Reflexive verbs
A1Grammar path · Lesson 15 of 86 · Stage A1 · The present tense
Reflexive verbs describe actions you do to yourself, so you need them from day one to talk about your daily routine, your name and how you feel. In the dictionary they end in -se, like levantarse (to get up). To use one, conjugate the verb normally in the present and put the matching pronoun before it: me, te, se, nos, se + verb, as in me levanto, te duchas, se viste. In a negative, no goes before the pronoun: no me levanto. Don't confuse them with the same verb used without a pronoun: lavo el coche means you wash the car, but me lavo means you wash yourself.
Practise this lesson · 10 sentences
Form
sujeto + pronombre reflexivo + verbo conjugadosujeto + no + pronombre reflexivo + verbo conjugado¿(palabra interrogativa) + pronombre reflexivo + verbo conjugado?verbo conjugado + infinitivo + pronombre reflexivoWhen to use it
Daily routine
Most verbs for your morning and evening routine are reflexive: levantarse, ducharse, vestirse, acostarse.
Actions on your own body
When you do something to a part of your own body, use the reflexive verb and an article (las manos, los dientes) instead of a possessive.
Names and feelings
Some very common verbs are reflexive when you give your name or describe how you feel: llamarse, sentirse, preocuparse.
How “levantarse” changes
Don't confuse it with
Frequently asked questions
Which reflexive pronoun goes with each subject?
yo takes me, tú takes te, él/ella/usted take se, nosotros takes nos, and ellos/ustedes take se. The pronoun always matches the subject: yo me ducho, ellos se duchan.
Where does the pronoun go with an infinitive?
You can put it before the conjugated verb or attach it to the end of the infinitive; both are correct: me voy a duchar or voy a ducharme.
What is the difference between llamar and llamarse?
llamar means to call someone (Llamo a mi madre), while llamarse means to be called or named (Me llamo Ana).
Why do you say me lavo las manos and not mis manos?
The pronoun me already shows they are your hands, so with body parts Spanish uses the article las instead of a possessive.
How do I recognize a reflexive verb in the dictionary?
A reflexive verb has -se attached to the infinitive, for example levantarse, vestirse, sentirse.