Reflexive Verbs Apuntes Spanish 2 Reflexive Pronouns Generally

Reflexive Verbs: Apuntes Spanish 2

Reflexive Pronouns: Generally precede the conjugated verb • Me = myself • Te = yourself • Se = yourself, himself, herself, itself • Nos = ourselves • Os = yourselves • Se = yourselves, themselves

Reflexive Verbs Lavarse = to wash oneself • Yo me lavo = I wash (am washing) myself • Nosotros nos lavamos = we wash (are washing) ourselves • Tú te lavas = you wash (are washing) yourself • Vosotros os laváis = you wash (are washing) yourselves • Ud. se lava = you wash (are washing) yourself • Uds. se lavan = you wash (are washing) yourselves • Ella se lava = she washes (is washing) herself • Ellas, ellos se lavan = they wash (are washing) themselves • Él se lava = he washes (is washing) himself

Reflexive Verbs 1. Reflexive verbs are used with reflexive-pronoun objects. They are identified in vocabulary lists by the pronoun se attached to the infinitive. 2. Reflexive verbs are conjugated like other verbs, except that their conjugated forms are preceded by reflexive pronouns. 3. In English, the reflexive pronouns myself, yourself, herself, etc. , are often omitted. For example, “I am washing” may mean “I am washing myself” or “I am washing the dishes. ” Spanish, however, almost never omits the reflexive pronoun when the meaning is reflexive: “I am washing (myself understood) = Yo me lavo. ”

Por ejemplo 1. Anita goes to bed at ten o’clock. 2. I bathe every day. 3. At what time do you wake up on Saturdays? 4. Do you wash your hands before eating? 5. They get up at six o’clock. 6. That boy is called John. (That boy’s name is Juan. ) 1. Anita se acuesta a las diez. 2. Yo me baño todos los días. 3. ¿A qué hora te despiertas los sábados? 4. ¿Se lava Ud. las manos antes de comer? 5. Ellos se levantan a las seis. 6. Ese muchacho se llama Juan.

Por ejemplo • 7. My friends are always combing their hair. • 8. I put on my hat when it is cold. • 9. Are you staying at home this afternoon? • 10. We take off our coats at home. • 11. Where does your father sit? • 7. Mis amigos siempre se peinan. • 8. Me pongo el sombrero cuando hace frío. • 9. ¿Se quedan Uds. en casa esta tarde? • 10. Nos quitamos el abrigo en casa. • 11. ¿Dónde se sienta su padre?

Ojo a) Many reflexive verbs are stem-change verbs. (#1, 3, 11) b) Many reflexive verbs have meanings that are not expressed reflexively in English. Note that myself, yourself, etc. , are not used in the English equivalents of verbs in 8, 9, 10, and 11. c) When the object of a reflexive verb is an article of clothing or a part of the body (#4, 8, 10), the definite article (el, la, los, las) is used rather than the possessive adjective (mi, tu su, nuestro, sus).

Ojo d) If the subject of the reflexive verb is plural (#10), the article of clothing or part of the body remains in the singular unless each of the persons included in the subject has more than one: Nos quitamos el abrigo. We take off our coats. Nos quitamos los guantes. We take off our gloves. *Nos quitamos los abrigos would imply that each of us is wearing two or more coats. 4. When a reflexive verb is used as an infinitive, the reflexive pronoun is attached to the end of the infinitive or placed before the conjugated verb. We have to get up. Tenemos que levantarnos. *or* Nos tenemos que levantar. I have to get up. Tengo que levantarme. *or* Me tengo que levantar.

Conjugate and translate: • Bañarse • Callarse • Secarse • Irse • Ponerse

Bañarse: To bathe • me baño • te bañas • se baña • nos bañamos • os bañáis • se bañan

Callarse: to be quiet • me callo • te callas • se calla • nos callamos • os calláis • se callan

Secarse: to dry oneself • me seco • te secas • se seca • nos secamos • os secáis • se secan

Irse: to leave • me voy • te vas • se va • nos vamos • os vais • se van

Ponerse: to put on, to become • Me pongo • Te pones • Se pone • Nos ponemos • Os ponéis • Se ponen