Look at these reflexive verbs in the Imperfect tense:
Je me levais à 6 heures tous les matins.
I got up at 6 every morning.
Tu te lavais?
Were you having a wash?
Elle s'amusait avec lui.
She used to have fun with him.
Nous nous habillions à 6 heures et demie.
We dressed up at half past 6.
Ils se couchaient avant 10 heures.
They used to go to bed before 10.
Vous vous réveilliez à 5 heures?
Did you use to wake up at 5?
To express the Imperfect tense with reflexive verbs, it is exactly as in Le Présent but with the verb endings of the Imperfect (-ais/-ais/-ait/-ions/-iez/-aient)
Note: For verbs beginning with a vowel (amuser) or a silent 'h' (habiller), me/te/se become m'/t'/s'
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Je me levais à 6 heures tous les matins.
I got up at 6 every morning.
Tu te lavais?
Were you having a wash?
Vous vous réveilliez à 5 heures?
Did you use to wake up at 5?
Ils se couchaient avant 10 heures.
They used to go to bed before 10.
Nous nous habillions à 6 heures et demie.
We dressed up at half past 6.
Elle s'amusait avec lui.
She used to have fun with him.
Q&A
Jim
Kwiziq community member
29/01/18
S'habiller means to get dressed in the sense of putting one's clothes on.
So to take your text "Nous nous habillions ......" this means to dress one's self not to dress up.
Have I understood your query correctly?
Hope this helps
Alan
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
15/04/18
Hi Nigel,
I would have translated,
Nous nous habillions à...
by
We got dressed at...
and indeed to dress up is se déguiser.
Will let Kwiziq know.
dave
Kwiziq community member
21 December 2017
2 replies
Tu te lavais ?
Tu te lavais ?.....can this also be read as "you used to wash yourself?"? Thanks in advance for any help.
Chris
Kwiziq community member
21/12/17
Depending on context, yes. It could also mean "you were washing yourself". Using the imparfait in French can be a bit tricky because the temporal structure in the English language is somewhat different. I found the corresponding lessons quite helpful.
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
21/12/17
Here are the (useful!) corresponding lessons on how to use L'Imparfait :
Bonne journée !
Nigel
Kwiziq community member
17 January 2018
4 replies
Vous vous réveilliez à 5 heures? Did you use to wake up at 5?
Is "Vous vous réveilliez à 5 heures?" more conversational (given that it relies on inflection and punctuation) than "Vous reveilliez vous a 5 heures?" Is the latter still correct, if so, when would you use it rather than the former?
Chris
Kwiziq community member
17 January 2018
17/01/18
-- Chris (not a native speaker).
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
18 January 2018
18/01/18
Nigel
Kwiziq community member
18 January 2018
18/01/18
OK, many thanks!!
Does your response apply to simpler verb constructions as well, or primarily only the reflexive constructions?
For example, is "Allez vous au cinema ce soir?" less likely to be heard than "Vous allez au cinema ce soir?"
When might you choose to use/write the inversion rather than the direct form?
Is there a lesson on the topic?
Many thanks !!
Chris
Kwiziq community member
23 January 2018
23/01/18
Vous réveillez-vous à 6 heures.
Or is the hyphen only used in commands and questions?
-- Chris.