Reflexive Verbs in Spanish.How to Conjugate, Common List & Practice.

Reflexive verbs are verbs in which the subject and the direct object refer to the same person or thing. The subject performs the action on itself. Reflexive verbs use reflexive pronouns that agree with the subject in person and number. These pronouns usually appear directly before a conjugated verb, or they can be attached to an infinitive or gerund.

Spanish reflexive pronouns are:

• me — myself
• te — yourself (singular, informal)
• se — himself, herself, yourself (singular, formal), themselves, or yourselves (formal)
• nos — ourselves
• os — yourselves (plural, informal, used mainly in Spain)

For example:

Yo me baño. — I bathe myself.

The verb bañarse is reflexive here because the subject and the person receiving the action are the same.

A non-reflexive verb is used when the subject performs the action on someone or something else. For example:

Yo baño al perro. — I bathe the dog.

Here, the subject and the object are different, so the verb is bañar, not bañarse.

Compare these reflexive and non-reflexive uses:

Reflexive verbs are commonly listed in the infinitive with the reflexive pronoun se attached to the end: lavarse, for example. In a conjugated sentence, se changes to the pronoun that agrees with the subject: me, te, se, nos, or os. The presence of one of these pronouns does not always prove that the verb is reflexive, because se also has other uses in Spanish; the meaning and context must be considered.

Markers of reflexive verbs

• The dictionary form of a reflexive verb ends in -se. Example: lavarse.
• The reflexive pronoun appears before a conjugated verb or attaches to an infinitive or gerund. For example:

  Me lavo. — I wash myself.

  Estoy lavándome. — I am washing myself.

Characteristics of reflexive verbs

• They can describe actions that the subject performs on itself:

  Voy a acostarme. — I am going to bed.

• They can indicate a change of state or condition:

  Mi hermano se enfermó. — My brother got sick.

• Some verbs are normally or inherently pronominal, while others can be reflexive or non-reflexive depending on the context. Compare irse (to leave) with ir (to go).

Common reflexive verbs

• bañarse — to bathe oneself
• despertarse — to wake up
• ducharse — to shower
• lavarse — to wash oneself
• maquillarse — to put on makeup
• peinarse — to comb one's hair
• ponerse — to put on clothing
• quitarse — to take off clothing
• sentarse — to sit down
• vestirse — to get dressed

To conjugate a reflexive verb, choose the reflexive pronoun that agrees with the subject and conjugate the verb for the desired tense. The pronoun and the conjugated verb work together: reflexive pronoun + conjugated verb. In the examples below, the pronoun is shown in its own column and the verb form is highlighted.

Present tense

Preterite

In the preterite, the verb endings change, but the reflexive pronouns remain the same.

Imperfect

The imperfect describes habitual or ongoing actions in the past. It uses the same reflexive pronouns with the imperfect verb endings.

Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the verb. They are used when the subject performs an action on itself, and they are an essential part of many reflexive verbs.

These pronouns show that the subject is also the recipient of the action. This can change the meaning of a verb. For instance, lavar means “to wash,” while lavarse means “to wash oneself.”

Reflexive pronouns agree with the subject in person and number:

• me — myself
• te — yourself (singular, informal)
• se — himself, herself, yourself (singular, formal), themselves, or yourselves (formal)
• nos — ourselves
• os — yourselves (plural, informal, used mainly in Spain)

For example:

Yo me lavo. — I wash myself.

Without the appropriate pronoun, the meaning may change or the sentence may become incomplete. Correctly using reflexive pronouns makes clear that the action returns to the subject, which is fundamental to understanding verbos reflexivos.

Reflexive pronouns are placed according to the verb form. They normally go before a conjugated verb, but they can attach to an infinitive or gerund. In compound tenses with haber, they go before the auxiliary verb.

Main placement rules

• Before a conjugated verb:

  Me lavo las manos. — I wash my hands.

• Attached to an infinitive: When an infinitive follows another conjugated verb or a preposition, the pronoun can attach to the end of the infinitive. It can also appear before the conjugated verb when the construction allows both positions.

  Voy a lavarme las manos. — I am going to wash my hands.

  Me voy a lavar las manos. — I am going to wash my hands.

• Attached to a gerund: With a progressive construction, the pronoun can attach to the gerund. It can also appear before estar.

  Estoy lavándome las manos. — I am washing my hands.

  Me estoy lavando las manos. — I am washing my hands.

• Before the auxiliary in a compound tense: With haber, the pronoun goes before the auxiliary, not after the past participle.

  Me he lavado las manos. — I have washed my hands.

Reflexive and pronominal verbs are commonly used in several contexts.

• Daily routines and personal care: Reflexive verbs often describe actions that people perform on themselves, especially in daily routines and personal care.
  • Me levanto. — I get up.
  • Te duchas. — You shower.
  • Se cepilla los dientes. — He or she brushes his or her teeth.
  • Nos vestimos. — We get dressed.
• Emotional and psychological states: Pronominal verbs can describe emotional states or changes in condition.
  • Me siento feliz. — I feel happy.
  • Te enojas. — You get angry.
  • Se preocupa. — He or she worries.
  • Nos aburrimos. — We get bored.
• Reciprocal actions: With two or more subjects, a plural reflexive pronoun can express an action performed on one another. Context, or a phrase such as el uno al otro, can clarify the reciprocal meaning.
  • Nos abrazamos. — We hug each other.
  • Se besan. — They kiss each other.
  • Os ayudáis. — You all help each other. (Spain)
• Inherently pronominal verbs: Some verbs are normally used with a reflexive pronoun and do not describe an action on a direct object. Examples include:
  • arrepentirse — to repent
  • atreverse — to dare
  • quejarse — to complain