My Ideas About Reflexive Verbs

I found this awesome information at http://studyspanish.com/lessons/reflexive1.htm.

I found this very useful and I can't wait to start learning about it! :)


A verb is reflexive when the subject and the object are the same.

I wash myself.subject: Iverb: washobject: myself
Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive.
I wash the car.subject: Iverb: washobject: car

Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive.

Here's another example of how a verb can be either reflexive or non-reflexive.

I scratch myself.subject: Iverb: scratchobject: myself
Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive.
I scratch the dog.subject: Iverb: scratchobject: dog

Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive.

When a verb is reflexive, the infinitive ends in "se."

lavarto wash (non-reflexive)
lavarseto wash oneself (reflexive)
rascarto scratch (non-reflexive)
rascarseto scratch oneself (reflexive)

There is one reflexive verb you have been using since you began studying Spanish.

llamarse - to call oneself
¿Cómo se llama usted?What do you call yourself?
Me llamo Juan.I call myself Juan.

Note: A more "natural" translation would be "What is your name?" and "My name is Juan."

When you learned to conjugate regular verbs, you needed to learn a set of pronouns called "subject pronouns."

lavar
yo lavotú lavasél, ella, usted lavanosotros/as lavamosvosotros/as laváisellos, ellas, ustedes lavan
To learn to conjugate reflexive verbs, you need to learn a different set of pronouns called "reflexive pronouns."

These pronouns are positioned before the verb, while the ending "se" is dropped and the verb is conjugated normally.

lavarse
yo me lavoI wash (myself)
tú te lavasyou wash (yourself) (informal)
él se lavahe washes (himself)
ella se lavashe washes (herself)
usted se lavayou wash (yourself) (formal)
nosotros nos lavamoswe wash (ourselves)
nosotras nos lavamoswe wash (ourselves) (feminine)
vosotros os laváisyou-all wash (yourselves) (informal)
vosotras os laváisyou-all wash (yourselves) (informal, feminine)
ustedes se lavanyou-all wash (yourselves)(formal)
ellos se lavanthey wash (themselves)
ellas se lavanthey wash (themselves) (feminine)

The reflexive pronouns are not subject pronouns; rather they are object pronouns.
me (myself)te (yourself)se (himself, herself, yourself)nos (ourselves)os (yourselves)se (themselves, yourselves)

The purpose of the reflexive object pronouns is to show that the action of the verb remains with the subject.

Juan se lava la cara.Juan washes his face. (reflexive)
Juan lava su carro. (non-reflexive)Juan washes his car.

Note: When referring to body parts, use the definite article, thus "la cara" not "su cara."

Note that many, many verbs can be made reflexive. All it means when a verb is reflexive is that the action remains with the subject.

wash the dog (non-reflexive)wash your face (reflexive)
raise the book (non-reflexive)raise your arm (reflexive)
put the baby to bed (non-reflexive)go to bed (reflexive)
wake up your son (non-reflexive)wake up yourself (reflexive)
...and so on

Now add a flashcard for reflexive verbs:
Verb FlashcardsComplete List

lavarse to wash oneself
yo me lavotú te lavasél se lavaella se lavausted se lavanosotros nos lavamosnosotras nos lavamosvosotros os laváisvosotras os laváisustedes se lavanellos se lavanellas se lavan