Reflexive verbs

Los verbos reflexivos

Reflexive verbs

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

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

Some 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

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, they are not part of my body.

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

…and…

• I wash my hands. I wash my hair. I wash my face

• I also wash things on 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…?

• 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 to your body, you need to add the word me

Huh?

• There are two ways to talk about washing in Spanish

• First, to wash something else

• Second, to wash part of one’s body

Lavarse

• Here are the forms:

Me lavo nos lavamos

Te lavas os laváis

Se lava se lavan

• “Me, te, se, nos, os, se” forms are called reflexive pronouns

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 ending

• Put the appropriate -ar, -er, or –ir conjugation of the verb.

Let’s try one

• Llamarse: to call oneself

• Yo me llamo• Tú te llamas• Él se llama• Nosotros nos llamamos• Ellos se llaman

The verb endings are the usual ones!!

Some more reflexive verbs…

• Levantar___: to get/stand up.

• Sentarse (ie): to sit down• Dormirse (ue): to fall

asleep• Ponerse (-go verb): to

put on an article of clothing

Levantarse• Yo me levanto• Tú te levantas• Él se levanta• Nosotros nos levantamos• Vosotros os sentáis • Ellos se levantan

Sentarse (ie)• Yo me siento• Tú te sientas• Él se sienta• Nosotros nos sentamos• Vosotros os sentáis• Ellos se sientan

Dormirse (ue)

• Yo me duermo• Tú te duermes• Él se duerme• Nosotros nos dormimos• Vosotros os dormís• Ellos se duermen

Ponerse (-go verb)

• Yo me pongo

• Tú te pones

• Él se pone

• Nosotros nos ponemos

• Vosotros os ponéis

• Ellos se ponen

Dormir vs. Dormirse

• The verb forms are the same: duermo, duermes, duerme, dormimos, dormís, duermen

• The difference in form is the addition of the reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se

• The difference in meaning is:– Dormir is to sleep– Dormirse is to fall asleep

• Reflexive verbs often have a special meaning, such as________________from being awake to being asleep.

A morning routine

• Todos los días, yo ___________ (levantarse) a las 7:00. _______(ir) al baño, _________(lavarse) la cara, y _______________ (afeitarse). Luego (vestirse (i)) y _________(tomar) un poco de desayuno. Por fin, __________ (lavarse) los dientes.

Respuestas

• 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

Let’s do another

• Juana ________(despertarse (ie) a las 6:30, ____________(levantarse). _________ (ir) al baño, y __________(ducharse). Ella ________(secarse), ________(peinarse) y _________(peinarse) la cara.

• 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.

Whew! That’s a lot to remember

• True! But keep in mind that the verb

changes as it always does. You just have

to remember to use the reflexive

pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se) if you

see an infinitive that ends in se

Let’s practice!