et André Goose, Le bon usage, Paris, DeBoeck Duculot, 1993

4. Suzanne-G Chartrand, Denis Aubin, Blain Raymon et Claude Simard, Grammaire pédagogique du français d'aujourd'hui, Québec, Graficor, 1999

5. Sylvie Poisson-Quinton, Reine Mimran et Michèle Mahéo-Le Codiac, Grammaire expliquée du français, Tours, CLE International, 2004