Online Learning Spanish Lesson on Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns
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Mastering Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns in Spanish
Summary:
This lesson focuses on Spanish reflexive verbs and pronouns, where the subject and object are the same person.Understanding Reflexive Verbs
In Spanish, a verb is reflexive when the subject (performer of the action) and the object (receiver of the action) are identical. For example:
- English: I wash myself.
- Spanish: Me lavo.
Here, both the subject "I" and the object "myself" refer to the same person, making "wash" reflexive. In contrast, if you say "I wash the baby," the verb isn't reflexive because the subject and object differ.
Reflexive Verbs in Spanish
Spanish reflexive verbs are paired with reflexive pronouns:
- me - myself
- te - yourself (tú form)
- se - yourself (usted form), himself, herself
- nos - ourselves
- se - themselves, yourselves
Position of Reflexive Pronouns
When there's a single verb in the sentence, place the reflexive pronoun before it:
- Me baño. - I wash myself.
With two verbs, the pronoun can either precede the first verb or attach to the second verb:
- Quiero bañarme. / Me quiero bañar. - I want to wash myself.
Examples of Reflexive Verbs
- Me afeito. - I shave myself.
- Te duchas. - You take a shower.
- Se llama Juan. - He calls himself John.
- Nos dormimos. - We fall asleep.
- No nos sentamos. - We don’t sit down.
- Se enojan. - They get mad.
- Se levantan. - All of you get up.
- Te cepillas los dientes. - You brush your teeth.
Note: In "te cepillas los dientes," "los dientes" literally means "the teeth," but "te" indicates whose teeth are being brushed.
Common Reflexive Verbs in Spanish
- acostarse - to go to bed
- afeitarse - to shave oneself
- bañarse - to bathe oneself
- casarse (con alguien) - to get married, to marry someone
- cepillarse - to brush oneself
- despertarse (ie) - to wake up
- desvestirse (i) - to get undressed
- divertirse (ie) - to enjoy oneself
- dormirse (ue) - to fall asleep
- ducharse - to take a shower
- enfermarse - to get sick
- lavarse - to wash oneself
- levantarse - to get up
- llamarse - to be named, to be called
- mirarse - to look at oneself
- peinarse - to comb one's hair
- quitarse (la ropa) - to take off one's clothes
- secarse - to dry oneself
- sentarse (ie) - to sit down
- sentirse (ie) - to feel
- vestirse (i) - to get dressed
Practice Exercises
Translate these sentences into Spanish. Answers are provided.
1. My name is Patrick.
2. You brush your hair every evening. (Use tú form)
3. You can wash your feet. (Use tú form)
4. Do you take a shower or a bath in the morning? (Use usted form)
5. He takes off his pants.
6. We wash our hands before dinner.
7. They wake up very late.
Answers
1. Me llamo Patrick.
2. Te cepillas el pelo cada noche.
3. Te puedes lavar los pies. / Puedes lavarte los pies.
4. ¿Se ducha o se baña en la mañana?
5. Se quita los pantalones.
6. Nos lavamos las manos antes de la cena.
7. Se despiertan muy tarde.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Online Learning Spanish Lesson on Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns.
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