Reflexive verbs

Los verbos reflexivos

Learning about reflexive verbs in Spanish

What are reflexive verbs?

Reflexive verbs describe action that we do to ourselves.

MEANING...

​the person DOING the action is also RECEIVING the action

​I brush my hair

• Subject: I

• Verb: brush

• Object: my hair

​Since the subject and the person receiving the action are the same, the verb is a reflexive

Algunos ejemplos

• I wash my face Me lavo la cara

• She brushed her teeth Se lava los dientes

• He showered (himself) Se ducha

Multiple Choice

Which statement is REFLEXIVE?

• Anna walks her dog

• They ate cake

• I put on hair gel

• My cat woke me up

Multiple Choice

Is this a REFLEXIVE statement?

I WASH MY CAR

• Sí

• No

Why not?

Subject: I

Object: car

There is no match. The person doing the action isn't receiving the action. Therefore, it's not a reflexive statement

How to recognise reflexive verbs?

• In the INFINITIVE form, we can recognise them for the "-se" at the end

  Example: lavarse, peinarse, levantarse

• When CONJUGATED, they consist of a reflexive pronoun and a verb

  Example: Juan se levanta a las ocho

How do they work?

Reflexive verbs are formed in the same way as regular present tense verbs, but they include a reflexive pronoun.

1. ​Move the "-se" to the before the verb

2. Change the "se" (pronoun) according to the person doing the action (the subject)

3. Chop the ending of the infinitive ("-ar", "-er" or "-ir") and add the correct ending according to the subject

Again, but by steps:

STEP 1

Take off the "se" at the end of the verb

STEP 2

Think about WHO is RECEIVING the action

Find the matching reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se). Put it BEFORE the verb

STEP 3

Conjugate the verb like you would normally do in the present tense:

1. Chop the endings of the infinitive

   ("-ar", "-er", "-ir")

2. Find the correct ending for the person doing the action (the subject)

Multiple Choice

Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun:

Tú _______ bañas.

• nos

• se

• te

• me

Multiple Choice

Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun:

María ______ lava el pelo.

• nos

• se

• te

• me

Multiple Choice

Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun:

Nosotros ____ cepillamos los dientes.

• nos

• se

• os

• te

Multiple Choice

Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun:

_____ duchas en el baño.

• nos

• os

• se

• te

Multiple Choice

Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun:

_____ levantan temprano.

• se

• nos

• te

• me

Multiple Choice

Fill in the missing reflexive pronoun:

_____ peino con el peine.

• nos

• se

• te

• me

Multiple Choice

Translate: I have a bath

• se baña

• nos bañamos

• me baño

• te bañas

Multiple Choice

Translate: you wash your face

• se lava la cara

• nos lavamos la cara

• me lavo la cara

• te lavas la cara

Multiple Choice

Translate: he has a shower

• se ducha

• nos duchamos

• me ducho

• te duchas

Multiple Choice

Translate: they get dressed

• te vistes

• se visten

• os vestís

• me visto

Multiple Choice

Translate: you all brush your teeth

• te lavas los dientes

• se lavan los dientes

• os laváis los dientes

• me lavo los dientes

Multiple Choice

Translate: we put on make up

• nos maquillamos

• se maquillan

• te maquillas

• me maquillo

Multiple Choice

Translate: I brush my hair

• nos peinamos

• se peinan

• te peinas

• me peino

Multiple Choice

Translate: you straighten your hair

• nos alisamos el pelo

• se alisan el pelo

• te alisas el pelo

• me aliso el pelo

Multiple Choice

Translate: I put on gel on my hair

• me pongo gomina

• te pones gomina

• se pone gomina

• se ponen gomina