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In Spanish, reflexive verbs are key for describing actions that people do to themselves. Unlike in English, where we might use “to do” or “to make,” Spanish uses reflexive pronouns to show that the subject and object of the action are the same. With reflexive verbs, you can easily talk about daily routines and personal actions. Without further ado, let’s look deep into them now!

What Are Reflexive Verbs?

Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject performs an action on itself. They are accompanied by reflexive pronouns, which reflect the action back to the subject. The reflexive pronouns in Spanish are:

Personal Pronoun	Reflexive Pronoun
Yo (I)	Me (myself)
Tú (you [informal])	Te  (yourself [informal])
Él/Ella/Usted (he/she/you [formal])	Se  (himself, herself, itself, yourself formal)
Nosotros/Nosotras (we)	Nos  (ourselves)
Vosotros/Vosotras (you all [informal])	Os  (yourselves, informal plural)
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes (they/you all)	Se  (themselves, yourselves formal plural)

How to Form Reflexive Verbs

To correctly use reflexive verbs, follow these steps:

1. Determine the infinitive form of the reflexive verb
2. Remove the reflexive ending “-se” and conjugate the verb based on the subject.
3. Position the correct reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb.

Here are some examples:

• Infinitive Form: “ducharse” (to shower oneself)
  • Conjugated: “Me ducho” (I shower myself)
    Here, the verb “duchar” has been conjugated to match the first-person singular subject “I,” and the reflexive pronoun “me” is used to indicate that the action is performed by the subject on itself.
  • Gerund Form: “Estoy duchándome” (I am showering myself)
    The gerund form of “ducharse” is “duchándose.” Combined with the auxiliary verb “estar,” it becomes “estoy duchándome,” meaning “I am showering myself.” The reflexive pronoun “me” is attached to the gerund form to maintain the reflexive meaning.
• Infinitive Form: “afeitarse” (to shave oneself)
  • Conjugated: “Te afeitas” (You shave yourself)
    This verb “te afeitas” translates to “you shave yourself.” This shows that the action is being done by the subject on themselves.

Common Reflexive Verbs and Their Uses

Here are some commonly used reflexive verbs along with practical examples to show how they are used in everyday Spanish.

• Despertarse (to wake up)
  • Spanish: Me despierto a las seis de la mañana.
  • English: I wake up at six in the morning.
• Levantarse (to get up)
  • Spanish: Nos levantamos temprano.
  • English: We get up early.
• Vestirse (to get dressed)
  • Spanish: Ella se viste rápidam.
  • English: She gets dressed quickly.
• Cepillarse (to brush [one’s teeth, hair])
  • Spanish: Se cepilla los dientes.
  • English: He/she brushes his/her teeth.
• Acostarse (to go to bed)
  • Spanish: Nosotros nos acostamos a las diez.
  • English: We go to bed at ten.

Reflexive Verbs in Different Tenses

Reflexive verbs follow the same conjugation patterns as regular verbs but with reflexive pronouns. Here’s how they work in various tenses:

• Present Tense:
  • Spanish: Me lavo las manos.
  • English: I wash my hands.
• Preterite Tense:
  • Spanish: Te duchaste ayer.
  • English: You showered yesterday.
• Imperfect Tense:
  • Spanish: Nosotros nos levantábamos tarde.
  • English: We used to get up late.
• Future Tense:
  • Spanish: Ellos se afeitarán mañana.
  • English: They will shave tomorrow.

Common Expressions with Reflexive Verbs

In addition to the usual uses mentioned above, here are some common expressions that feature reflexive verbs:

• “Conocer a fondo”: To know deeply or thoroughly.
  • Spanish: Conozco a fondo la historia de la empresa.
  • English: I know the company’s history thoroughly.
• “Conocer de vista”: To know someone by sight.
  • Spanish: Lo conozco de vista, pero nunca hemos hablado.
  • English:I know him by sight, but we’ve never spoken.
• “Conocer en persona”: To meet someone in person.
  • Spanish: Finalmente conocí en persona a mi colega.
  • English: I finally met my colleague in person.
• “Conocer algo como la palma de la mano”: To know something like the back of one’s hand.
  • Spanish: Conozco la ciudad como la palma de mi mano.
  • English: I know the city like the back of my hand.

How do you feel about Spanish reflexive verbs now? With more practice, you’ll gain confidence in using them, and your Spanish skills will improve significantly!

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