Agreement of the past participle with pronominal verbs

L'accord du participe passé avec des verbes pronominaux

Les verbes pronominaux se forment avec l'auxiliaire "être". Exemple : Se réveiller → il s'est réveillé.

(Pronominal verbs are formed with the auxiliary "être". Example: Se réveiller → il s'est réveillé.)

Teacher explanation

What’s tricky with pronominal verbs (se + verb)

In the passé composé, pronominal (reflexive) verbs use être:

Elle s’est lavée…
Ils se sont dépêchés…

But the agreement of the past participle depends on one key question:

Is “se” the direct object (COD), or is there another COD?

The 10‑second decision path (self-check)

Find the COD: ask “who/what?” after the verb.
If there is no COD → usually agree with the subject.
If there is a COD:
- COD before the verb → agree with that COD.
- COD after the verb → no agreement.

Case 1 — “Se” is the COD → agreement with the subject

When the subject does the action to themselves, “se” is the direct object.

Elles se sont déplacées à l’hôpital. (They moved themselves.)
Ils se sont dépêchés. (They hurried.)

Tip: if you can rephrase with “themselves” naturally in English, agreement with the subject is often correct.

Case 2 — Another COD is before the verb → agreement with that COD

If the COD is placed before the verb (often with que / qu’), the past participle agrees with it.

Structure	Example
COD + que … avoir + participle	La mutuelle qu’il a obtenue. (mutuelle = fem. sg.)
COD + que … se + être + participle	Les démarches qu’ils se sont réservées… (démarches = fem. pl.)

Common place where COD comes before: relative clauses with que / qu’ (“that/which”).

Case 3 — The COD is after the verb → no agreement

This is the most frequent “surprise” with pronominal verbs.

Elle s’est brossé les dents. ✅
~~Elle s’est brossée les dents.~~ ❌

Why? The COD is les dents (after the verb). “Se” is not COD here; it’s an indirect object (she brushed the teeth for herself).

A practical mini-test: replace “se” with “lui/leur”

If “se” could become lui/leur, then “se” is not a COD → very often no agreement (unless another COD is before).

Sentence	Meaning check	Agreement
Elle s’est brossé les dents.	≈ Elle a brossé les dents à elle → “se” ≈ lui	No (COD after)
Elles se sont levées.	Not “à elles” → “se” is COD	Yes (subject)

Exception to remember: some pronominal verbs have an invariable participle

Plaire → Elles se sont plu. (no agreement)

Good strategy: learn these as fixed expressions when you meet them; don’t try to “force” agreement.

Endings reminder (so you can write the form fast)

Gender / number	Ending	Example with déplacé
masc. singular	–	il s’est déplacé
fem. singular	+ e	elle s’est déplacée
masc. plural	+ s	ils se sont déplacés
fem. plural	+ es	elles se sont déplacées

What you should pay attention to (quick checklist)

Don’t guess from “être”. With pronominal verbs, agreement is not automatic.
Always locate the COD. If it’s after the verb → usually no agreement.
Watch for “que / qu’”. It often places the COD before the verb → agreement.
Learn a few invariable verbs (like se plaire → plu) as you encounter them.

The past participle of a pronominal verb agrees with the subject of the verb when the subject performs the action on itself.
The past participle agrees in gender and number when the direct object (COD) is placed before the verb.
The past participle does not agree when the direct object (COD) is placed after the verb.
To identify the direct object (COD), simply ask the question “who?” or “what?”.

Accord du participe passé	Exemples (Examples)
Accord avec le sujet (Agreement with the subject)	Elles se sont déplacées à l'hôpital. (They went to the hospital.)
Accord avec COD (Agreement with the direct object (COD) )	Les examens médicaux qui se sont déroulés. (The medical tests that took place.) ( )
Pas d'accord avec COD (No agreement with the direct object (COD))	Elles se sont brossé les dents. (They brushed their teeth. )

Exceptions!

The past participle agrees in gender and number when the direct object (COD) is placed before the verb also with the auxiliary avoir. Example: La mutuelle qu'il a obtenue.
The past participles of some verbs are invariable. Example: Plaire → Elles se sont plu.

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. Elles se sont ___ tôt pour aller au centre de santé.

2. Elles se sont ___ les dents avant le rendez-vous chez le dentiste.

3. La carte Vitale qu’elle s’est ___ est déjà à jour.

4. Ces examens médicaux se sont ___ sans complication.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite each sentence in the passé composé, putting the past participle in the correct form (agree with the subject or with the direct object placed before; no agreement if the direct object is after; be careful with pronominal verbs).

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints

Après l’accident, elles se sont dépêché pour aller aux urgences.

⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Après l’accident, elles se sont dépêchées pour aller aux urgences.
(After the accident, they hurried to go to the emergency room.)
Ce sont des analyses que la médecin a demandé hier.

⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Ce sont des analyses que la médecin a demandées hier.
(These are tests that the doctor ordered yesterday.)
Les radios, il les a envoyé au spécialiste ce matin.

⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Les radios, il les a envoyées au spécialiste ce matin.
(The X-rays, he sent them to the specialist this morning.)
Elle s’est lavé les mains avant l’examen.

⇒ ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
Elle s’est lavé les mains avant l’examen.
(She washed her hands before the examination.)

Exercise 3: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct sentence.