Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns

This Spanish Grammar online topic covers Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns. In Spanish, a verb is considered reflexive if the subject (the performer of the action) and the object (the receiver of the action)

are the same.



Here’s an example of a reflexive verb being used in English:



I wash myself.



In the above sentence the verb “wash” is considered reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (“I”) and the object or the one receiving the action (“myself”) are the same. On the other hand, if I said “I wash the baby,” the verb “wash” is no longer reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (“I”) and the object or the one receiving the action (“baby”) are not the same.



Spanish reflexive verbs consist of a verb and a reflexive pronoun.

The following are reflexive pronouns or objects of reflexive verbs.



me myself

te yourself (tú form)

se yourself (usted form)

nos ourselves

se themselves, yourselves



When there is just one verb in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun must come before the reflexive verb.



Me baño.

I wash myself



However, when there are two verbs in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun either comes right before the first verb or follows the second verb.



Quiero bañarme.

I want to wash myself.



Me quiero bañar.

I want to wash myself.



Here are some examples using reflexive verbs.





Me afeito

I shave myself



Te duchas

You take a shower



Se llama Juan

He calls himself John



Nos dormimos

We fall asleep



No nos sentamos

We don’t sit down



Se enojan

They get mad



Se levantan

All of you get up



Te cepillas los dientes

You brush your teeth.



Literally, “los dientes” means “the teeth” and not “your teeth.” Since we are using the reflexive pronoun “te” it is obvious whose teeth we are talking about.



Here some common reflexive verbs in Spanish.



acostarse to go to bed

afeitarse to shave oneself

bañarse to bathe oneself

casarse (con alguien) to get married, to marry someone

cepillarse to brush oneself

despertarse (ie) to wake up

desvestirse (i) to get undressed

divertirse (ie) to enjoy oneself

dormirse (ue) to fall asleep

ducharse to take a shower

enfermarse to get sick

lavarse to wash oneself

levantarse to get up

llamarse to be named, to be called

mirarse to look at oneself

peinarse to comb (one’s hair)

quitarse (la ropa) to takeoff (one’s clothes)

secarse to dry one’s self

sentarse (ie) to sit down

sentirse (ie) to feel

vestirse (i) to get dressed





Now let’s try a few exercises. Translate the following into Spanish. The answers follow the questions.



1. My name is Patrick
2. You brush your hair every evening. (Use “tu” form)
3. You can wash your feet. (Use “tú” form)
4. Do you take a shower or do you take a bath in the morning? (Use the “usted” form)
5. He takes off his pants.
6. We wash our hands before dinner.
7. The wake up very late.







1. Me llamo Patrick.
2. Te cepillas el pelo cada noche.
3. Te puedes lavar los pies. Puedes lavarte los pies.
4. ¿Se ducha o se baña en la mañana?
5. Se quita los pantalones.
6. Nos lavamos las manos antes de la cena.
7. Se despiertan muy tarde.

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Patrick Jackson is the author of this article. He is a self-taught speaker of Spanish and the founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy method.To immediately download two free lessons from Learning Spanish Like Crazy and to start speaking real Latin American Spanish, go to http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com