Probaditas de Español by Live The Language: Reflexive Verbs
In Spanish when the action of the verb is going back to the actor, it is considered a reflexive verb. When we conjugate these verbs, these reflexive verbs take reflexive pronouns, me-myself, te-yourself, se-yourself, himself, herself, nos-ourselves, se-yourselves, themselves.
For example:
Me llamo Kateri. (I call myself Kateri.)
Tú te afeitas la barba. (You shave your beard.)
Nos lavamos las manos. (We wash our hands.)
Ejemplo de un verbo reflexivo conjugado: An example of a conjugated reflexive verb.
a) Yo me lavo-I wash myself
b) Tú te lavas-You wash yourself.
c) Usted se lava-You wash yourself.
d) Él se lava-He washes himself.
e) Ella se lava-She washes himself.
f) Nosotros nos lavamos-We wash ourselves
g) Ustedes se lavan-You wash yourselves
h) Ellos/Ellas se lavan-They wash themselves
1. Many reflexive verbs are stem-changing, and you will conjugate them just as you learned in the previous lessons. Examples, dormirse, sentarse
2. Many reflexive verbs involve the mentioning of a body part or parts. Use the definite article rather than the possessive adjective before the body part. The reflexive pronoun indicates whose body is being discussed.
Me cepillo el pelo. I brush my hair.
Ella se cepilla los dientes. She brushes her teeth.
Tú te lavas el pelo. You wash your hair.
(Yo) me quito el abrigo. I take off my coat.
3. Nearly all reflexive verbs in Spanish can be either reflexive or non-reflexive. For example:
Me rasco (I can scratch myself) (reflexive) or Rasco a mi gato (I can scratch my cat) (non-reflexive). The list below is far from exhaustive. However, there are certain actions that usually are reflexive due to the nature of the action (bathing, shaving, brushing teeth, etc.)
4. Non-reflexive verbs change their meaning when they become reflexive.
For example:
Ir-to go (non-reflexive), irse-to go away (reflexive).
Dormir-to sleep (non-reflexive); dormirse-to fall asleep (reflexive).
Despedir-to fire someone (non-reflexive); despedirse-to say goodby (reflexive).
Some commonly used reflexive verbs:
amarse to love oneself
aburrirse to get bored
acordarse (de) (o → ue) to remember
acostarse (o → ue) to go to bed
afeitarse to shave oneself
arrepentirse de (e → ie) to repent, regret
atreverse (a) to dare
bañarse to bathe oneself
casarse (con alguien) to get married; to marry (someone)
cepillarse to brush oneself
cortarse (el pelo) to cut one’s hair
darse (cuenta de) to realize
darse masaje to get a massage
darse un tratamiento to get a treatment
despedirse (de) (e → i) to say goodbye
despertarse (e → ie) to wake up
desvestirse (e → i) to undress oneself
dormirse (o → ue) to fall asleep
ducharse to take a shower
enfermarse to get sick
enojarse to get angry, mad
hacerse un manicure to get a manicure
hacerse un pedicure to get a pedicure
irse to go away
jactarse (de) to boast, brag
lavarse to wash oneself
levantarse to stand up, get up
levantarse to stand up, to get up
llamarse to call oneself
llevarse (bien/mal con) to get along with
maquillarse to put make-up on
mirarse to look at oneself
negarse (a) to refuse
parecerse (a) to resemble
peinarse to comb one’s hair
pintarse (el pelo) to dye one’s hair
pintarse los labios to put on lipstick
ponerse to become
ponerse (la ropa) to put on (clothing)
ponerse botox to put on botox
preocuparse (por) to worry (about)
probarse (o → ue) to try on (clothing)
quitarse to take off, remove (clothing)
secarse to dry oneself
sentarse (e → ie) to sit down, seat oneself
sentirse (e → ie) to feel (emotionally, physically)
suicidarse to commit suicide
verse to see oneself
vestirse (e → i) to get dressed
volverse (o → ue) to become