Reflexive verbsReflexive verbsReflexive verbsReflexive verbs

In this presentation, we are going to look at a special group of verbs called reflexives.

Let’s start out by thinking of the English verb wash. List several things that you can wash.

Some examplesSome examplesSome examplesSome examples

I wash my clothes, I wash the dishes, I wash the car, I wash the windows.

I wash my hands, I wash my hair, I wash my face.

What’s the difference?What’s the difference?What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

I wash my clothes, I wash the dishes, I wash the car, I wash the windows.

I can wash things that are not part of me, that is, not attached to my body.

In Spanish, we say, “Lavo la ropa, lavo los platos, lavo el coche, lavo las ventanas.”

… and…… and…

I wash my hands, I wash my hair, I wash my face.

I also wash things that are attached to my body – hands, face, hair (unless you wear a toupee!).

In Spanish, we say, “Me lavo las manos, me lavo el pelo, me lavo la cara.”

And your point is…?And your point is…?And your point is…?And your point is…?

Lavo la ropa, lavo los platos, lavo el coche, lavo las ventanas.

Me lavo las manos, me lavo el pelo, me lavo la cara.

If you are washing something that is attached, you need to add the word “me.”

Huh?Huh?Huh?Huh?

There are two ways to talk about washing in Spanish:

Lavar: to wash something else

Lavarse: to wash part of one’s body.

LavarseLavarseLavarseLavarse

Here are the forms:me lavote lavasse lavanos lavamosse lavan

The “me, te, se, nos, se” forms are called reflexive pronouns.

How do you get those forms?

How do you get those forms?

The infinitive has a –se attached to it to show that the subject is doing something to him/herself.

Drop the –se.Change the verb as usual.Put the appropriate reflexive

pronoun in front of the verb.

Let’s try one.Let’s try one.Let’s try one.Let’s try one.

Llamarse: to call oneselfyo______tú______él______nosotros ______ellos ______

LlamarseLlamarseLlamarseLlamarse

LlamarseLlamar -- se

yo me llamotú te llamasél se llamanosotros nos llamamosellos se llaman

Does this look familiar?

What’s going on here?What’s going on here?What’s going on here?What’s going on here?

yo me llamotú te llamasél se llamanosotros nos llamamosellos se llaman

The verb endings are the usual ones.

Brillante!Brillante!Brillante!Brillante!

yo me llamotú te llamasél se llamanosotros nos llamamosellos se llamanThe only difference is that

we have to add the reflexive pronoun (before the verb).

Okay, how about some more Okay, how about some more reflexive verbs?reflexive verbs?

Okay, how about some more Okay, how about some more reflexive verbs?reflexive verbs?

Levantarse: to get/stand upSentarse (e > ie): to sit downDormirse (o > ue): to fall asleepPonerse (-go): to put on an article

of clothing

LevantarseLevantarseLevantarseLevantarse

yo me levantotú te levantasél se levantanosotros nos levantamosellos se levantan

This verb has regular endings.

Sentarse (e > ie)Sentarse (e > ie)Sentarse (e > ie)Sentarse (e > ie)

yo me sientotú te sientasél se sientanosotros nos sentamosellos se sientan

This verb is stem-changing.

DormirseDormirseDormirseDormirse

yo me duermotú te duermesél se duermenosotros nos dormimosellos se duermen

This is another stem-changing verb.

PonersePonersePonersePonerse

yo me pongotú te ponesél se ponenosotros nos ponemosellos se ponen

This –go verb changes as usual.

Dormir vs DormirseDormir vs DormirseDormir vs DormirseDormir vs DormirseThe verb forms are the same: duermo,

duermes, duerme, dormimos, duermenThe difference in form is the addition of the

reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, seThe difference in meaning is:

Dormir: to sleepDormirse: to fall asleep

Reflexive verbs often have a special meaning, such as ‘change in condition’ – from being awake to being asleep.

A morning routineA morning routineA morning routineA morning routine

Todos los días, yo ______ (levantarse) a las 7:00. ______ (ir) al baño, _______ (lavarse) la cara, y _______ (afeitarse). Luego ______ (vestirse = e > i) y ______ (tomar) un poco de desayuno. Por fin, _______ (lavarse) los dientes.

Hint: not all the verbs in this paragraph are reflexive!

A morning routineA morning routineA morning routineA morning routine

Todos los días, yo me levanto a las 7:00. Voy al baño, me lavo la cara, y me afeito. Luego me visto y tomo un poco de desayuno. Por fin, me lavo los dientes.

Did you remember to use a reflexive pronoun with levanto, lavo, afeito, and visto?

Did you remember to change the stem for visto?

Let’s do anotherLet’s do anotherLet’s do anotherLet’s do another

Juana ______ (despertarse = e > ie) a las 6:30, ________ (levantarse), ______ (ir) al baño, y ________ (ducharse). Ella ______ (secarse), _______ (peinarse), y _______ (pintarse) la cara.

Otra rutina diariaOtra rutina diariaOtra rutina diariaOtra rutina diaria

Juana se despierta a las 6:30, se levanta, va al baño, y se ducha. Ella se seca, se peina, y se pinta la cara.

Did you remember to use a reflexive pronoun with despierta, levanta, ducha, seca, peina, and pinta?

Did you remember to change the stem on despierta?

Other things to rememberOther things to rememberOther things to rememberOther things to remember

If you use certain two-part verb combinations, the reflexive verb can either before the first verb or can be attached to the second verb.

Querer + levantarseQuiero levantarmeMe quiero levantarQuieres levantarteTe quieres levantaretc.

Make sure that the reflexive pronoun agrees with the subject: yo <> me, tú <> te

What about progressives?What about progressives?What about progressives?What about progressives?

Remember that progressives are also two-part verb combinations:

Estoy comiendoEstamos escribiendo

Refelxive pronouns can go before or after the verb:

Estoy lavándome el peloEstamos lavándonos el peloMe estoy lavando el peloNos estamos lavando el pelo

Whew! That’s a lot to Whew! That’s a lot to remember!remember!

Whew! That’s a lot to Whew! That’s a lot to remember!remember!

True! But keep in mind that the verb changes as it always does. You just have to remember to use the reflexive pronoun if you see an infinitive that ends in –se.

You’re now ready to move on to regular preterite verbs.