Verbos reflexivos en el presente (Reflexive Verbs in the Present Tense)

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Reflexive verbs are verbs where the subject is the recipient of the action, they are doing something to themselves. Besides using a subject pronoun (yo, tú, etc., indicated in the verb ending), reflexive verbs need to be accompanied by a reflexive pronoun, which indicate that the action reflects back on the subject. You can tell a verb is reflexive because you will find the reflexive pronoun se at the end of the base form. For example:

• Hablar

• to talk → non-reflexive

• Levantarse

• to get up → reflexive

These are the reflexive pronouns along with the corresponding subject pronouns:

In order to conjugate a reflexive verb in the present tense, follow these steps:

1. Remove the base reflexive pronoun (se) from the base form: levantarse → levantar
2. Conjugate the verb as you would typically do in the present tense according to the verb type (-ar, -er, -ir) and the subject pronoun (the agent performing the action): yo → levanto
3. Place the reflexive pronoun before the conjugated verb: (yo) levanto → (yo) me levanto

Here is the full conjugation of levantarse:

Levantarse (to get up) 🌄🛏️🧍🏽

Here is another example:

Acostarse (to go to bed) 🌃🥱🛌🏽

Please note that in the case of acostarse above, we are dealing with a verb that is not only reflexive, but also stem-changing, and therefore you can notice the changes in the stem (except in the vos, nosotros, and vosotros forms), as you studied in a previous chapter.

Many reflexive verbs are typically used to describe daily routines, since these actions are performed on oneself. Here are some common reflexive verbs (in the case of stem-changing verbs, the change is indicated in parenthesis as well):

• despertarse (ie)

• to wake up

• levantarse

• to get up

• cepillarse los dientes/el pelo

• to brush one’s teeth/hair

• peinarse el pelo

• to comb one’s hair

• lavarse

• to wash one’s self

• ducharse

• to shower

• bañarse

• to take a bath

• vestirse (i)

• to get dressed

• ponerse/quitarse (la ropa)

• to put on/take off one’s clothes

• mirarse

• to look at one’s self

• afeitarse

• to shave

• maquillarse

• to put on make-up

• acostarse (ue)

• to lay down

• dormirse (ue)

• to fall asleep

• divertirse (ie)

• to have fun

• sentarse (ie)

• to sit one’s self

Keep in mind the following:

1. You may omit subject pronouns when using reflexive verbs, as they are implied in the verb ending, however, you always have to use the reflexive pronoun. For example:

Correcto: Tú te acuestas tarde ⏰ 💤 / Te acuestas tarde ⏰ 💤

You go to sleep late / You go to sleep late

Incorrecto: Tú acuestas tarde / Acuestas tarde

2. In Spanish, when you use a reflexive verb, the action is already understood to be happening to yourself, so you don’t need to add a possessive pronoun like mi.

Correcto: Me peino el pelo. 🪮

I brush/comb my hair.

Incorrecto: Me peino mi pelo.

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3. Some verbs, not all, can be used both as reflexive and non-reflexive, but there will be a change in meaning. For example:

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Here are some additional examples:

• (Tú) te levantas por la mañana vs. (Tú) levantas pesas en el gimnasio.

• You wake up in the morning vs. You lift weights at the gym.

• (Elle) se maquilla todos los días vs. (Elle) maquilla al payaso.

• She does her make-up everyday vs. They do the clown’s make-up.

In the examples above, when the verb is used as reflexive (levantarse), it describes something done to one self, whereas when it is not used as reflexive (levantar), the action is being done to something/somebody else other than one self.

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