A reflexive verb is an action that people do to or for themselves. With a reflexive verb, the person carrying out the action also receives the action.

For example: Washing one’s face Brushing one’s teeth

In Spanish, reflexive verbs are easy to identify because their infinitive forms have se at the end. This se at the end of the infinitive is called a reflexive pronoun.

Let’s look at the breakdown of the verbs afeitarse, to shave, and bañarse, to bathe.

afeit | ar | se stem infinitiveending reflexive pronoun

bañ | ar | se stem infinitiveending reflexive pronoun

When conjugating a reflexive verb, first drop the reflexive pronoun from the end. Conjugate the verb like normal. The reflexive pronoun is also changed to match the subject, then placed in front of the conjugated verb.

When placing the new reflexive pronoun before the verb, you must choose the correct pronoun that matches the subject. Remember, the subject is also the person or people who receives the action of the verb.

The reflexive pronouns are as follows: me nos   te se se

Please take a few minutes to complete practice problems 1-6. levantan Please take a few minutes to complete practice problems 1-6. Gregorio y Lorenzo _______ _______________ muy tarde los fines de semana. Yo _______ _________ en ropa muy elegante para ir a la boda. Emilia y yo _______ ______________ las uñas para el baile. Uds. ______ _____________ muy temprano la noche antes del evento especial. Tú _______ _____________ rápidamente antes de la escuela. Sancho no _______ __________ los dientes todos los días. ¡Uf! me visto nos pintamos se acuestan te duchas se cepilla

A quick note… Look back at numbers 3 and 6. How would these be translated? Note that the possessive pronouns for our and his or not used. Instead, we use definite articles. A general rule to remember is that when a reflexive verb is used with parts of the body or clothing, definite articles are used, not possessive pronouns.

A quick note… Me lavo la cara. I wash my face. Te pones los zapatos. You put on your shoes. Ella se seca el pelo. She dries her hair. Nos cepillamos los dientes. We brush our teeth.

So far, we have only discussed placing the reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb. However, when two verbs used together in a sentence, there is another option. Recall that when two verbs are used in conjunction, the first one is conjugated and the second one is left in the infinitive form.

The two options we have for placement of the reflexive pronoun are: Before the conjugated verb   Attached to the end of the verb infinitive

Carolina se va a secar el pelo. There is no change in meaning. Me tengo que levantar. Or: Tengo que levantarme. Carolina se va a secar el pelo. Or: Carolina va a secarse el pelo. There is no change in meaning. Notice that regardless of the placement of the pronoun, it still has to match the subject of the sentence.

Please take a few minutes to complete practice problems 1-5. Rafael debe duchar. Rafael se debe duchar. Rafael debe ducharse.

Yo quiero cortar el pelo. Yo me quiero cortar el pelo. Yo quiero cortarme el pelo.

Nosotros vamos a pintar las uñas. Nosotros nos vamos a pintar las uñas. Nosotros vamos a pintarnos las uñas.

Uds. necesitan bañar. Uds. se necesitan bañar. Uds. necesitan bañarse.

Tú tienes que arreglar el pelo. Tú te tienes que arreglar el pelo. Tú tienes que arreglarte el pelo.

Please take a few minutes to complete practice problems 1-5. Yo despertarme a las ocho de la mañana. Ellas se pintan sus uñas cada semana. Nosotros se acostamos muy tarde durante el verano. Ud. va a afeitar mañana. Tú tienes que cortarse el pelo pronto. me despierto las nos afeitarse te