In English, we do use reflexive verbs but they are much more common in Spanish & French. I will try to explain when and how they are used in Spainsh (French to follow shortly). If at the end of reading this article you have any questions then please feel free to leave a comment at the end and I will try my best to answer any queries.
A reflexive verb is one that reflects back on the subject of the sentence. It is used with a reflexive pronoun which in English would be: myself, yourself, and his/herself.
In Spanish reflexive verbs are used much more in everyday language than they are in English. Reflexive verbs express actions which are done by the subject, an example of this would be where lavar, the infinitive of the reflexive verb in this case would be lavarse, meaning 'to wash oneself'. They are used to describe something you do to yourself every day or that involve some sort of change, going to bed, getting angry, sitting down, getting up etc.
The infinitive form of the verb has se attached to it for example; llamarse meaning 'to be called'. Dictionaries show reflexive verbs in this way se means himself, herself, itself, yourself, themselves, yourselves and oneself. se is a reflexive pronoun, there are different reflexive pronouns dependant on the subject of the conversation - me 'myself' te 'yourself, se his/herself. At the end I will provide a list of some infinitive reflexive verbs that may be useful.
Although the reflexive pronouns have the English meanings of myself, herself, yourself and so on these are very rarely translated as such. Instead of he calls himself we would say he is called.
There are certain verbs in Spanish that can be used both as reflexive and and as ordinary verbs (without the reflexive pronoun), when used in this way the person or thing doing the action is not the same person or thing that is receiving the action:
Me lavo - I wash myself
Lavo la ropa a mano - I was the dress by hand
Me acuesto a las 11:30 - I go to bed at 11:30
Acuesta al niño - He puts the child to bed
Me llamo Kate - My name is Kate
¡Llama a la policia! - Call the police!
Following are a few reflexive verbs in their infinitive form:
acostarse | to go to bed |
afeitarse | to shave |
bañarse | to have a bath/swim |
dormirse | to go to sleep |
ducharse | to have a shower |
enfadarse | to get angry |
| lavarse | to wash |
lavantarse | to get up |
llamarse | to be called |
secarse | to get dried |
sentarse | to sit down |
bañarse | to have a bath/swim |
vestirse | to get dressed |
And a few examples of some in use:
Me baño a las siete y media - I have a bath at 7:30
¡Duérmete! - Go to sleep!
Mi hermano se ducha - My brother has a shower
Mi hermano no se lava - My brother doesn't wash
Mi amiga se enfada mucho - My friend often gets angry
Me levanto a las siete - I get up at 7:00
¿Como te llamas? - What's your name
¿A que hora os ocostáis? - What time do you go to bed? (formal you/group)
¡Sentaos! - Sit down! (formal you/group)
Nos vestimos. - We're getting dressed.
How to use a reflexive verb in Spanish...
To follow in a few days...please come back t=for the next instalment of reflexive verbs
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