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)