Reflexive Verbs in Spanish Grammar

How to conjugate reflexive verbs in Spanish

Reflexive verbs always end in -se and are conjugated with a reflexive pronoun (un pronombre reflexivo).

This pronoun always matches the subject of the verb.

Example:

Me levanto a las 7 y media.I get up at 7.30.

1st person singular (yo) = reflexive pronoun me

Spanish reflexive pronouns

The Spanish reflexive pronouns are: me, te, se, nos, os, se.

Word order and reflexive pronouns

Spanish reflexive pronouns are placed:

• before the conjugated verb (this is the standard position);
  

  Example:

  Me levanto a las 7 y media de la mañana.I get up at half past seven in the morning.

• before a negative imperative but attached to the end of an affirmative imperative.

  Examples:

  ¡No te quedes atrás!Don’t get left behind!

  ¡Date prisa!Hurry up!

• before the conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive or gerund in a verbal periphrasis or with a modal verb

  Examples:

  Sobre las 12 nos vamos a tomar un café al bar de abajo. ↔ Sobre las 12, vamos a tomarnos un café al bar de abajo.Around 12 o’clock we go for a coffee at the bar downstairs. (verbal periphrasis)

  El viernes me debo levantar a las 6 para viajar a Londres. ↔ El viernes debo levantarme a las 6 para viajar a Londres.On Friday I have to get up at six to travel to London. (modal verb deber)

• at the end of an infinitive or gerund when they are not part of the predicate

  Examples:

  Me gusta enterarme de los cotilleos.I like to find out the gossip.

  Por la noche me relajo tomándome un té.At night I relax by drinking tea.

When to use reflexive verbs

Use reflexive verbs when the subject (the person or thing performing the verb) and the object (the person or thing receiving the verb) are one and the same.

Example:

Me preparo un café.

literally: I make myself a coffee

Note that many verbs are reflexive in Spanish but not in English.

Examples:

Me lavo la cara.I wash my face.

El tren siempre se retrasa unos minutos.The train is always a few minutes late.

Las compañeras y yo nos ponemos al día de las novedades.My colleagues and I catch up on the latest news.

Types of reflexive verbs

There are different types of reflexive verbs in Spanish:

1. Verbs with two forms

In general, most verbs have a reflexive and a non-reflexive form.

Use the reflexive form when the subject and object are the same; use the standard form when they are different.

Example:

Me lavo la cara con jabón neutro.I wash my face with gentle soap. (reflexive)

I wash my own face

Lavo los platos a mano.I wash the dishes by hand. (non-reflexive)

subject = yo; object = los platos

2. Verbs that change their meaning when they are reflexive

Some verbs have a different meaning depending on whether they are reflexive or not.

Example:

Hoy me encuentro muy cansada.Today I feel really tired. (reflexive)

me encuentro = feel

No encuentro mi cartera por ninguna party.I can’t find my wallet anywhere. (non-reflexive)

encuentro = find

The table below shows the most common Spanish verbs that change their meaning in the reflexive form.

3. Verbs that are always reflexive

Certain verbs are always reflexive; they can’t be used without the reflexive pronoun.

Common examples include: acurrucarse, adentrarse, adormilarse, adueñarse, amodorrarse, antojarse, arremolinarse, arrepentirse, desinteresarse, dignarse, suicidarse.

Examples:

El gato se acurruca al sol en el balcón.The cat curled itself up in the sun on the balcony.

Las hojas secas se arremolinan en las aceras.The dried leaves swirl around the pavement.

4. Reciprocal verbs

In addition to reflexive verbs, there are also reciprocal verbs (los verbos recíprocos).

With these verbs, the reflexive pronoun means “each other”, meaning that they only appear in the plural.

Example:

Lucía y su abuela se entienden a la perfección.Lucía and her grandma get along (with each other) very well.