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Spanish Reflexive Verbs: Your Ultimate Guide to Daily Routines
Ever wonder how to talk about your daily routine in Spanish? You know, all the things you do to get yourself ready for the day, like waking up, showering, and brushing your teeth. The key to unlocking this everyday conversation is a special type of verb: the reflexive verb.
It might sound technical, but the idea is simple. Reflexive verbs are used when the person doing the action is also the person receiving the action. Think about it: I wake myself up. You brush your teeth.
In this guide, we'll break down exactly what reflexive verbs are, how to use them, and give you a ton of vocabulary to describe your entire day, from sunrise to bedtime. Let's get started!
What Exactly is a Reflexive Verb?
In Spanish, you can spot a reflexive verb in its dictionary form (the infinitive) because it will always end in -se.
lavar= to wash (something, like the car)lavarse= to wash oneself
The little -se on the end is a huge clue. It tells you that the action of the verb "reflects" back onto the subject.
Let's look at the difference in action.
Drag the handle to compare
In the first sentence, I am washing something else (the dog). In the second, I am washing a part of myself (my hands). That's the core idea of reflexive verbs!
The Magic Ingredients: Reflexive Pronouns
To use these verbs correctly, you can't just use the -se ending. You need to swap it out for a special little word called a reflexive pronoun. This pronoun must match the subject of the sentence.
Think of them as the Spanish equivalents of "myself," "yourself," "himself," etc.
Here are the reflexive pronouns you need to know:
| Subject Pronoun | Reflexive Pronoun | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| yo | me | myself |
| tú | te | yourself |
| él/ella/usted | se | himself/herself/yourself (formal) |
| nosotros/as | nos | ourselves |
| vosotros/as | os | yourselves (Spain) |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | se | themselves/yourselves |
Memorization Tip
Notice that most of the pronouns are the same as direct and indirect object pronouns (me, te, nos, os). The only new ones are for the third person (él, ellos), which both use se. This makes them easier to remember!
Putting It All Together: Conjugating Reflexive Verbs
Okay, you've got the concept and the pronouns. Now, let's build a sentence. Conjugating a reflexive verb is a simple, three-step process.
Let's use the verb levantarseto get up.
Step 1: Choose your subject and find the matching reflexive pronoun. Let's say we want to say "I get up." The subject is yo, so our pronoun is me.
Step 2: Remove the -se from the infinitive.
levantarse becomes levantar.
Step 3: Conjugate the verb as you normally would, and place the reflexive pronoun before it.
levantar is a regular -ar verb. For yo, it becomes levanto. Now, just pop the pronoun in front.
me levanto
That's it! "I get up."
Let's see it in a full chart for ducharseto shower:
| Subject | Pronoun | Verb (duchar) | Full Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | me | ducho | me ducho |
| tú | te | duchas | te duchas |
| él/ella | se | ducha | se ducha |
| nosotros | nos | duchamos | nos duchamos |
| vosotros | os | ducháis | os ducháis |
| ellos | se | duchan | se duchan |
How would you say 'She gets dressed' using the verb 'vestirse'?
A Day in the Life: Your Vocabulary for Daily Routines
Now for the fun part! Here is a list of the most common reflexive verbs you'll use to talk about your day.
La Mañana (The Morning) ☀️
- despertarse (e:ie) - to wake up
- Yo me despiertowake up a las siete de la mañana. (I wake up at 7 in the morning.)
- levantarse - to get up
- ¿Tú te levantasget up temprano o tarde? (Do you get up early or late?)
- ducharse - to shower
- Mi padre se duchashowers por la mañana. (My father showers in the morning.)
- bañarse - to take a bath
- Nosotros nos bañamostake a bath los fines de semana. (We take a bath on the weekends.)
- cepillarse - to brush
- Siempre me cepilloI brush los dientes después de comer. (I always brush my teeth after eating.)
- peinarse - to comb one's hair
- Mi hermana se peinacombs her hair con mucho cuidado. (My sister combs her hair very carefully.)
- vestirse (e:i) - to get dressed
- Los niños se vistenget dressed para la escuela. (The children get dressed for school.)
- maquillarse - to put on makeup
- ¿Te maquillasDo you put on makeup todos los días? (Do you put on makeup every day?)
- afeitarse - to shave
- Él se afeitashaves la cara por la mañana. (He shaves his face in the morning.)
Arrange the words to form a correct sentence:
La Noche (The Evening) 🌙
- quitarse - to take off (clothing)
- Yo me quitotake off los zapatos cuando llego a casa. (I take off my shoes when I get home.)
- acostarse (o:ue) - to go to bed / to lie down
- Nosotros nos acostamosgo to bed a las once de la noche. (We go to bed at 11 at night.)
- dormirse (o:ue) - to fall asleep
- El bebé se duermefalls asleep muy rápido. (The baby falls asleep very quickly.)
Dormir vs. Dormirse
This is a tricky one!
- Dormir means "to sleep." It describes the general state of sleeping. (Yo duermo ocho horas. - I sleep for eight hours.)
- Dormirse means "to fall asleep." It describes the action of entering sleep. (Me duermo en el sofá. - I fall asleep on the sofa.)
Placement is Key: Where Do Reflexive Pronouns Go?
So far, we've only put the pronoun before the conjugated verb. This is the most common way, but you have another option when you're using a verb in its infinitive form (like after querer or ir a).
Rule 1: Before the conjugated verb. (The standard way)
- Me voy a levantarI'm going to get up a las 8.
Rule 2: Attached to the infinitive. (Also correct!)
- Voy a levantarmeI'm going to get up a las 8.
Both sentences mean "I'm going to get up at 8," and both are 100% correct. This flexibility is great! You can choose whichever sounds more natural to you.
This also works with the present progressive (estar + -ando/-iendo form).
- Me estoy duchandoI am showering.
- Estoy duchándomeI am showering.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Reflexive verbs are super useful, but a few common slip-ups can happen. Let's look at them so you can avoid them!
1. Forgetting the pronoun entirely. This changes the meaning of the sentence from doing something to yourself to doing it to someone or something else.
Drag the handle to compare
Without me, "Yo levanto" means "I lift" (something). You need the me to say you are getting yourself up.
2. Using the wrong pronoun. Remember, the pronoun must match the subject.
- Incorrect:
Yo te levanto a las 7.(This means "I get you up at 7.") - Correct:
Yo me levanto a las 7.(This means "I get myself up at 7.")
3. Confusing reflexive verbs with possessive adjectives.
In English, we say "I brush my teeth." It's tempting to translate this directly to "Yo me cepillo mis dientes." While not technically wrong, it's redundant in Spanish. The me already tells us whose teeth you're brushing!
- Sounds unnatural:
Me cepillo mis dientes. - Sounds natural:
Me cepillo los dientes.
Which sentence correctly says 'We are going to wash our hands'?
You've Got This!
Whew, that was a lot, but you made it! Reflexive verbs are a fundamental part of daily Spanish conversation. By understanding how they work, you've just unlocked the ability to describe your entire day.
Your takeaway:
- Look for infinitives ending in -se.
- Use the matching reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se).
- Place the pronoun before the conjugated verb or attach it to an infinitive.
The best way to get comfortable is to practice. Try writing down a few sentences about your own morning routine. What time do you wake up? Do you shower in the morning or at night? The more you use them, the more natural they'll become.
¡Buena suerte!