7.5: Práctica Los verbos reflexivos. Add Text only
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- Romano Sánchez Domínguez
- Imperial Valley College
Reflexive verbs
In the examples below, pay special attention to the reflexive pronouns and the conjugation endings noted in blue.
In Spanish, to talk about some of the actions that describe daily routine or personal care (getting up, taking a shower, getting dressed, etc.), we use reflexive verbs. The pronoun "se" (in blue) attached to an infinitive verb (levantar se , peinar se , despertar se …), indicates that a verb is reflexive.
Conjugation
Reflexive verbs require reflexive pronouns to indicate that the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb (oneself): me, te, se, nos, os, se. The reflexive pronoun and the conjugation ending must agree. Analyze the conjugations below paying special attention to the reflexive pronouns and conjugation endings in blue.
despertar se (e:ie) vestir se (e:i)
me
despiert
o
nos
despert
amos
me
vist
o
nos
vest
imos
te despiert as os despert áis te vist es os vest ís
se despiert a se despiert an se vist e se vist en
Both the verb ending and the reflexive pronoun agree with the subject.
Yo
me
pong
o
los
zapatos. Vosotros
os
despert
áis
temprano.
I put on my shoes (myself). You (all) wake up early (yourselves).
¡Ojo!: Unlike English, parts of the body or clothing are not used with the possessive pronouns, instead, use definite or indefinite articles instead.
Common reflexive verbs
In the chart below, the "se" ending in blue indicates that the verb is reflexive.
| Verbo | Inglés | Verbo | Inglés |
|---|---|---|---|
| acordar se (de) (o:ue) | to remember | llamar se | to be named |
| acostar se (o:ue) | to go to bed | maquillar se | to put on makeup |
| afeitar se | to shave | peinar se | to comb one's hair |
| bañar se | to bathe; to take a bath | poner se (+noun) | to put on (+item) |
| cepillar se (los dientes, el pelo) | to brush (one's teeth, hair) | poner se (+adj.) | to become (+adj.) |
| despertar se (e:ie) | to wake up | probar se (o:ue) | to try on |
| dormir se (o:ue) | to fall asleep | quedar se | to remain; to stay |
| duchar se | to take a shower | quitar se | to take off (something) |
| enojar se | to get angry | secar se (las manos, el pelo) | to dry (one's hands, one's hair) |
| ir se | to go away; to leave | sentar se (e:ie) | to sit down |
| lavar se (las manos, el pelo) | to wash (one's hands, hair) | sentir se (e:ie) | to feel |
| levantar se | to get up | vestir se (e:i) | to get dressed |
¡Ojo!: Many of the reflexive verbs can be also used as a non-reflexive verb. The meaning will change. Study the following pairs of sentences and the change in meaning created by the addition of the reflexive pronouns. In the example below, non-reflexive verbs are indicated in bold, and the reflexive verbs are in bold with the reflexive pronouns and conjugation endings in blue.