If you are familiar with reflexive verbs in French, les verbes pronominaux, you may have run into reciprocal verbs on the way.
They are a type of pronominal verbs, that look similar, but have a few particularities you’ll learn in this post.
The trick about reflexive verbs, as well as reciprocal verbs, is that they require a reflexive pronoun se, and this is how you’ll be recognizing them easily.
Let’s get started.
What are Reciprocal Verbs?
Reciprocal verbs are a type of reflexive (pronominal) verb where people do something to each other.
A reciprocal verb is a form of the pronominal verb. It has both a subject pronoun and a reflexive pronoun. When a reciprocal verb is used, the reflexive pronoun indicates that the action is exchanged between subjects acting on each other.
S’aimer or détester are examples of reciprocal pronominal verbs:
Ils s’aiment depuis le lycée.
They’ve loved each other since high school.
Ils se detestent depuis leur divorce.
They’ve hated each other their divorce.
Reciprocal verbs, as opposed to pronominal verbs, use only certain forms. Because reciprocal verbs require two people, the only forms necessary are the plural forms and the third person pronoun (on).
Notice that only bolded forms are reciprocal verbs.
je me marie nous nous marions
tu te maries vous vous mariez
il/elle/on se marie ils/elles se marient
It is interesting to note that divorcer (to divorce) is not pronominal, meaning it doesn’t have a pronominal pronoun.
Il divorce sa femme.
He divorces his wife.
A Reminder : What are Pronominal Verbs?
In grammar, pronominal verbs refer to pronouns. As you may already know, conjugated verbs always require a subject pronoun, but pronominal verbs require a reflexive pronoun as well.
A pronominal verb is a verb that is conjugated with a reflexive pronoun that refers to the same person as the subject.
Je me lève.
l am getting up.
Tu t’endors.
You’re falling asleep.
Ils se sont mariés.
They got married.
French Reflexive Pronouns
The reflexive pronoun se in French goes with reflexive verbs, standing in front of the conjugated verb. If the verb begins with the vowel (a,e,i,o,u,h) then the reflexive pronoun will get contracted.
( see examples in the brackets).
This is how the reflexive pronoun forms look like in French and English.
French – English
me (m’) – me, myself
te (t’) – you, yourself
se (s’) – him (self), her (self), it(self)
nous – us, ourselves
vous – you, yourself, yourselves
se (s’) – them, themselves
When do we Use Pronominal Verbs
Je me lève à 7 heures, je se douche et je me brosse les dents.
l get up at 7am, l shower, and brush my teeth.
In the negative form, the reflexive pronoun stays in front of the verb.
Je ne me lave pas souvent.
I don’t wash often.
Tu ne te trompes jamais.
You are never wrong.
The different types of pronominal verbs
1. Passive pronominal verbs
The subject undergoes the action but does not accomplish it.
Cette leçon se comprend bien. It’s not the lesson that understands, but a person studying.
This lesson is understandable.
2. Reflexive pronominal verbs
The subject undergoes the action he performs.
La reine se regarde dans le miroir.
The queen looks at herself in the mirror.
3. Reciprocal pronominal verbs
The subjects undergo an interaction.
Ces deux frères se battent souvent. They fight each other.
These two brothers often fight.
4. Subjectif pronominal verbs (Les verbes pronominaux subjectifs ou irréfléchis)
Marc se moque de son frère. Marc is not mocking himself.
Marc is mocking his brother.
Common Reciprocal Reflexive Verbs in French
Like Reflexive Verbs, a Reciprocal Reflexive Verb is identified by the reflexive pronoun SE that precedes it in its infinitive form.
Here are some common French Reciprocal Reflexive Verbs:
s’acheter : to buy (something for) each other
s’adorer : to adore each other
s’aider : to help each other
s’aimer : to love each other
se comprendre : to understand each other
se connaître : to know each other
se détester : to hate each other
se dire : to tell/say to each other
s’écrire : to write to each other
s’envoyer (des courriels) : to send each other (emails)
se mentir : to lie to each other
se parler : to speak/talk to each other
se plaire : to like each other
se poser des questions : to ask each other questions
se promettre : to promise each other
se regarder : to look at each other
se rencontrer : to meet
se ressembler : to look like each other
se téléphoner : to phone/call each other
se voir : to see each other
At Last
Reciprocal verbs are important when talking about things you do with others, or mutual feelings.
Make sure you make a difference between regular pronominal verbs and reciprocal verbs. They do look similar, but essentially are different.
The trick about reflexive verbs, as well as reciprocal verbs, is that they require a reflexive pronoun se, and this is how you’ll be recognizing them easily.