What are reflexive verbs?

Reflexive verbs describe an action that we do towards ourselves.

meaning:

the person DOING the action
is also RECEIVING the action

ex: I brush my hair

• subject: I

• verb: brush

• object: my hair

Since the subject and the person receiving the action are the same, the verb is a reflexive

Ejemplos:

• I wash my face

• She brushed her teeth

• He showered (himself)

• Me lavo la cara

• Se lava los dientes

• Se ducha

"I put on hair gel", why?

Subject: I
Object: my face

The person doing the action is also receiving the action. Therefore, it is a reflexive statement.

Why?

Subject: I
Object: my car


The subject and the object are completely different entities.
The person doing the action is NOT receiving the action, the car is the one being washed. Therefore, it is not a reflexive statement.

How to recognise a reflexive verb in Spanish?

• In the INFINITIVE form, we can recognise them for the "-se" at the end

  Example: lavarse, peinarse, levantarse

• When a verb is CONJUGATED, they consist of a reflexive pronoun at the front and the verb

  Example: Juan se levanta a las ocho

How do they work?

Reflexive verbs follow the same steps as regular present tense verbs, but they include a reflexive pronoun.

1. Move the "-se" before the verb

2. Change the "se" (pronoun) according to the person doing the action (subject)

3. Chop the ending of the infinitive ("-ar", "-er", "-ir") and add the correct ending according to the subject

Again, but by steps

STEP 1
Take off the "se" at the end of the verb.

STEP 2
Think WHO is doing the action.
Find the matching reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) on the table.
Put it BEFORE the verb.

Again, but by steps

STEP 3
Conjugate the verb like you would normally do in the present tense:
1. Chop the endings of the infinitive ("-ar", "-er", "-ir")
2. Check the person
3. Add the right ending