In the examples below, pay special attention to the reflexive pronouns and the conjugation endings noted in blue.
Pedro se despierta a las ocho de la mañana.
Después se ducha.
Finalmente se afeita.
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 (levantarse, peinarse, despertarse…), 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.
despertarse(e:ie) vestirse (e:i)
me despiertonos despertamosme vistonos vestimos
te despiertasos despertáiste vistes os vestís
se despiertase despiertanse vistese visten
Note: Reflexive verbs can be conjugated in any other tense. For example, the same verbs above in the preterite tense would be:
me desperténos despertamosme vestínos vestimos
te despertasteos despertasteiste vestisteos vestisteis
se despertó se despertaronse vistióse vistieron
Both the verb ending and the reflexive pronoun agree with the subject.
Yo me pongolos zapatos. Vosotros os despertáis 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
acordarse(de) (o:ue)
to remember
llamarse
to be named
acostarse (o:ue)
to go to bed
maquillarse
to put on makeup
afeitarse
to shave
peinarse
to comb one's hair
bañarse
to bathe; to take a bath
ponerse (+noun)
to put on (+item)
cepillarse (los dientes, el pelo)
to brush (one's teeth, hair)
ponerse (+adj.)
to become (+adj.)
despertarse (e:ie)
to wake up
probarse (o:ue)
to try on
dormirse (o:ue)
to fall asleep
quedarse
to remain; to stay
ducharse
to take a shower
quitarse
to take off (something)
enojarse
to get angry
secarse (las manos, el pelo)
to dry (one's hands, one's hair)
irse
to go away; to leave
sentarse(e:ie)
to sit down
lavarse (las manos, el pelo)
to wash (one's hands, hair)
sentirse (e:ie)
to feel
levantarse
to get up
vestirse (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.