Se Maquiller French Conjugation: Complete Guide and Tense Tables

Mastering daily routine verbs (les verbes pronominaux) is a vital milestone for any French language learner. Among these, se maquiller (to put on makeup) is a staple of everyday conversations. As a regular first-group verb ending in -er, its stem behaves predictably, but its reflexive nature brings specific rules regarding reflexive pronouns and compound tense agreements.

In this expert guide, you will find comprehensive conjugation charts for all essential French tenses, pronunciation and agreement rules, and authentic example sentences.

Understanding the Anatomy of "Se Maquiller"

Se maquiller consists of two elements:

1. The reflexive pronoun (se), which changes according to the subject (me, te, se, nous, vous, se).

2. The stem verb (maquiller), which follows standard first-group conjugation rules (-e, -es, -e, -ons, -ez, -ent).

When conjugated without the reflexive pronoun, maquiller means "to make someone else up" (e.g., Elle maquille la comédienne = She does the actress's makeup).

1. Present Tense (Présent de l'indicatif)

Use the present tense to describe current routines or actions happening right now.

Subject Pronoun Reflexive Pronoun Verb Form Full Conjugation
:--- :--- :--- :---
Je me maquille Je me maquille (I put on makeup)
Tu te maquilles Tu te maquilles (You put on makeup)
Il / Elle / On se maquille Il/Elle se maquille (He/She puts on makeup)
Nous nous maquillons Nous nous maquillons (We put on makeup)
Vous vous maquillez Vous vous maquillez (You put on makeup)
Ils / Elles se maquillent Ils/Elles se maquillent (They put on makeup)
  • Je me maquille en dix minutes tous les matins. (I put on my makeup in ten minutes every morning.)

    • Daily Example:

    2. Compound Past (Passé Composé)

In French, all reflexive verbs take the auxiliary "être" in compound tenses. Never use avoir with se maquiller.

The Direct Object Agreement Trap

Subject Conjugation Translation
:--- :--- :---
Je me suis maquillé(e) I put on makeup / I made myself up
Tu t'es maquillé(e) You put on makeup
Il s'est maquillé He put on makeup
Elle s'est maquillée She put on makeup
Nous nous sommes maquillé(e)s We put on makeup
Vous vous êtes maquillé(e)(s) You put on makeup
Ils se sont maquillés They put on makeup (m.)
Elles se sont maquillées They put on makeup (f.)
  • Marie s'est maquillée. $\rightarrow$ Agreement with "se" (feminine singular), because who did she make up? Herself (direct object before the verb).
  • Marie s'est maquillé les lèvres. $\rightarrow$ No agreement! The direct object (les lèvres) comes after the verb.

    • The past participle maquillé agrees with the direct object when it precedes the verb:

    3. Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)

Use the imperfect to talk about past continuous actions or childhood habits.

4. Simple Future (Futur Simple)

Subject Conjugation Translation
:--- :--- :---
Je me maquillais I used to put on makeup
Tu te maquillais You used to put on makeup
Il / Elle se maquillait He/She used to put on makeup
Nous nous maquillions We used to put on makeup
Vous vous maquilliez You used to put on makeup
Ils / Elles se maquillaient They used to put on makeup

To describe plans or future commitments:

Subject Conjugation
:--- :---
Je me maquillerai
Tu te maquilleras
Il / Elle se maquillera
Nous nous maquillerons
Vous vous maquillerez
Ils / Elles se maquilleront

Example: Demain soir, je me maquillerai pour le gala. (Tomorrow evening, I will do my makeup for the gala.)

5. Present Subjunctive (Subjonctif Présent)

Required after expressions of necessity, emotion, or doubt (e.g., il faut que).

  • Que je me maquille
  • Que tu te maquilles
  • Qu'il/elle se maquille
  • Que nous nous maquillions
  • Que vous vous maquilliez
  • Qu'ils/elles se maquillent

Example: Il faut absolument que vous vous maquilliez avant le tournage. (You must definitely put on your makeup before the shoot.)

6. Present Conditional (Conditionnel Présent)

Used for hypothetical situations or polite advice:

  • Je me maquillerais
  • Tu te maquillerais
  • Il/Elle se maquillerait
  • Nous nous maquillerions
  • Vous vous maquilleriez
  • Ils/Elles se maquilleraient

    • 7. Imperative (L'Impératif)

The imperative mood is used for commands and instructions:

  • Affirmative:
  • Maquille-toi ! (Put your makeup on!)
  • Maquillons-nous ! (Let's put on our makeup!)
  • Maquillez-vous ! (Put your makeup on! [formal/plural])
  • Negative:
  • Ne te maquille pas ! (Don't put on makeup!)
  • Ne nous maquillons pas ! (Let's not put on makeup!)
  • Ne vous maquillez pas ! (Don't put on makeup!)

Pro Tip: In the affirmative singular imperative, the final "-s" of the regular second-person conjugation is dropped (Maquille-toi, not Maquilles-toi).

Useful Makeup Vocabulary in French

  • Le maquillage : makeup
  • Se démaquiller : to take off makeup
  • Le fond de teint : foundation
  • Le rouge à lèvres : lipstick
  • Le fard à paupières : eyeshadow