Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns
This Spanish Grammar online topic covers Reflexive Verbs and
Reflexive Pronouns. In Spanish, a verb is considered reflexive if the subject
(the performer of the action) and the object (the receiver of the action) are
the same.
Here’s an example of a reflexive verb being used in English:
I wash myself.
In the above sentence the verb “wash” is considered
reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (“I”) and the
object or the one receiving the action (“myself”) are the same. On the other
hand, if I said “I wash the baby,” the verb “wash” is no longer reflexive because
the subject or the one performing the action (“I”) and the object or the one
receiving the action (“baby”) are not the same.
Spanish reflexive verbs consist of a verb and a reflexive
pronoun.
The following are reflexive pronouns or objects of reflexive
verbs.
me myself
te yourself (tú form)
se yourself (usted form)
nos ourselves
se themselves, yourselves
When there is just one verb in the sentence, the reflexive
pronoun must come before the reflexive verb.
Me baño.
I wash
myself
However, when there are two verbs in the sentence, the
reflexive pronoun either comes right before the first verb or follows the
second verb.
Quiero
bañarme.
I want to
wash myself.
Me quiero
bañar.
I want to
wash myself.
Here are some examples using reflexive verbs.
Me afeito
I shave myself
Te duchas
You take a
shower
Se llama
Juan
He calls
himself John
Nos
dormimos
We fall
asleep
No nos
sentamos
We don’t
sit down
Se enojan
They get
mad
Se
levantan
All of you
get up
Te
cepillas los dientes
You brush
your teeth.
Literally, “los dientes” means “the teeth” and not “your
teeth.” Since we are using the reflexive pronoun “te” it is obvious whose teeth
we are talking about.
Here some common reflexive verbs in Spanish.
acostarse to
go to bed
afeitarse
to shave oneself
bañarse to
bathe oneself
casarse
(con alguien) to get married, to
marry someone
cepillarse to brush oneself
despertarse (ie) to
wake up
desvestirse (i) to
get undressed
divertirse
(ie) to enjoy oneself
dormirse
(ue) to fall asleep
ducharse to
take a shower
enfermarse to
get sick
lavarse
to wash oneself
levantarse to get up
llamarse to
be named, to be called
mirarse to
look at oneself
peinarse to
comb (one’s hair)
quitarse (la
ropa) to takeoff (one’s clothes)
secarse to
dry one’s self
sentarse
(ie) to sit down
sentirse
(ie) to feel
vestirse
(i) to get dressed
Now let’s try a few exercises. Translate the following into
Spanish. The answers follow the questions.
1. My name is
Patrick
2. You brush your
hair every evening. (Use “tu” form)
3. You can wash
your feet. (Use “tú” form)
4. Do you take a
shower or do you take a bath in the morning? (Use the “usted” form)
5. He takes off his
pants.
6. We wash our
hands before dinner.
7. The wake up very late.
1. Me llamo
Patrick.
2. Te cepillas el
pelo cada noche.
3. Te puedes lavar
los pies. Puedes lavarte los pies.
4. ¿Se ducha o se
baña en la mañana?
5. Se quita los
pantalones.
6. Nos lavamos las
manos antes de la cena.
7. Se despiertan
muy tarde.
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