Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns in Spanish: The complete guide.

In the Spanish language, reflexive verbs and reflexive pronouns play pivotal roles in the grammatical landscape. They enable speakers to express actions that subjects perform upon themselves, thereby adding rich depth and intricacy to the language. Gaining a solid understanding of reflexive verbs and reflexive pronouns is a key step towards achieving mastery of the Spanish language. In this article, we delve into these critical linguistic components in-depth, providing a plethora of examples for better comprehension.

Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs in Spanish belong to a distinct class that signals the subject of a sentence carrying out an action on themselves. The presence of reflexive pronouns typically denotes these verbs. In the following section, we explore several frequently used reflexive verbs and delve into their application:

1. Levantarse (to get up):
   • Yo me levanto temprano todos los días. (I get up early every day.)
   • Juan se levanta a las seis de la mañana. (Juan gets up at 6 a.m.)
2. Peinarse (to comb one’s hair):
   • Ella se peina antes de salir. (She combs her hair before going out.)
   • Nos peinamos juntas todas las mañanas. (We comb our hair together every morning.)
3. Bañarse (to take a bath/shower):
   • Tú te bañas con agua caliente. (You take a bath/shower with hot water.)
   • Ellos se bañan después de hacer ejercicio. (They take a bath/shower after exercising.)

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns must agree with the subject of the sentence. In Spanish, the reflexive pronouns are as follows:

• Me (myself)
• Te (yourself)
• Se (himself/herself/yourself (formal))
• Nos (ourselves)
• Se (themselves/yourselves (formal))

Grammatical Contexts

Let’s now examine how reflexive pronouns are used with reflexive verbs in different grammatical contexts:

1. Singular Reflexive Pronouns:
   • Yo me cepillo los dientes todas las noches. (I brush my teeth every night.)
   • Ella se maquilla antes de salir. (She puts on makeup before going out.)
2. Plural Reflexive Pronouns:
   • Nos despertamos temprano los fines de semana. (We wake up early on weekends.)
   • Ellos se visten elegantemente para la fiesta. (They dress elegantly for the party.)
3. Reflexive Pronouns with Infinitive Verbs:
   • Voy a acostarme más temprano esta noche. (I’m going to go to bed earlier tonight.)
   • Quiero peinarme antes de la reunión. (I want to comb my hair before the meeting.)
4. Reflexive Pronouns with Gerunds:
   • Estoy lavándome las manos antes de comer. (I am washing my hands before eating.)
   • Los niños se están divirtiendo en el parque. (The children are having fun at the park.)

It’s important to highlight that in Spanish, reflexive pronouns assume different forms based on grammatical person and number. Employing the accurate form is vital to upholding grammatical precision.

Furthermore, reflexive pronouns can be paired with non-reflexive verbs to underline or clarify that the action is being done to oneself. In such instances, the reflexive pronoun typically positions itself after the verb:

1. Non-reflexive Verb with Reflexive Pronoun:
   • Juan se mira en el espejo. (Juan looks at himself in the mirror.)
   • María se lava el cabello. (María washes her hair.)

In conclusion, reflexive verbs and reflexive pronouns form integral elements of Spanish grammar. They empower speakers to articulate actions performed on oneself, facilitating clearer and more intricate communication. By mastering the understanding and appropriate usage of reflexive verbs and reflexive pronouns, learners can navigate the Spanish language more effectively and convey their thoughts with precision.

Check out our series of Complete Spanish Grammar articles – everything you’ll ever need to know about Spanish grammar.

Or, learn more about LingoToGo here.

(10 Day Free only available to students in the Americas and Europe. If you’re outside these regions, check out our offers here.)