Los Verbos Reflexivos

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

called reflexives

Reflexive Verbs

• A verb is reflexive when the subject and the object are the same.

• I wash myself.subject: Iverb: washobject: myself

• OR… think of it like when someone does something to or for themselves (I wash MYSELF)

Reflexive Verbs

• I wash the car.subject: Iverb: washobject: car

Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive.

• Here, we are washing the CAR not doing something to ourselves… so it is not reflexive.

Reflexive Verbs

• Here's another example of how a verb can be either reflexive or non-reflexive.

• I scratch myself.subject: Iverb: scratchobject: myself

• Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive.

Reflexive Verbs

• But now look at this example…

• I scratch the dog.subject: Iverb: scratchobject: dog

• Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive.

Verbos…Verbos

• When a verb is reflexive, the infinitive ends in "se."

• lavarto wash (non-reflexive)

• lavarseto wash oneself (reflexive)

• rascarto scratch (non-reflexive)

• rascarseto scratch oneself (reflexive)

Reflexive Verbs

• There is one reflexive verb you have been using since you began studying Spanish.

• llamarse - to call oneself

• ¿Cómo se llama usted?What do you call yourself?

• Me llamo Juan.I call myself Juan.

• Note: A more "natural" translation would be "What is your name?" and "My name is Juan."

Reflexive Verbs

• When you learned to conjugate regular verbs, you needed to learn a set of pronouns called "subject pronouns."

• Lavar = to washyo lavotú lavasél, ella, usted lavanosotros/as lavamosellos, ellas, ustedes lavan

Don’t copy.. Just read…

• To learn to conjugate reflexive verbs, you need to learn a different set of pronouns called "reflexive pronouns." These pronouns are positioned before the verb, while the ending "se" is dropped and the verb is conjugated normally.

Now… examples

• lavarse

• yo me lavoI wash (myself)

• tú te lavasyou wash (yourself) (informal)

• él se lava / ella se lavahe washes (himself)/ she washes herself

Y más…

• usted se lavayou wash (yourself) (formal)

• nosotros nos lavamoswe wash (ourselves)

• ustedes se lavanyou-all wash (yourselves)(formal)

• ellos se lavanthey wash (themselves)

So how do we form them?

• The reflexive pronouns are not subject pronouns; rather they are object pronouns.

• me (myself)te (yourself)se (himself, herself, yourself)nos (ourselves)se (themselves, yourselves)

Reflexive Verbs

• The purpose of the reflexive object pronouns is to show that the action of the verb remains with the subject.

• Juan se lava la cara.Juan washes his face. (reflexive)

• Juan lava su carro. (non-reflexive)Juan washes his car.

• Note: When referring to body parts, use the definite article, thus "la cara" not "su cara."

¡Practicamos! Choose A or B

• I wash the car.

• A)Lavo el auto.B)Me lavo el auto.

• I take a bath.

• A)Me baño.B)Yo baño.

You Choose…

• Juan goes to bed at ten in the evening. • A)Juan se acuesta a las diez de la noche.

B)Juan acuesta a las diez de la noche.

• Maria puts the baby to bed at seven in the evening.

• A)María se acuesta al bebé a las siete de la noche.B)María acuesta al bebé a las siete de la noche.

More practice…

• I wake up at six in the morning. • A)Me despierto a las seis de la mañana.

B)Despierto a las seis de la mañana.

• She wakes her child at nine in the morning. • A)Ella se despierta a su niño a las nueve de la

mañana.B)Ella despierta a su niño a las nueve de la mañana.

Now, the verbs you will need

• Acostarse (oue) to go to bed

• Afeitarse : to shave

• Arreglarse : to get ready

• Bañarse : to bathe

• Cepillarse (el pelo) : to brush (one’s hair)

• Despertarse (eie) : to wake up

• Dormirse : to fall asleep

One more set of verbs…

• Lavarse : to wash up

• Levantarse : to get up

• Peinarse : to comb one’s hair

• Ponerse : to put on (ex. one’s clothes)

• Quitarse : to take off (ex. One’s clothes)

• Sentarse (eie) to sit down

• Vestirse : to get dressed

p. Tarea

• Dialogue – with a partner, write a dialogue to memorize and perform in front of the class.

• You MUST use at least 6 reflexive verbs!!