Lesson 1.4 · Unit 1 · Structures

Doing something to yourself

A reflexive verb is one where the subject and the object are the same person: I wash myself, she gets dressed. In English the "myself" is often left unsaid. In Spanish it is always said, and it is a small pronoun placed before the verb. The same pronouns return all year, in verbs of emotion, in reciprocal actions and in commands, so the pattern should be secure now.

The method
  1. The reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, se. Me levanto, te levantas, se levanta, nos levantamos, se levantan. They match the subject, and they go before the verb.
  2. The infinitive keeps se. The dictionary form is levantarse, and the -se tells you the verb is reflexive.
  3. Core routine verbs. despertarse, levantarse, ducharse, bañarse, lavarse, cepillarse, peinarse, vestirse, acostarse, dormirse.
  4. Some are boot verbs too. Despertarse: me despierto (e to ie). Acostarse: me acuesto (o to ue). Vestirse: me visto (e to i).
  5. Body parts and clothing take the article. Me lavo las manos. Se pone el abrigo. Never mis manos or su abrigo, since the pronoun already says whose.
  6. Place the pronoun before a conjugated verb or attach it to an infinitive. Me voy a levantar and Voy a levantarme are both correct.
  7. Without the pronoun, the verb acts on someone else. Lavo el coche (I wash the car) against Me lavo (I wash myself). Acuesto a mi hermano (I put my brother to bed).
  8. Sequence words order a routine. primero, luego, después, más tarde, por fin.

Where students lose marks: Yo levanto a las siete (missing me), Se lavo las manos (the pronoun must match yo, so me lavo), and Me lavo mis manos (the article replaces the possessive). Check three things: does the subject act on itself, does the pronoun match the subject, and is the body part an article?

Worked example

The problem. Describe Pablo's morning in six sentences: (1) He wakes up at 6:30. (2) He gets up and takes a shower. (3) He brushes his teeth. (4) He gets dressed. (5) He combs his hair. (6) He goes to school.

Step one: sentence 1. Despertarse is e to ie, and the pronoun is se: Pablo se despierta a las seis y media.

Step two: sentence 2. Two reflexive verbs, with the pronoun repeated before each: Se levanta y se ducha.

Step three: sentence 3. A body part takes the article, not su: Se cepilla los dientes.

Step four: sentence 4. Vestirse is e to i: Se viste.

Step five: sentence 5. Peinarse with el pelo: Se peina el pelo.

Step six: sentence 6. Irse means "to leave" and is reflexive; "goes to school" can also use plain ir: Va a la escuela.

Step seven: sequence. Add sequence words to order the routine: Primero se despierta... luego se levanta... por fin va a la escuela.

Step eight: check. Every reflexive verb has se, the boot appears where needed (despierta, viste), and no sentence uses su with a body part.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

  1. Write the present tense of lavarse for yo, tú and nosotros.
    Show the full solution

    The pronoun changes with the subject, and the verb takes the regular -ar ending. me lavo, te lavas, nos lavamos

  2. Complete: Mi hermana ___ ___ (acostarse) a las diez.
    Show the full solution

    Acostarse is o to ue, and mi hermana takes se. se acuesta

  3. Complete: Nosotros ___ ___ (cepillarse) los dientes.
    Show the full solution

    Nosotros takes nos, and the verb takes -amos. nos cepillamos

  4. Write the yo form of vestirse and despertarse.
    Show the full solution

    Both are boot verbs. me visto, me despierto

  5. Say "I wash my hands."
    Show the full solution

    A body part takes the article. Me lavo las manos.

  6. Say "My brothers get up early, and then they take a shower."
    Show the full solution

    Se before each reflexive verb, plural endings, and luego to order them. Mis hermanos se levantan temprano y luego se duchan.

  7. Find the error: Yo levanto a las siete y lavo mis dientes.
    Show the full solution

    The first needs me (me levanto). The second also needs me and the article (me cepillo los dientes). Lavar of teeth is normally cepillarse. Yo me levanto a las siete y me cepillo los dientes.

  8. Say "She is going to get dressed, and then she is going to comb her hair." Do it two ways.
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    Place the pronoun before the conjugated verb or attach it to the infinitive. Ella se va a vestir y luego se va a peinar. / Ella va a vestirse y luego va a peinarse.

  9. Explain the difference between Acuesto a mi hermano and Me acuesto.
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    Without the pronoun, the verb acts on another person (I put my brother to bed). With me, the subject acts on itself (I go to bed). Acuesto a mi hermano: I put my brother to bed. Me acuesto: I go to bed.

  10. Write a five-sentence description of your morning using sequence words and at least three reflexive verbs.
    Show the full solution

    One correct answer: Primero me despierto a las siete. Luego me levanto y me ducho. Después me visto y me cepillo los dientes. Más tarde desayuno con mi familia. Por fin salgo para la escuela. Reflexive verbs have me, the boot appears in despierto, and body parts take the article. Primero me despierto a las siete. Luego me levanto y me ducho. Después me visto y me cepillo los dientes. Más tarde desayuno con mi familia. Por fin salgo para la escuela.

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