Double accord : verbe pronominal + attribut

In English, we say "She felt tired." The word "tired" stays the same whether it is a guy, a girl, or a group of exhausted cats. In French, the language wants everyone to know exactly who we are talking about at every step. When you use a pronominal verb followed by an attribute (usually an adjective), you are creating a bridge. The subject is on one side, and the description is on the other. Because pronominal verbs in the past tense always use être, they act like a giant equals sign. Whatever applies to the subject MUST apply to the past participle AND the adjective. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes, so don't sweat it too much!

1. 1Creating this "double match" is a 5-step process. Think of it like a grammar assembly line:
2. 2The Subject: Start with who you're talking about (e.g., Marie).
3. 3The Reflexive Pronoun: Add the me, te, se, nous, or vous that matches your subject.
4. 4The Helper: Use the present tense of être (e.g., est).
5. 5The Past Participle: Write your verb (like senti) and add the agreement (e or s).
6. 6The Attribute: Write your adjective (like fatigué) and add the exact same agreement.
7. 7Result: Marie s'est sentie fatiguée.

You will use this pattern whenever you are describing a change in state or a feeling in the past. It's very common with verbs of perception.

• Scenario: The Job Interview. You want to say you felt stressed. Je me suis senti stressé (if you're a guy) or Je me suis sentie stressée (if you're a girl).
• Scenario: Ordering Food. You and your friend found yourselves surprised by the bill. Nous nous sommes trouvés surpris.
• Scenario: After a Long Flight. You might say, "They felt exhausted." Elles se sont senties épuisées.

It is perfect for storytelling or just catching up with friends about your weekend.

Not every pronominal verb gets the double treatment. If the verb isn't describing the subject's *state*, but rather an *action* done to a thing, the rule changes. For example, in Elle s'est lavé les mains (She washed her hands), there is no agreement at all because she's washing "hands," not herself as a state. This is the grammar version of a traffic light—sometimes you have to stop and check if there's a direct object following the verb. If there's an adjective describing the subject, you're usually in the "double accord" green zone.

The most frequent slip-up is the "Lazy Agreement." This is when you remember to change the adjective but forget the past participle, or vice versa.

• Wrong: Elle s'est senti fatiguée. (You forgot the 'e' on senti!)
• Wrong: Elle s'est sentie fatigué. (You forgot the 'e' on fatigué!)
• Correct: Elle s'est sentie fatiguée.

It's like wearing one shoe—it just feels off. Another mistake is using avoir instead of être. Remember, pronominal verbs are strictly members of the être club in the past tense.

How is this different from a simple être sentence?

• Simple: Elle était fatiguée. (She was tired). This is just a description of the past.
• Pronominal: Elle s'est sentie fatiguée. (She felt/became tired). This emphasizes the *experience* or the *moment* she felt that way.

The double accord makes the sentence more dynamic. It's the difference between a still photo (elle était) and a short video clip of a feeling (elle s'est sentie).