Online Learning Spanish Lesson on Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns

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Online Learning Spanish Lesson on Reflexive Verbs and Pronouns

Author: Patrick Jackson | Total views: 84 | Word Count: 1755 | Category: Speaking | Date: May 28th 2007

Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns

This Spanish Grammar online topic covers Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns. In Spanish, a verb is considered reflexive if the subject (the performer of the action) and the object (the receiver of the action)

are the same.

Heres an example of a reflexive verb being used in English:

I wash myself.

In the above sentence the verb wash is considered reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (I) and the object or the one receiving the action (myself) are the same. On the other hand, if I said I wash the baby, the verb wash is no longer reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (I) and the object or the one receiving the action (baby) are not the same.

Spanish reflexive verbs consist of a verb and a reflexive pronoun.

The following are reflexive pronouns or objects of reflexive verbs.

me myself

te yourself (tÃº form)

se yourself (usted form)

nos ourselves

se themselves, yourselves

When there is just one verb in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun must come before the reflexive verb.

Me baÃ±o.

I wash myself

However, when there are two verbs in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun either comes right before the first verb or follows the second verb.

Quiero baÃ±arme.

I want to wash myself.

Me quiero baÃ±ar.

I want to wash myself.

Here are some examples using 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 dont sit down

Se enojan

They get mad

Se levantan

All of you get up

Te cepillas los dientes

You brush your teeth.

Literally, los dientes means the teeth and not your teeth. Since we are using the reflexive pronoun te it is obvious whose teeth we are talking about.

Here some common reflexive verbs in Spanish.

acostarse to go to bed

afeitarse to shave oneself

baÃ±arse 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 (ones hair)

quitarse (la ropa) to takeoff (ones clothes)

secarse to dry ones self

sentarse (ie) to sit down

sentirse (ie) to feel

vestirse (i) to get dressed

Now lets try a few exercises. Translate the following into Spanish. The answers follow the questions.

1. My name is Patrick
2. You brush your hair every evening. (Use tu form)
3. You can wash your feet. (Use tÃº form)
4. Do you take a shower or do you take a bath in the morning (Use the usted form)
5. He takes off his pants.
6. We wash our hands before dinner.
7. The wake up very late.

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 baÃ±a en la maÃ±ana
5. Se quita los pantalones.
6. Nos lavamos las manos antes de la cena.
7. Se despiertan muy tarde.

Article Source: ArticleSoft.com

About the Author

Patrick Jackson is the author of this article. He is a self-taught speaker of Spanish and the founder of the Learning Spanish Like Crazy method.To immediately download two free lessons from Learning Spanish Like Crazy and to start speaking real Latin American Spanish, go to http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com

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Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns 
 
This Spanish Grammar online topic covers Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns. In Spanish, a verb is considered reflexive if the subject (the performer of the action) and the object (the receiver of the action) 
 
are the same. 
 
 
 
Heres an example of a reflexive verb being used in English: 
 
 
 
I wash myself. 
 
 
 
In the above sentence the verb wash is considered reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (I) and the object or the one receiving the action (myself) are the same. On the other hand, if I said I wash the baby, the verb wash is no longer reflexive because the subject or the one performing the action (I) and the object or the one receiving the action (baby) are not the same. 
 
 
 
Spanish reflexive verbs consist of a verb and a reflexive pronoun. 
 
The following are reflexive pronouns or objects of reflexive verbs. 
 
 
 
 me myself 
 
 te yourself (tÃº form) 
 
 se yourself (usted form) 
 
 nos ourselves 
 
 se themselves, yourselves 
 
 
 
When there is just one verb in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun must come before the reflexive verb. 
 
 
 
 Me baÃ±o. 
 
 I wash myself 
 
 
 
However, when there are two verbs in the sentence, the reflexive pronoun either comes right before the first verb or follows the second verb. 
 
 
 
 Quiero baÃ±arme. 
 
 I want to wash myself. 
 
 
 
 Me quiero baÃ±ar. 
 
 I want to wash myself. 
 
 
 
Here are some examples using 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 dont sit down 
 
 
 
 Se enojan 
 
 They get mad 
 
 
 
 Se levantan 
 
 All of you get up 
 
 
 
 Te cepillas los dientes 
 
 You brush your teeth. 
 
 
 
Literally, los dientes means the teeth and not your teeth. Since we are using the reflexive pronoun te it is obvious whose teeth we are talking about. 
 
 
 
Here some common reflexive verbs in Spanish. 
 
 
 
 acostarse to go to bed 
 
 afeitarse to shave oneself 
 
 baÃ±arse 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 (ones hair) 
 
 quitarse (la ropa) to takeoff (ones clothes) 
 
 secarse to dry ones self 
 
 sentarse (ie) to sit down 
 
 sentirse (ie) to feel 
 
 vestirse (i) to get dressed 
 
 
 
 
 
Now lets try a few exercises. Translate the following into Spanish. The answers follow the questions. 
 
 
 
 1. My name is Patrick 
 2. You brush your hair every evening. (Use tu form) 
 3. You can wash your feet. (Use tÃº form) 
 4. Do you take a shower or do you take a bath in the morning (Use the usted form) 
 5. He takes off his pants. 
 6. We wash our hands before dinner. 
 7. The wake up very late. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 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 baÃ±a en la maÃ±ana 
 5. Se quita los pantalones. 
 6. Nos lavamos las manos antes de la cena. 
 7. Se despiertan muy tarde. Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesoft.com" target="_blank">ArticleSoft.com</a> About the Author: Patrick Jackson is the author of this article. He is a self-taught 
speaker of Spanish and the founder of the <A 
href="http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com/">Learning Spanish Like Crazy</A> method.To immediately download two free lessons from Learning Spanish Like Crazy and to start speaking real Latin American Spanish, go to <A href="http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com/" target=_new>http://www.learningspanishlikecrazy.com</A>

Tags: Learning Spanish