Online Learning Spanish Lesson on Reflexive Verbs and PronounsPosted by Nick Niesen on October 27th, 2010 Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns This Spanish Grammar online topic covers Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns. In Spanish, a verb is considered reflexive if the subject (the performer of the action) and the object (the receiver of the action) are the same.
Here?s an example of a reflexive verb being used in English:
I wash myself.
In the above sentence the verb ?wash? is considered reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (?I?) and the object or the one receiving the action (?myself?) are the same. On the other hand, if I said ?I wash the baby,? the verb ?wash? is no longer reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (?I?) and the object or the one receiving the action (?baby?) are not the same.
Spanish reflexive verbs consist of a verb and a reflexive pronoun. The following are reflexive pronouns or objects of reflexive verbs.
me myself te yourself (tú form) se yourself (usted form) nos ourselves se themselves, yourselves
When there is just one verb in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun must come before the reflexive verb.
Me baño. I wash myself
However, when there are two verbs in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun either comes right before the first verb or follows the second verb.
Quiero bañarme. I want to wash myself.
Me quiero bañar. I want to wash myself.
Here are some examples using reflexive verbs.
Me afeito I shave myself
Te duchas You take a shower
Se llama Juan He calls himself John
Nos dormimos We fall asleep
No nos sentamos We don?t sit down
Se enojan They get mad
Se levantan All of you get up
Te cepillas los dientes You brush your teeth.
Literally, ?los dientes? means ?the teeth? and not ?your teeth.? Since we are using the reflexive pronoun ?te? it is obvious whose teeth we are talking about.
Here some common reflexive verbs in Spanish.
acostarse to go to bed afeitarse to shave oneself bañarse to bathe oneself casarse (con alguien) to get married, to marry someone cepillarse to brush oneself despertarse (ie) to wake up desvestirse (i) to get undressed divertirse (ie) to enjoy oneself dormirse (ue) to fall asleep ducharse to take a shower enfermarse to get sick lavarse to wash oneself levantarse to get up llamarse to be named, to be called mirarse to look at oneself peinarse to comb (one?s hair) quitarse (la ropa) to takeoff (one?s clothes) secarse to dry one?s self sentarse (ie) to sit down sentirse (ie) to feel vestirse (i) to get dressed
Now let?s try a few exercises. Translate the following into Spanish. The answers follow the questions.
1. My name is Patrick
1. Me llamo Patrick. Like it? Share it!More by this author |