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FRENCH VERB

se laver

to wash (oneself)

  • #164 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: lavé
  • Present participle: se lavant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I wash
  2. tu you wash
  3. il, elle, on he/she washes
  4. nous we wash
  5. vous you wash
  6. ils, elles they wash

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I washed
  2. tu you washed
  3. il, elle, on he/she washed
  4. nous we washed
  5. vous you washed
  6. ils, elles they washed

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to wash
  2. tu you used to wash
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to wash
  4. nous we used to wash
  5. vous you used to wash
  6. ils, elles they used to wash

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will wash
  2. tu you will wash
  3. il, elle, on he/she will wash
  4. nous we will wash
  5. vous you will wash
  6. ils, elles they will wash

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would wash
  2. tu you would wash
  3. il, elle, on he/she would wash
  4. nous we would wash
  5. vous you would wash
  6. ils, elles they would wash

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I wash
  2. tu (that) you wash
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she wash
  4. nous (that) we wash
  5. vous (that) you wash
  6. ils, elles (that) they wash

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu wash!
  2. nous wash! (let’s)
  3. vous wash! (plural, or formal)

How to use se laver

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Je me lave les dents et je suis prêt.

    I'll brush my teeth and I'm ready.

  2. Past

    Les enfants se sont lavé les mains avant de manger.

    The kids washed their hands before eating.

  3. Imperfect

    On se lavait à l'eau froide au camping.

    We washed with cold water at the campsite.

  4. Future

    Tu te laveras les cheveux ce soir, pas maintenant.

    You'll wash your hair tonight, not now.

  5. Conditional

    Je me laverais bien, mais il n'y a plus d'eau chaude.

    I'd like to wash, but there's no hot water left.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut que tu te laves les mains avant de cuisiner.

    You need to wash your hands before cooking.

  7. Imperative

    Lave-toi vite, le petit-déjeuner est sur la table.

    Wash quickly, breakfast is on the table.

Good to know

  • Se laver les mains, les dents : the body part takes le or les, never mon or mes.
  • In the passé composé, je me suis lavé les mains : no agreement when a body part follows.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -er verb.