French Phrase
Je me brosse les dents.
Meaning
Literally, 'I brush the teeth (my own)'. It is the standard way to say 'I brush my teeth' in French, describing a routine personal hygiene action.
When to use
Use this sentence when talking about your daily routine, especially in the morning or before bed. It also works when you’re explaining a habit to a friend or a dentist.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Jemebrosselesdents
Subject pronoun (Je)
The subject pronoun 'je' means 'I' and is used for the first person singular.
Reflexive pronoun (me)
The reflexive pronoun 'me' shows that the subject performs the action on itself; it must agree with the subject.
Verb conjugation (brosse)
The verb 'brosser' is conjugated in the present tense, first person singular: je brosse → je me brosse.
Definite article (les)
The plural definite article 'les' is used because 'dents' is a plural noun.
Noun (dents)
‘dents’ means ‘teeth’; in French, body parts are usually preceded by a definite article.
🗨In Conversation
Je me brosse les dents.
I brush my teeth.
Tu le fais deux fois par jour ?
Do you do it twice a day?
✕Common Mistakes
Je me brosses les dents.
‘brosses’ is the second‑person singular form; the sentence needs the first‑person ‘brosse’.
Je me brosse mes dents.
Body parts use the definite article, not the possessive. Use ‘les dents’, not ‘mes dents’.
Je brosse les dents.
The reflexive pronoun cannot be omitted; without it the sentence means you brush someone else’s teeth.
↔Alternatives
Je me lave les dents.
I wash my teeth.
Je me brosse les dents deux fois par jour.
I brush my teeth twice a day.
Je me brosse les dents chaque matin.
I brush my teeth every morning.
Cultural Tip
In France, dental hygiene is taken seriously; most people visit the dentist twice a year and use fluoride toothpaste. It’s common to say ‘Je me brosse les dents’ rather than ‘Je brosse mes dents’, because body parts normally take the definite article. Also, the reflexive form is essential – omitting ‘me’ would change the meaning to ‘I brush the teeth (of someone else)’.