Reflexive Pronouns and Reflexive Verbs in Spanish

In Spanish, reflexive verbs are used when the subject of the verb is both the doer and the receiver of the action. This means that the action is performed by the subject on itself. To indicate this, reflexive pronouns are used. Understanding how reflexive pronouns work with reflexive verbs is key to mastering Spanish grammar.

What Are Reflexive Pronouns?

Reflexive pronouns in Spanish are placed before the verb and indicate that the subject is acting upon itself. These pronouns match the subject of the verb in terms of person (first, second, third) and number (singular or plural).

Here’s a table of reflexive pronouns in Spanish:

Subject	Reflexive Pronoun
Yo	Me
Tú	Te
Él / Ella / Usted	Se
Nosotros / Nosotras	Nos
Vosotros / Vosotras	Os
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes	Se

What Are Reflexive Verbs?

Reflexive verbs are verbs that require the use of reflexive pronouns. In their infinitive form, reflexive verbs include the pronoun “se” at the end, indicating that the verb is reflexive. For example:

• Llamarse (to call oneself)
• Levantarse (to get up)
• Vestirse (to dress oneself)

These verbs indicate actions that the subject performs on themselves.

Conjugation of Reflexive Verbs

When conjugating reflexive verbs, you must:

1. Drop the “se” from the infinitive verb.
2. Conjugate the verb normally based on the subject.
3. Add the appropriate reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb.

Let’s look at examples with different reflexive verbs:

1. Llamarse (to call oneself):SubjectConjugationTranslationYoMe llamoI call myselfTúTe llamasYou call yourselfÉl/EllaSe llamaHe/She calls himself/herselfNosotrosNos llamamosWe call ourselvesVosotrosOs llamáisYou all call yourselvesEllos/EllasSe llamanThey call themselves
2. Levantarse (to get up):SubjectConjugationTranslationYoMe levantoI get upTúTe levantasYou get upÉl/EllaSe levantaHe/She gets upNosotrosNos levantamosWe get upVosotrosOs levantáisYou all get upEllos/EllasSe levantanThey get up

When Are Reflexive Verbs Used?

Reflexive verbs are used in several situations:

1. Daily routines: Reflexive verbs are often used to describe personal care and daily activities:
   • Ducharse (to shower): Me ducho cada mañana (I shower every morning).
   • Peinarse (to comb one’s hair): Ella se peina antes de salir (She combs her hair before leaving).
2. Reciprocal actions: When two or more people are performing an action on each other, reflexive pronouns can be used:
   • Abrazarse (to hug each other): Nos abrazamos cuando nos vemos (We hug each other when we see each other).
3. Emotional and mental states: Reflexive verbs are also used to express changes in emotion or state of being:
   • Enojarse (to get angry): Me enojo fácilmente (I get angry easily).
   • Preocuparse (to worry): Ellos se preocupan por su futuro (They worry about their future).

Reflexive Verbs vs Non-Reflexive Verbs

Not all verbs are reflexive, and some verbs can be used reflexively or non-reflexively depending on the context. For example:

• Lavar (to wash) vs. Lavarse (to wash oneself):
  • Non-reflexive: Lavo el coche (I wash the car).
  • Reflexive: Me lavo las manos (I wash my hands).

Placement of Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns can be placed in two different positions depending on the verb form:

1. Before a conjugated verb:
   • Me levanto temprano (I get up early).
2. Attached to an infinitive or a gerund:
   • Voy a levantarme temprano (I’m going to get up early).
   • Estoy levantándome ahora (I’m getting up now).

Examples of Common Reflexive Verbs

Here is a list of common reflexive verbs:

Reflexive Verb	Meaning
Acostarse	To go to bed
Bañarse	To bathe oneself
Cepillarse (los dientes)	To brush (one’s teeth)
Despertarse	To wake up
Dormirse	To fall asleep
Lavarse	To wash oneself
Maquillarse	To put on makeup
Sentarse	To sit down
Vestirse	To get dressed
Irse	To leave, to go away

Reflexive Pronouns in Commands

In affirmative commands, reflexive pronouns are attached to the end of the verb:

• Lávate las manos (Wash your hands).
• Vístete rápido (Get dressed quickly).

In negative commands, reflexive pronouns are placed before the verb:

• No te levantes tarde (Don’t get up late).
• No te vayas (Don’t go away).

Conclusion

Reflexive verbs and pronouns are essential for expressing actions where the subject is both the performer and the receiver of the action. They are commonly used in daily routines, emotional changes, and reciprocal actions, making them an important part of conversational Spanish. By practicing their conjugation and usage, learners can improve their fluency and better understand the nuances of Spanish grammar.

Exercises

1. Fill in the blank with the correct reflexive pronoun.

2. Drag the correct reflexive pronoun to the sentence.

3. Choose the correct form of the verb.

4. Highlight the reflexive pronouns and verbs in each sentence

5. Indicate if the sentence uses reflexive verbs correctly (True) or incorrectly (False).

---