Reflexive use of verbs in Spanish
What does reflexive mean?
Reflexive usually means that the thing or person doing something is doing it to itself or it means that the subject performs an action on itself.
A verb is used relexively where the object is the same as the subject. Look at this table.
English | Spanish | ||||||
Subject | Verb | Reflexive Pronoun | Pronombre Reflexivo | Verbo | I | wash | myself | = | me | lavo |
you | cut | yourself | = | te | cortas | he | dresses | himself | = | se | viste |
she | burns | herself | = | se | quema | it | licked | itself | = | se | lamió |
we | call | ourselves | = | nos | llamamos | ||
you | kill | yourselves | = | os | matáis | ||
they | help | themselves | = | se | ayudan | ||
Note: Sometimes to give more emphasis you can use "mismo" To see a list of examples of using mismo for emphasis click here. |
Notes about reflexive verbs |
The use of reflexives is much more common in Spanish than in English, this is because in Spanish reflexives can be used in cases where the action on the self is not so obvious. For example many expressions with "get" (meaning become) would be reflexive in Spanish eg. to get lost = perderse. Another example of this is speaking about emotions eg to get angry = enfadarse. By the way: An example of an English verb used in a reflexive way which is not an obvious self action is to enjoy oneself. (disfrutarse) There are many more of these in Spanish than in English. See below for many examples. |
Common reflexive verbs for everyday routines | |
Spanish | English | get up Why do I get up tired every day? | levantarse: ¿Por qué me levanto todos los días cansado? |
wake up - feel Why do I feel tired and sleepy when I wake up, even though I have slept for 10 hours or more? | despertarse - sentirse ¿Por qué me siento cansado y con sueño cuando me despierto, aunque haya dormido 10 horas o más? |
wake up - brush teeth - shower I wake up at eight, I clean my teeth and have a shower | despertarse - cepillarse - ducharse Me despierto a las ocho, me cepillo los dientes y me ducho. |
comb If I comb my hair a lot, will it grow faster? | peinarse ¿Si me peino mucho el cabello, crecerá más deprisa? |
shave Why do male cyclists shave their legs? | afeitarse ¿Por qué los ciclistas varones se afeitan las piernas? |
put make up on If I put make up on now, will I be ugly when I am old? I recommend that you don't put makeup on because makeup will ruin your face. | maquillarse ¿Si me maquillo ahora me quedaré fea cuando sea mayor? Yo te recomiendo que no te maquilles porque el maquillaje arruina tu cara. |
go to bed - get up I go to bed with my mobile phone, I get up with my mobile phone. | acostarse - levantarse Con el móvil me acuesto, con el móvil me levanto. |
Common reflexive verbs which mean "get" or "become" | |
English | Spanish | to get angry: My girlfriend gets angry about nonsense. | enfadarse: Mi novia se enfada por tonterías. |
get drunk I believe that almost all of us have got drunk more than once. | emborracharse Creo que casi todos nos hemos emborrachado más de una vez. | get lost Fear is a natural reaction when we get lost. | perderse El miedo es una reacción natural cuando nos perdemos. |
get ill Influenza: what one should do in case of getting ill. | enfermarse La gripe: lo que se debe hacer en caso de enfermarse | become I get angry | ponerse Me pongo enfadado |
get used to I will never get used to the slowness of administrative processes. | acostumbrarse Nunca me acostumbraré a la lentitud de los procesos administrativos. |
Common reflexive verbs in Spanish | |
English | Spanish | to worry Don't worry, be happy. | preocuparse No te preocupes, sé feliz. |
to stay I am going to stay here. | quedarse Voy a quedarme aqui | to sit down Can I sit here? Yes, sit down. | sentarse ¿Puedo sentarme aquí? Sí, siéntate. |
remember Do you remember me? | acordarse ¿Te acuerdas de mí? | to be called What is your name? What do you call yourself? | llamarse ¿Cómo te llamas? |
to be quiet Shut up!! | callarse ¡Qué te calles! |
to go away, leave I'm going - I'm off. | irse Me voy. |
List of pages with more help and information related to this page: Daily routine Regular AR verbs in the present. |