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ENSe Raser Conjugation in French: Complete Tables and Guide
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Se Raser Conjugation in French: Complete Tables and Guide
The reflexive verb se raser (meaning "to shave" or "to shave oneself") is a key component of everyday French, especially when discussing morning routines, grooming, and personal hygiene. As a regular -er verb of the first conjugation group, its stems and endings are entirely predictable. However, because it is pronominal (verbe pronominal), it requires reflexive pronouns and takes the auxiliary être in all compound tenses.
In this comprehensive guide from my-french.com, you will master the conjugation of se raser across the most common tenses, understand the tricky rules of past participle agreement, and see real-world usage examples.
1. Present Tense (Présent de l'indicatif)
Use the present tense to express current actions or daily habits.
| Subject | Reflexive Pronoun | Verb Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | me | rase | I shave / I am shaving |
| Tu | te | rases | You shave (informal) |
| Il / Elle / On | se | rase | He / She / One shaves |
| Nous | nous | rasons | We shave |
| Vous | vous | rasez | You shave (formal/plural) |
| Ils / Elles | se | rasent | They shave |
Example: Tous les matins, il se rase en écoutant la radio. (Every morning, he shaves while listening to the radio.)
2. Compound Past (Passé Composé)
All reflexive verbs in French use être as their auxiliary verb in compound tenses. The reflexive pronoun always precedes the auxiliary verb.
| Subject | Conjugation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | me suis rasé(e) | I shaved |
| Tu | t'es rasé(e) | You shaved |
| Il / On | s'est rasé | He / One shaved |
| Elle | s'est rasée | She shaved |
| Nous | nous sommes rasé(e)s | We shaved |
| Vous | vous êtes rasé(e)(s) | You shaved |
| Ils | se sont rasés | They shaved (masc.) |
| Elles | se sont rasées | They shaved (fem.) |
- Elle s'est rasée. -> She shaved herself. ("Se" is the direct object and precedes the verb, so add feminine -e).
- Elle s'est rasé les jambes. -> She shaved her legs. ("Les jambes" is the direct object and appears after the verb; therefore, rasé remains masculine singular without extra agreement).
Reflexive verbs agree with their direct object (COD) only if that direct object is placed before the verb:
3. Imperfect Tense (Imparfait)
The imperfect is used for continuous, ongoing, or repeated actions in the past.
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | me rasais | I was shaving / I used to shave |
| Tu | te rasais | You used to shave |
| Il / Elle / On | se rasait | He / She used to shave |
| Nous | nous rasions | We used to shave |
| Vous | vous rasiez | You used to shave |
| Ils / Elles | se rasaient | They used to shave |
Example: Avant, il se rasait tous les deux jours. (Before, he used to shave every two days.)
4. Simple Future (Futur Simple)
Form the future tense by keeping the full infinitive base raser- and adding the standard future endings (-ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont).
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | me raserai | I will shave |
| Tu | te raseras | You will shave |
| Il / Elle / On | se rasera | He / She will shave |
| Nous | nous raserons | We will shave |
| Vous | vous raserez | You will shave |
| Ils / Elles | se raseront | They will shave |
Example: Je me raserai avant le mariage samedi. (I will shave before the wedding on Saturday.)
5. Present Conditional (Conditionnel Présent)
The conditional is used for polite requests, advice, or hypothetical situations.
| Subject | Conjugation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Je | me raserais | I would shave |
| Tu | te raserais | You would shave |
| Il / Elle / On | se raserait | He / She would shave |
| Nous | nous raserions | We would shave |
| Vous | vous raseriez | You would shave |
| Ils / Elles | se raseraient | They would shave |
Example: Si j'avais le temps, je me raserais chez le barbier. (If I had time, I would shave at the barbershop.)
6. Present Subjunctive (Subjonctif Présent)
The subjunctive is required after expressions of necessity, desire, or emotion.
| Subject | Conjugation | Example Clause |
|---|---|---|
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Que je | me rase | Il faut que je me rase. |
| Que tu | te rases | Il vaut mieux que tu te rases. |
| Qu'il / elle / on | se rase | Je doute qu'il se rase aujourd'hui. |
| Que nous | nous rasions | Pourvu que nous nous rasions à temps. |
| Que vous | vous rasiez | Il est nécessaire que vous vous rasiez. |
| Qu'ils / elles | se rasent | J'attends qu'ils se rasent. |
Commands differ depending on whether they are affirmative or negative:
- Affirmative (pronoun follows with hyphen):
- (Tu) Rase-toi ! (Shave!)
- (Nous) Rasons-nous ! (Let's shave!)
- (Vous) Rasez-vous ! (Shave!)
- Negative (pronoun precedes verb):
- Ne te rase pas ! (Don't shave!)
- Ne nous rasons pas ! (Let's not shave!)
- Ne vous rasez pas ! (Don't shave!)
Summary Checklist
1. Reflexive Pronouns: Always match the pronoun with the subject (je me, tu te, il se, nous nous, vous vous, ils se).
2. Compound Tenses: Auxiliary is always être (je me suis rasé).
3. Imperative: Remember the switch to hyphenated -toi in affirmative orders (Rase-toi !).