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5.5: Verbos pronominales

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Los verbos pronominales en español emplean pronombres reflexivos (me, te, se, nos, os, se) para comunicar los siguientes sentidos:
a. acciones que el sujeto realiza sobre sí mismo o sobre su cuerpo:
No me conozco (a mí mismo).
Los gatos no se bañan (a sí mismos) con agua.
b. acciones recíprocas:
Nos queremos.
La gente se entiende cuando se comunica.
c. acciones no deliberadas:
¿Te caíste?
Me rompí el brazo.

d. para indicar un cambio de estado mental o físico, general o específico, súbito o gradual:
Me sorprendí con tu visita.
La ropa se seca al sol.

e. para poner énfasis en la totalidad de ciertas acciones:
Nos comimos el arroz.
Me aprendí las palabras.

f. para indicar el uso intransitivo (sin objeto directo) de muchos verbos:
Es bueno comunicarse. (vs. Es bueno comunicar las noticias).
Me siento feliz. (vs. Siento felicidad).
Para explicaciones más detalladas sobre estos usos, ver:
- construcciones reflexivas
- verbos pronominales
Spanish uses many verbs with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) in order to convey the following meanings:
a. actions that the subject performs on itself or on its own body:
I don't know myself.
Cats don't bathe (themselves) with water.
b. a reciprocal action:
We love each other.
People understand each other when they communicate.
c. a non-deliberate action:
Did you fall down?
I broke my arm.
d. to convey a change of state, often expressed in English with to get + adjective (get dirty, get well, get dark):
I got surprised with your visit.
Clothes get dry in the sun.
e. to stress the totality of certain actions, generally related to consumption:
We ate up the rice.
I learned all the words (by heart).
f. to signal the intransitive use (without a direct object) of many verbs:
It is good to communicate (vs. It's good to communicate the news).
I feel happy (vs. I feel happiness).
For more detailed explanations on these uses, see:
- reflexive constructions
- verbos pronominales
Las siguientes listas incluyen una muestra de verbos pronominales comunes, algunos de los cuales comunican sentidos diferentes cuando no son pronominales. Las preposiciones entre paréntesis sirven para unir a estos verbos con un infinitivo o una oración subordinada (con otro verbo conjugado):
Aseguraron la puerta. (no pronominal)
Se aseguraron de cerrar la puerta.
Se aseguraron de que la puerta estuviera cerrada.
Al final hay observaciones sobre los verbos marcados con *, §, ∞, ¥.
The following lists include a sample of common verbs of this kind, some of which have different meanings with or without the reflexive pronoun. The prepositions shown in parenthesis are usually attached to these verbs when followed by the infinitive or a subordinate clause:
They locked the door (not pronominal)
They made sure to close the door.
They made sure (that) the door was closed.
See some observations below the list for verbs marked *, §, ∞, ¥.
Verbos que son (casi) siempre pronominales:
abalanzarse
abstenerse (de) (como "tener")
arrepentirse (de) (-ie-)
atreverse (a)
bifurcarse (en)
desquitarse (de)
enterarse (de)
esforzarse (en/por) (-ue-)
extralimitarse (en)
jactarse (de)
obstinarse (en)
quejarse (de/por)
rebelarse (contra)
suicidarse
Verbs that are (almost) always pronominal:
to pounce, leap on, hurtle
to abstain (from)
to repent, to regret, to change one's mind
to dare (to)
to fork, branch off
to get even
to find out (about)
to make and effort (to), to apply oneself (to)
to cross the line, to overextend, exceed one's limits
to brag, to boast
to insist on, to be obstinate
to complain
to rebel (against)
to commit suicide

Verbos que no siempre son pronominales (muestra representativa parcial):

acabarse (de) §
acercarse (a)
acordarse (de)
acostarse
acostumbrarse (a)
alegrarse (de)
alejarse
apropiarse (de)
asegurarse (de)
asustarse (con/de)
atrasarse
averiarse §
bajarse (de)
beberse
caerse §
calentarse
callarse
cansarse (de)
casarse (con)
comerse
comportarse
comunicarse (con)
conformarse (con)
confundirse (por) §
convertirse (en)
dañarse §
darse cuenta de
decidirse (a)
deprimirse (por)
desesperarse (por)
despedirse (de)
despertarse (de)
detenerse (a)
deteriorarse
disgustarse (por)
divertirse
dormirse
emocionarse (por)
empeñarse (en)
enamorarse de
enfermarse
enfriarse
enojarse (por)
entristecerse
entusiasmarse
equivocarse
extrañarse
graduarse (de/en)
hacerse
imaginarse
independizarse
interesarse (en,por)
irse (de un lugar)
lamentarse (de)
lanzarse
levantarse
llamarse
llevarse
marcharse (de)
mejorarse
molestarse (por)
molestarse en ¥
moverse
morirse (de)
negarse (a)
nublarse §
ocurrírsele a uno §
ofenderse (por)
olvidarse (de)
parecerse (a alguien)
perderse §
ponerse
ponerse a (hacer...)
prepararse (para)
preocuparse (por)
quedarse (a) §
quedarse ciego...
referirse (a)
resistirse (a)
reunirse
romperse §
sentarse (a)
sentirse (de)
sorprenderse (de)
subirse (a)
tenerse (de algo)
transformarse
unirse
unirse a
vestirse
volverse
to come to an end
to get close(r)
to remember
to go to bed
to get used
to be glad, happy that...
to get away or far(ther)
to take possession of
to make sure of
to get frightened
to fall behind
to break down
to get off (a vehicle)
to drink (something) up
to fall down or off
to get hot
to stop speaking
to get tired
to get married
to eat (something) up
to behave
to communicate (with)
to settle for, be content with
to get confused or lost
to become (see §40C)
to get damaged; break down
to realize
to make up one's mind
to get depressed
to get desperate
to say good bye or farewell
to wake up
to stop
to get deteriorated
to get upset
to have fun, enjoy oneself
to go to sleep, fall asleep
to get excited or moved
to insist on; persist in
to fall in love with
to get sick
to get cold; cool down
to get angry
to grow sad
to get enthused
to make a mistake
to be puzzled
to graduate (from school)
to become (see §40C)
to imagine (to suppose)
to become independent
to be(come) interested
to go away, leave
to express regret, whine
to pounce on, leap on
to get up
to be called...(name)
to take away (with), carry off
to go away
to get better from an illness
to become annoyed
to bother do something
to move (one's body)
to die (naturally; used inf.)
to refuse
to get cloud
to occur to one (an idea)
to get offended
to forget accidentally
to look (a)like (similar to)
to get lost; to miss an event
to get, become, turn (+ adj.)
to set out to
to get prepared (for)
to be worried (about)
to stay (somewhere)
to become (blind, mute, deaf)
to refer to
to resist (against)
to get together, have a meeting
to get broken
to sit down
to feel (with adjectives, adverbs)
to be surprised
to get on (a vehicle)
to hold on (to avoid falling)
to get transformed, become
to unite, get together
to join (someone, a group)
to get dressed
to turn round or into
acabar
acercar
acordar
acostar
acostumbrar
alegrar*
alejar
apropiar
asegurar
asustar*
atrasar
averiar
bajar
beber
caer
calentar
callar
cansar*
casar
comer
comportar
comunicar
conformar
confundir*
convertir
dañar
dar cuenta (de)
decidir
deprimir*
desesperar*
despedir
despertar
detener
deteriorar
disgustar
divertir*
dormir
emocionar*
empeñar
enamorar
enfermar
enfriar
enojar*
entristecer*
entusiasmar*
equivocar
extrañar*
graduar
hacer
imaginar
independizar
interesar*
ir
lamentar
lanzar
levantar
llamar
llevar
marchar
mejorar
molestar*

mover
morir
negar
nublar
ocurrir
ofender*
olvidar
parecer
perder
poner

preparar
preocupar*
quedar

referir
resistir
reunir
romper
sentar
sentir
sorprender*
subir
tener
transformar
unir
unir
vestir
volver (de)
to end, to finish
to move something close
to agree to
to put to bed or in horizontal position
to be in the habit of
to cheer someone
to move something away; to put off
to apply properly
to lock, to insure
to frighten
to delay, to hold up.
to damage; to cause to malfunction
to go down; to descend
to drink
to fall, collapse
to heat
to silence someone
to tire someone
to marry someone else
to eat
to entail or bring about
to communicate something
to form, knock into shape
to confuse
to change into.
to harm; to damage
to inform, to account for
to decide
to cause depression
to cause desperation, give up
to emit; to dismiss
to wake someone up
to stop someone, detain
to deteriorate
to upset or annoy
to amuse someone
to sleep
to excite or move (emotionally)
to pawn; to pledge
to make someone fall in love; seduce
to cause illness; to make sick
to cool or chill somehting
to anger
to sadden
to enthuse
to mistake, mix up, confuse
to miss someone
to graduate something
to do, to make
to conceive of, invent ideas
to make independent
to interest someone
to go somewhere
to lament, regret
to throw; to launch
to lift
to call
to carry somewhere; to wear
to march
to improve
to annoy, to bother

to move something
to die
to deny
to cloud
to happen
to offend
to forget
to seem (to look)
to lose
to put

to prepare something
to worry someone
to remain, to be left

to tell off, recount
to bear, to stand something
to gather, muster up
to break; to tear
to sit someone; to settle
to feel (with nouns and clauses)
to surprise someone
to go up; to climb
to have, to hold
to transform (something) into
to put together
to join two things
to dress someone
to return (from)

Notas:

* Los verbos que expresan reacciones emocionales a menudo pueden ser pronominales o emplearse con el pronombre de objeto indirecto (en construcciones valorativas). Aunque la forma pronominal hace más énfasis en el cambio emocional de la persona, el significado de ambas construcciones es casi igual. Por ejemplo:
Les alegró la noticia. (construcción valorativa, como gustar)
Se alegraron con la noticia. (con el pronominal alegrarse)
A él le preocupan sus hijos. (construcción valorativa)
Él se preocupa por sus hijos. (pronominal)
* Verbs that express emotional reaction are often either pronominal or used with an indirect object pronoun (in constructions like the one used with gustar). Although the pronominal form tends to emphasize the change experienced by the person who reacts, both constructions have pretty much the same meaning. For example:
The news cheered them up.
They got/were glad with the news.
His children worry him.
He worries about his children.
§ Estos verbos pueden emplearse en un tipo especial de construcción pasiva que combina se con el pronombre de objeto indirecto para indicar acciones no deliberadas:
Se les olvidó la cita.
Se me confunden los datos.
¿Se te perdieron las llaves?
Se nos acabó la gasolina.
Al carro se le dañaron los frenos.
No tengo el libro: se me quedó en casa.
Mira, se te cayeron las llaves.

Se le rompió el pantalón al sentarse.
Para expresar que una idea viene a la mente de forma repentina o inesperada, se emplea esta misma construcción con el verbo ocurrir:
Se nos ocurrió una idea brillante.
No se me ocurre nada para resolver ese problema.
§ These verbs can be used in a particular passive construction combining se and the indirect object pronouns to stress that certain actions are nondeliberate or accidental:
They forgot (about) the appointment.
The data are confused in my mind.
Did the keys got lost (on you)?
We ran out of gas.
The car's brakes got damaged.
I don't have the book. I left it home (accidentally).
Look, you dropped the keys (involuntarily).
His pants tore when he sat down.
"To occur to someone" in the sense of getting a sudden idea or impression is expressed by
ocurrir in this kind of construction:
We just got a brilliant idea.
Nothing occurs to me (I can't think of anything).
¥ Molestarse en hacer algo indica que el sujeto realiza la acción con un esfuerzo de cortesía o sin la inclinación a hacerla. ¥ Molestarse en hacer algo means "to bother do something" in the sense of not being inclined to do it or do it out of courtesy.
Entre otros sentidos, quedar indica lo que hay de un conjunto total después de haber sido modificado (Nos queda algo de dinero - después de gastar una parte). En ese caso, se usa como el verbo gustar (construcción valorativa).
Quedarse ciego/sordo/mudo son expresiones comunes para indicar estos cambios de estado físicos y permanentes.
Quedarse también significa permanecer en un lugar o en un estado (después de un cambio):
Me quedé tranquilo después de que me llamaste.
Among several other meanings, quedar is used in the sense of "having something left" from a set, as in "We have some money left" (after having spent part of it). In this case, it is used like gustar: (construcción valorativa).
Quedarse ciego/sordo/mudo means "to become", particularly for a long-lasting change in physical abilities.
Quedarse also means to stay (in a place) and remain in a state after some change has occurred:
I got (was left) relaxed after you called me.

5.5: Verbos pronominales is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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