7.2: Reflexive verbs
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Reflexive verbs
Some verbs are reflexive. This means that the subject completing the action receives the action.
In English, reflexive verbs often use a reflexive pronoun such myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves. Other times, English will use a possessive adjective with a body part to show that a verb is reflexive.
I wash my hands. We wash our hands.
You (familiar) wash your hands. You all (familiar) wash your hands.
He washes his hands. They (m.) wash their hands. She washes her hands. They (f.) wash their hands. You (formal) wash your hands. You (formal and plural) wash your hands. It washes its hands.
In Spanish, reflexive verbs always use the reflexive pronouns me, te, se, nos, os, se. These pronouns are placed before the conjugated verb. Since reflexive verbs use a reflexive pronoun, they do not use a possessive adjective with a body part. Instead, they use the definite article that matches the body part.
Me lavo las manos. Nos lavamos las manos.
Te lavas las manos. Os laváis las manos.
Se lava las manos. Se lavan las manos.
Some common reflexive verbs are
aburrirse to become bored
acordarse (o:ue) to remember
acostarse (o:ue) to go to bed
afeitarse to shave
alegrarse to become happy
bañarse to bathe
casarse con to get married
cepillarse to brush
despertarse (e:ie) to wake up
dormirse (o:ue) to fall asleep
ducharse to shower
enamorarse de to fall in love with
enojarse to become angry
irse to go away
lavarse to wash oneself
levantarse to get up
llamarse to call oneself
maquillarse to put on makeup
peinarse to comb
ponerse to put on
ponerse + adj. to become
preocuparse por to worry about
probarse (o:ue) to try on
quedarse to stay
quitarse to take off
sentarse (e:ie) to sit down
sentirse (e:ie) to feel
vestirse (e:i) to get dressed
Sometimes reflexive verbs can be used in the plural form to say that people do an action to each other. Some verbs used in this way are
abrazarse to hug
besarse to kiss
casarse con to get married
divorciarse to divorce
When the reflexive verbs are used this way they are called reciprocal reflexive verbs since two or more people are doing the actions to each other. In English we use the expression each other. In Spanish we use the appropriate reflexive pronoun.
My friend and I hug each other. Mi amiga y yo nos abrazamos.
Violet and Romeo call each other. Violet and Romeo se llaman.
With practice, reflexive verbs begin to make a lot of sense. So, let's practice them.
Prácticas.
A. Conjugate each of these reflexive verbs in the indicated form in the present tense.
1. ducharse (yo)
2. afeitrase (tu abuelo)
3. acostarse (nosotros)
4. vestirse (la chica)
5. lavarse (los chicos)
6. bañarse (tú)
7. quitarse (Ud.)
8. casarse (Uds.)
9. llamarse (yo)
10. ponerse (tú)
11. cepillarse (Juan)
12. maquillarse (María)
13. sentarse (nosotros)
14. alegrarse (yo)
15. aburrirse (el gato)
16. quedarse (la familia)
17. irse (los chicos)
18. probarse (tú)
19. sentarse (yo)
20. sentirse (yo)
B. Translate each sentence into Spanish.
1. She goes to bed late.
2. They wash their faces.
3. I sit down on the sofa.
4. You (tú) never get bored.
5. They get married.
6. You (Uds.) try on the jacket.
7. He shaves.
8. She brushes her hair.
9. My mom puts on makeup.
10. You (Ud.) get dressed.
11. I take a shower.
12. They get up early.
13. The cat goes away.
14. The dog falls asleep.
15. We remember.
16. He takes off his shoes.
17. She washes her face.
18. They become happy.
19. We brush our teeth.
20. You (tú) wake up.
C. Use ten of the reflexive verbs in the list above to write a short paragraph to describe your daily routine in the present tense.
D. Change the ten reflexive verbs in your paragraph in exercise C to the preterite tense.
E. La música. The songs Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar by Ana Torroja and Cuando Me Enamoro by Enrique Iglesias use reflexive verbs. Listen to the two songs. Then, pick one and listen to it again. This time, write the reflexive verbs that you hear.
F. What is a reflexive verb? How are reflexive verbs different in English and Spanish? Write three sentences that include three different reflexive verbs in the present tense. Then, rewrite the sentences in the preterite tense.