Los verbos reflexivos

When you use reflexive verbs…

The subject does the action and receives the action of the verb at the same time.

EX: I brush my teeth.

This means that I brush my teeth myself.

It is an action that I am doing to myself.

If the sentence were…

I brush my dog. It is not a reflexive verb because I am not

receiving the action of the verb, the dog is.

Reflexive vs. Non-reflexive

Maria brushes her hair. She is brushing her own

hair, so it is a reflexive verb.

The mother brushes the

girl’s hair. The mother is NOT

brushing her own hair, so it is NOT a reflexive verb.

All reflexive verbs have “se” attached to the infinitive. This helps us to identify a reflexive

verb.

Acostarse (o-ue) Afeitarse Bañarse Cepillarse Despertarse (e-ie)

Ducharse Dormirse (o-ue) Irse Lavarse Levantarse

Maquillarse Secarse Peinarse Ponserse Vestirse (e-i)

All reflexive verbs have “se” attached to the infinitive. This helps

us to identify a reflexive verb. However,reflexiveverbscanalsobeusedina

nonreflexiveway.

Todothat,justignorethereflexivepronoun…

Moreonthatlater.

Acostarse (o-ue)

Afeitarse

Bañarse

Cepillarse los dientes/el pelo

Despertarse (e-ie)

Ducharse

Dormirse

Irse

Lavarse

Levantarse

maquillarse

Peinarse

Ponerse la ropa

Secarse Secarse el pelo

Vestirse (e-i)

How do reflexive verbs work?

Step 1: Conjugate the verb as you normally would in the present tense….

LAVARSE

Lavo Lavamos Lavas Laváis Lava Lavan

How do reflexive verbs work?

Step 2: Add the appropriate reflexive pronoun ..

Me (myself) Nos (ourselves) Te (yourself) Os (yourselves)

Se (him/herself/ oneself)

Se (themselves)

Voilá!! Me lavo Nos lavamos

Te lavas Os laváis

Se lava Se lavan

UnlikeDOPsandIOPs(whoseformsdonothave

ANYTHINGtodowiththesubjectofthesentenceandverbform)…

ReflexivepronounsarechosenBASEDONwhoisdoingtheacPon(thesubject).So,thepronounwillalwaysbeinthesameformastheverb.

How do reflexive verbs work?

Where can the reflexive pronoun go?

Just like all other pronouns we have seen (direct, indirect, etc…) the reflexive pronouns can go:

1. In front of a conjugated verb or neg. tu command:

EX: Mi madre se cepilla el pelo. EX: ¡No te cepilles el pelo!

2. Attached to a gerund , infinitive, or affirmative tu command. EX: Mi madre tiene que cepillarse el pelo. Mi madre está cepillándose el pelo. Mamá, ¡Sécate el pelo!

NOTA IMPORTANTE

When using reflexive verbs, we DO NOT use possessive

adjectives as well (as we do in English)…

EX. I wash MY hands.

…because the reflexive pronouns include the concept of

possession.

NOTA IMPORTANTE

Instead, just use the definite article of the noun…

EX. I wash my hands.

= Me lavo las manos

A practicar… 1.  Marco brushes his teeth.

2.  Y’all are washing the dog.

3.  I wake up early on Mondays.

4.  We don’t shave every day.

5.  You need to wash the shirt.

6.  They never take a bath. (ew)

Marco se cepilla los dientes.

Estáis lavando el perro.

Me despierto temprano los lunes.

No nos afeitamos todos los días.

Necesitas lavar la camiseta.

Nunca se bañan.