Verbos Reflexivos
(Reflexive Verbs)
A verb is NOT reflexive when the subject and
the direct object are not the same
Ex.
I
Subject
bathe
Verb
the dog
Direct object
They
Subject
dry
Verb
the cat
Direct object
We
Subject
wake up the girls
Verb
Direct object
A verb is reflexive when the subject and the
direct object are the same.
Ex.
I
Subject
bathe
Verb
myself
Direct object
She
Subject
dries
Verb
herself
Direct object
wake up
Verb
ourselves
Direct object
We
Subject
When a verb is reflexive, the infinitive verb
ends in “se”
Lavar
to wash
Lavarse to wash oneself (reflexive)
Peinar
to comb
Peinarse to comb oneself (reflexive)
Afeitar
to shave
Afeitarse to shave oneself (reflexive)
In Spanish we use a reflexive pronoun when
the subject and the direct object are the
same.
Reflexive Pronouns
Me (myself)
Te (yourself (inf.))
Se (himself, herself, yourself (form.))
Nos (ourselves)
Se (themselves, yourselves)
The purpose of the reflexive pronouns is to show
that the action of the verb remains with the subject.
Conjugating reflexive verbs
1. Position the reflexive pronoun before the verb.
2. Drop the -se ending and conjugate normally.
Ex. Ducharse (to take a shower)
I take a shower = Yo me ducho.
You (inf) take a shower= Tú te duchas.
He takes a shower= Él se ducha.
We (f) take a shower= Nosotras nos duchamos.
You (pl) take a shower= Ustedes se duchan.
They (m) take a shower= Ellos se duchan.
I shave_____________________________
You (formal) shave___________________
You (inf) comb your hair_______________
She puts on makeup__________________
He takes a shower____________________
We (f) brush our teeth__________________
You (pl) put on clothes_________________
They (m) take a shower________________
I put on makeup ______________________
You (inf) brush your teeth_______________
Ejercicios
1. Maria puts on makeup___________________
2. I wash my hair__________________________
When using body parts use articles rather than
possessive adjectives.
3. He shaves____________________________
4. I brush my teeth________________________
5. We comb our hair______________________
6. They put on clothes_____________________
7. You (inf) comb your hair__________________
8. Hugo and Patricia brush their teeth
_______________________________________
Llamarse
(to call oneself)
You have heard of this verb before when you
learned how to say your name.
In Spanish My name is… could be translated in
two ways:
1. Mi nombre es…(My name is…)
2. Me llamo… (I call myself…)
To ask for other people’s names say:
¿Cómo se llama? (formal)
Or ¿Cómo te llamas? (informal)
How do you call yourself?
Some reflexive verbs are:
Alegrarse (to become happy)
Divertirse (to have fun) e>ie
Enojarse (to become angry)
Preocuparse (to worry)
Sentirse (to feel) e>ie
Equivocarse (to be wrong)
Caerse (to fall down)
Ponerse (to wear something)
Casarse (te get married)
Afeitarse (to shave oneself)
Bañarse (to bathe oneself)
Ducharse (to take a shower)
Cepillarse (to brush hair or teeth)
Lavarse (to wash)
Peinarse (to comb the hair)
Maquillarse (to put on make up)
Pintarse (to put on make up)
Prepararse (to get ready)
Cortarse (to cut oneself)
Quitarse (to get rid of things, clothes)
Secarse (to dry oneself)
Vestirse (to get dressed) e>i
Despertarse (to wake up) e>ie
Levantarse (to get up)
Sentarse (to sit down) e>ie
Acostarse (to lay down) o>ue
Dormirse (to fall asleep) o>ue
Callarse (to become quiet)
Quedarse (to remain still “quedarse quieto”, to
remain behind “quedarse atrás”)
Aburrirse (to get bored)
Asustarse (to get scared)
And any other verb that ends in –se is reflexive.
Idiomatic expressions with reflexive
verbs
• These verbs don’t necessarily indicate an action done
to or for oneself, but their construction are reflexive.
Acordarse de (to remember)o>ue
Arrepentirse de (to repent)e>ie Reírse de (to laugh at)
Atreverse a (to dare)
Quejarse de (to complain)
Burlarse de (to make fun of)
Irse a (to go away)
Olvidarse de (to forget)
Parecerse a (to look like)
Reflexive verbs in the infinitive form.
(Two verbs in a row)
• When a reflexive verb is used as an infinitive,
the reflexive pronoun is attached to the end of
the infinitive or placed before the conjugated
verb.
• Ej: Voy a ducharme
Debo ducharme
or
or
Me voy a duchar Me debo duchar
Quiero ducharme Puedo ducharme
or
or
Me quiero duchar
Me puedo duchar
1. She should comb
herself________________________________
2. We can shave
ourselves______________________________
3. I’m going to take a
shower________________________________
4. He needs to put on
clothes.__________________________
5. They want to shave themselves.
_______________________________________
6. They would like to put on makeup.
_______________________________________
Reflexive verbs and the present
progressive
•
•
•
•
Present progressive:
Use the conjugations of estar.
Add –ando to the stem of –ar verbs.
Add –iendo to the stem of –er and –ir verbs.
Ejemplos: Bailar
Yo estoy bailando
Estamos bailando
Tú estás bailando
Uds.
Él está
bailando
Ellos
están bailando
Usted está bailando
Ellas
• For –er ad ir verbs:
• Comer
Yo estoy comiendo
Nosotros estamos comiendo
Tú estás comiendo
Ella
Ellas
Él
está comiendo Ellos
están comiendo
Usted
Ustedes
• Vivir
Yo estoy viviendo
Nosotros estamos viviendo
Tú estás viviendo
Ella
Ellas
Él
está viviendo
Ellos
están viviendo
Usted
Ustedes
Reflexives and the progressive tense.
-Use a reflexive pronoun, the conjugation of
estar, add –ando for –ar verbs, and –iendo for
–er and –ir verbs.
Ejemplo: I am drying myself.
Me estoy secando.
reflexive
conjugation
pronoun
of estar
Fabiola is bathing (herself).
Fabiola se está bañando.
-ando (–ar verb)
• To form the present participle of -ir stem
changing verbs, change e:i and o:u in the
stem, and then add -iendo to the stem of the
verb.
E to I
• servir: sirviendo
pedir: pidiendo
decir: diciendo
O to U
• dormir: durmiendo
morir: muriendo
poder: pudiendo
• Sometimes when forming the present participle
it is necessary to change the spelling of a word
so that it agrees with the way it is pronounced.
We call this an "orthographic" change. Here are
some common examples:
caer: cayendo (must use reflexive pronouns)
creer: creyendo
huir: huyendo
ir: yendo
influir: influyendo
oír: oyendo
traer: trayendo
leer: leyendo
seguir: siguiendo
Ejercicios
1. You (formal) are combing your
hair.__________________________________
2. I am brushing my
teeth._________________________________
3. He is dressing
himself.________________________________
4. We are putting on makeup.
______________________________________
5. She is brushing her
teeth._________________________________
Impersonal se constructions
• Third person reflexive pronoun se may be used
in an impersonal construction se + verb. This is
another alternative to using the passive voice,
when you prefer not to specify who performs
the action of the verb.
Passive voice
People in México speak Spanish.= Spanish is spoken in México.
La gente habla español en México.= Se habla español en México.
For sale = Se vende
No smoking. = No se fuma.
Help wanted / employees wanted.= Se buscan empleados.
Se prohíbe fumar. Smoking is prohibited.
Se prohíbe comer en la clase. Eating in
class is prohibited.
Se prohíbe tirar basura. Throwing garbage
away is prohibited.
Se prohíbe andar en patineta (monopatín).
Skateboarding is prohibited.
Se prohíbe correr. Running is prohibited.