Reflexive Verbs
Avancemos 1 Spanish 1
Reflexive verbs and reflexive pronouns show that
the subject of a sentences both does and receives the action of the verb.
The reflexive pronouns in English end in –self or –selves.
Ejemplo:
She dries herself with a towel Ella se seca con una toalla
What’s a Reflexive Verb?
Use reflexive pronouns with reflexive verbs when the person doing the action also receives the action.
lavarse
Using Reflexives
Me lavoI wash myself
Nos lavamosWe wash ourselves
Te lavasYou wash yourself
Os laváisY’all wash yourselves
Se lavaHe/she washes himself/herself
Se lavanThey wash themselves
Let’s Take a Closer Look
Me lavoI wash myself
Nos lavamosWe wash ourselves
Te lavasYou wash yourself
Os laváisY’all wash yourselves
Se lavaHe/she washes himself/herself
Se lavanThey wash themselves
The pronouns in blue look like the pronouns we use when we use “gustar”
Me gusta nos gusta
**Did you see that unlike ‘gustar’ the endings change!
Also, the “él/ella/Ud” and “ellos/ellas/ustedes forms both use the pronoun “se”
When using a reflexive verb, DON’T use
possessives “mi, tu, su, nuestro, vuestro, su” Instead, just use the definite article: el, la, los,
or las
Anita se lava la cara Anita washes her face
With Body Parts…
Verbs will mean different things based on
whether or not they are reflexive
Anita se lava vs. Anita lava los platos
Dormirse=to fall asleep dormir=to sleep Ponerse=to put on (clothes) poner=to put/set
Be Careful!
Acostarse* to go to bed
Me acuestoI go to bed (I put myself to bed)
Nos acostamosWe go to bed
Te acuestasYou go to bed
Os acostáisY’all go to bed
Se acuestaHe/she goes to bed
Se acuestanThey go to bed
Afeitarse to shave oneself
Me afeitoI shave (myself)
Nos afeitamosWe shave (ourselves)
Te afeitasYou shave (yourself)
Os afeitáisY’all shave (yourselves)
Se afeitaHe/she shaves (himself/herself)
Se afeitanThey shave (themselves)
Bañarse to take a bath (bathe)
Me bañoI bathe (myself)
Nos bañamosWe bathe (ourselves)
Te bañasYou bathe (yourself)
Os bañáisY’all bathe (yourselves)
Se bañaHe/she bathes (himself/herself)
Se bañanThey bathe (themselves)
Cepillarse los dientes to brush one’s teeth
Me cepilloI brush (myself)
Nos cepillamosWe brush (ourselves)
Te cepillasYou brush (yourself)
Os cepilláisY’all brush (yourselves)
Se cepillaHe/she brushes (himself/herself)
Se cepillanThey brush (themselves)
Despertarse* to wake up
Me despiertoI wake up
Nos despertamosWe wake up
Te despiertasYou wake up
Os despertáisY’all wake up
Se despiertaHe/she wakes up
Se despiertanThey wake up
Dormirse* to fall asleep
Me duermoI fall asleep
Nos dormimosWe fall asleep
Te duermesYou fall asleep
Os dormísY’all fall asleep
Se duerme He/she falls asleep
Se duermenThey fall asleep
Ducharse to take a shower
Me duchoI shower (myself)
Nos duchamosWe shower (ourselves)
Te duchasYou shower (yourself)
Os ducháisY’all shower (yourselves)
Se duchaHe/she showers (himself/herself)
Se duchanThey shower (themselves)
Lavarseto wash oneself
Me lavoI wash (myself)
Nos lavamosWe wash (ourselves)
Te lavasYou wash (yourself)
Os laváisY’all wash (yourselves)
Se lavaHe/she washes (himself/herself)
Se lavanThey wash (themselves)
Levantarse to get up
Me levantoI get up
Nos levantamosWe get up
Te levantasYou get up
Os levantáisY’all get up
Se levantaHe/she gets up
Se levantanThey get up
Maquillarse to put on make-up
Me maquilloI put on makeup
Nos maquillamosWe put on makeup
Te maquillasYou put on makeup
Os maquilláisY’all put on makeup
Se maquillaHe/she puts on makeup
Se maquillanThey put on makeup
Peinarse to comb one’s hair
Me peinoI comb (myself)
Nos peinamosWe comb (ourselves)
Te peinasYou comb (yourself)
Os peináisY’all comb (yourselves)
Se peinaHe/she combs (himself/herself)
Se peinanThey comb (themselves)
Ponerse (la ropa) to put on clothes
Me pongoI put clothes on (myself)
Nos ponemosWe put clothes on (ourselves)
Te ponesYou put clothes on (yourself)
Os ponéisY’all put clothes on (yourselves)
Se poneHe/she puts clothes on (himself/herself)
Se ponenThey put clothes on (themselves)
Secarse to dry oneself
Me secoI dry (myself)
Nos secamosWe dry (ourselves)
Te secasYou dry (yourself)
Os secáisY’all dry (yourselves)
Se secaHe/she dries (himself/herself)
Se secanThey dry (themselves)