Spanish reflexives verbs

By Marta Díaz on Thursday, September 26, 2024

If you are learning Spanish or improving your level, you have probably already come across Spanish reflexive verbs. These verbs may seem a little confusing at first, but once you understand how they work, you will find them very useful and easy to use.

So, if you have any doubts at Enforex we help you understand how Spanish reflexive verbs work. Read on... let's get to it!

What are Spanish reflexive verbs?

Reflexive verbs in Spanish are those in which the action performed by the subject falls on the subject itself. That is, the subject (the person who performs the action) and the object (the person or thing that receives the action) are the same person.

Thus, this is reflected in the use of Spanish reflexive pronouns such as “me”, “te”, “se”, “nos”, and “os”, which are placed before the verb. For example, in the verb “lavarse”, the action falls on oneself and has the pronoum se:

• Yo me lavo las mano (I wash my hands myself)
• Tú te lavas los pies (you wash your own feet yourself)
• Ellos se lavan (they wash themselves)

When and what are Spanish reflexive verbs used for?

Reflexive verbs in Spanish are used in situations where the action falls directly on the subject. Some verbs become reflexive to indicate that the action affects the subject itself, while others are reflexive in themselves.

1. Actions one performs on oneself

Many reflexive verbs are used to describe everyday actions one does about oneself. Some of these verbs are:

• Levantarse (get up). Yo me levanto temprano todos los días (I get up early every day).
• Ducharse (shower). Ella se ducha antes de ir al trabajo (She takes a shower before going to work).
• Cepillarse los dientes (brush your teeth). Nosotros nos cepillamos los dientes después de comer (We brush our teeth after eating).

In all these examples, the subject performs the action on itself. For example, when you say, “me levanto,” it means that you perform the action of getting up yourself.

2. Emotions and moods

Many verbs that describe emotions or changes in mood are reflexive, since the change happens in the subject itself.

• Enfadarse (get angry). Ellos se enfadan cuando no llegan a tiempo (They get angry when they don't arrive on time).
• Alegrarse (to become happy). Me allegro de verte después de tanto tiempo (I'm glad to see you after so long).
• Preocuparse (worry). Nos preocupamos cuando no recibimos noticias tuyas (We worry when we don't hear from you)

Here, the emotion falls directly on the person experiencing it.

3. Change of meaning

Some verbs change meaning when used reflexively. The non-reflexive verb and the reflexive verb may look alike, but the meaning changes completely. Here are some examples:

• Ir (verb). Yo voy al trabajo (I go to work)
• Irse (reflexive verb). Yo me voy de la fiesta (I am leaving the party). In this case, “irse” implies leaving or leaving a place.
• Llevar (verb). Llevo a mi hermana al colegio (I take my sister to school)
• Llevarse (reflexive verb). Me llevo bien con mi compañero de trabajo (I get along well with my co-worker). Here “llevarse” refers to the relationship you have with someone.

How are Spanish reflexive verbs used?

To use a Spanish reflexive verb, you need to follow a basic structure that does not change: the reflexive verb is accompanied by a pronoun that changes according to the subject of the sentence. Thus, depending on who is speaking, the reflexive verb and the reflexive pronoun go in harmony.

For example, the verb “vestirse” (to get dressed):

• Yo me visto (I dress)
• Tú te vistes (You dress)
• Él/Ella se viste (He/She dresses)
• Nosotros nos vestimos (We dress)
• Vosotros os vestís (You dress)
• Ellos se visten (They dress)

Difference between Spanish reflexive and non-reflexive verbs

It is important to remember that not all verbs in Spanish are reflexive. There are many that simply describe an action that the subject does, but not necessarily about itself. For example:

• “Yo como una manzana” (I eat an apple): non-reflexive verb, the action of eating falls on the apple, not on the subject.
• “Yo me como una manzana”: reflexive verb, in this case, the reflexive pronoun “me” adds emphasis, as if you enjoy the act of eating the apple more.

List fo Spanish reflexives verbs

Below is a list of the most common reflexive verbs in Spanish:

• Levantarse – to get up
• Ducharse – to take a shower
• Lavarse – to wash oneself
• Bañarse – to take a bath
• Cepillarse (los dientes/el pelo) – to brush (one’s teeth/hair)
• Peinarse – to comb one’s hair
• Vestirse – to get dressed
• Acostarse – to go to bed
• Afeitarse – to shave
• Maquillarse – to put on makeup
• Despertarse – to wake up
• Enfadarse – to get angry
• Alegrarse – to become happy
• Preocuparse – to worry
• Aburrirse – to get bored
• Asustarse – to get scared
• Enamorarse – to fall in love
• Sorprenderse – to be surprised
• Deprimirse – to become depressed
• Frustrarse – to get frustrated
• Sentarse – to sit down
• Pararse – to stand up
• Dormirse – to fall asleep
• Caerse – to fall down
• Moverse – to move (oneself)
• Estirarse – to stretch
• Mirarse – to look at oneself
• Secarse – to dry oneself
• Relajarse – to relax
• Esforzarse – to make an effort
• Equivocarse – to make a mistake
• Despedirse – to say goodbye
• Arrepentirse – to regret
• Concentrarse – to concentrate
• Desmayarse – to faint
• Casarse – to get married
• Disculparse – to apologize
• Mudarse – to move (change residence)

And these are some reflexive verbs that change their meaning:

• Irse – to leave/go away
• Llevarse – to get along with
• Quedarse – to stay/remain
• Ponerse – to put on (clothing); also, to become nervous
• Olvidarse – to forget
• Divertirse – to have fun
• Callarse – to be quiet/shut up
• Acostumbrarse – to get used to
• Atreverse – to dare
• Quejarse – to complain

Reflexive verbs in Spanish examples

Finally, these examples will help you better understand how reflexive verbs work in different contexts:

• Me ducho todos los días (I take a shower every day).
• Te peinas antes de salir de tu casa (You brush your hair before you leave your house).
• Ellos se acuestan temprano (They go to bed early).
• Me levanto temprano todos los días para hacer ejercicio (I get up early every day to exercise).
• Nos preocupamos por ti (We care about you).
• Se sienten muy cansados después de la fiesta de anoche (They feel very tired after the party last night).
• Me pongo nervioso cuando tengo que hablar en público (I get nervous when I must speak in public).
• Se quejan constantemente del ruido en su vecindario (They constantly complain about the noise in their neighborhood).
• Nos sentamos en la última fila del cine para ver mejor la pantalla (We sit in the back row of the movie theater to see the screen better).
• Ana se maquilla antes de salir con sus amigos (Ana puts on makeup before going out with her friends).

Although they may seem a bit complicated at first, once you understand the logic behind Spanish reflexive verbs, you will see that they are quite easy to handle. But the most important thing is to practice!

Try creating sentences using reflexive verbs in Spanish to familiarize yourself with their use during your Spanish courses in Spain and ask your teachers any questions you may have.