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Pronominal Verbs - - Explanation

Pronominal verbs (including reflexive verbs) must be conjugated with a reflexive pronoun in addition to the subject pronoun or subject. The reflexive pronoun always agrees with the subject. Like object pronouns, the reflexive pronoun is placed directly in front of the verb in all tenses except the imperative.

Je m'habille. I'm getting dressed
Tu ne te reposes pas. You're not resting
Il se lèvait à 8h00. He was getting up at 8:00
Nous nous amuserons demain.    We'll have fun tomorrow

In the passé composé, all pronominal verbs are être verbs, which means that the past participle must agree with the subject*.

Elle s'est couchée à minuit. She went to bed at midnight.
Ils se sont arrêtés à la banque.    They stopped at the bank.

The exception to this rule is when the pronoun is the indirect object, as in the following verbs:

s'acheter to buy (for) oneself    se plaire to complain
se demander to wonder se promettre to promise
se dire to say se rendre compte to realize
se donner to give se ressembler to resemble
s'écrire to write se sourire to smile
s'offrir to offer se téléphoner to call
se parler to talk

If there are two objects, the pronominal object is always the indirect subject.

Je me suis acheté une voiture. I bought a car for myself.
Elle s'est dit la verité. She told herself the truth.

Questions with pronominal verbs usually use est-ce que rather than inversion. If you do use inversion, the reflexive pronoun precedes the inverted subject-verb:

Est-ce que tu te laves les mains ?    Are you washing your hands?
Te laves-tu les mains ?                 "        "

There are three kinds of pronominal verbs:  Reflexive verbs, reciprocal verbs & idiomatic pronominal verbs.

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