Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs are used to tell that a person does something to or for him- or herself.

Reflexive verbs have two parts: a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, se) and a verb form.

LAVARSE(to wash oneself)

VerbForm

ReflexivePronoun

In English, we really don’t identify with reflexive verbs. So these will seem strange to you.

In English, a sentence using a “so called” reflexive verb might be…

Lauren brushes her hair.Scott bathes himself.

You must remember that these are actions being done to oneself, by oneself. For example:

I wash my (my own) hair.

me (to or for

myself)te (to or for

yourself)

se (to or for himself,

herself, it)

nos (to or for ourselves)

os (to or for you

all)

se (to or for themselves, you all, or each other)

I wash myselfYou wash yourselfHe, She, It washes himelf, etc.

We wash ourselvesThey wash themselves

me lavo

te lavas

se lava

nos lavamos

os laváis

se lavan

Me Myself Te Yourself

Se HimselfHerself

Yourself (formal)

Oneself

Nos Ourselves Os

Yourselves

SeThemselves

Yourselves

Make sure your reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject of your verb.

Por ejemplo:

◦Me lavo◦Vamos a lavarnos las manos◦Te cepillas◦¿Puedes acostarte?

They can either go before a conjugated verb or after an infinitive.

Before the verb:

Me voy a lavar el pelo. After the infinitive:

Voy a lavarme el pelo.

Let’s do more verbs!

me cepillo

te cepillas

se cepilla

nos cepillamos

os cepilláis

se cepillan

me ducho

te duchas

se ducha

nos duchamos

os ducháis

se duchan

When using reflexive verbs to talk about parts of the body, use the definite article. (the el, la, los, las that mean “the”)

Nos lavamos el pelo.

Te cepillas los dientes?

Reflexives are often used to express a change in:◦Physical◦Mental◦Social condition

English= to get, to be getting, to become, to be growing

Reflexives are used idiomatically.

Se queja de todo.Se queja de todo.He complains about

everthing.

NotHe complains himself about

everything.

They are used to express a reciprocal action:

◦Vamos a llamarnos. ◦Let’s call each other.

◦Se besan. ◦They kiss each other.

A reflexive construction is sometimes used to reinforce the meaning of a verb.

◦El chico come tres pedazos de pizza.◦The boy is eating 3 pieces of pizza.

◦El chico se come toda la pizza.◦The boy is eating the whole pizza by

himself.