Los verbos reflexivos
What makes a verb reflexive? an action done to oneself the doer of the action is also the receiver of the action the subject and the object are the same ex) cutting your own hair reflexive cutting someone else’s hair not reflexive someone cutting your hair not reflexive Paula cutting her own hair reflexive
How to recognize a reflexive verb: look for the “se” on the end of the infinitive: levantarse, cepillarse, acostarse reflexive verbs cocinar, hablar, comer, vivir, not reflexive verbs I wash myself. I wash the car. subject: I subject: I verb: wash (lavarse) verb: wash (lavar) object: myself object: the car
Remember this one? How do you call yourself? subject: you verb: call (llamarse) object: yourself For some verbs, the meaning changes when they are used reflexively I call my grandma. subject: I verb: call (llamar) object: my grandma NOT reflex.
Change of meaning aburrir – to bore aburrirse – to be bored acordar – to agree acordarse de – to remember acostar – to put to bed acostarse – to go to bed casar – to perform a marriage ceremony casarse con – to become married to someone despedir – to fire despedirse – to say goodbye dormir – to sleep dormirse – to fall asleep ir – to go irse – to go away, to leave llamar – to call (by phone) llamarse – to call oneself morir – to die (abruptly, accident, war, etc.) morirse – to die (natural causes; figuratively) negar – to deny negarse a – to refuse parecer – to seem parecerse a – to resemble poner – to put ponerse – to put on probar – to try, to taste probarse – to try on quitar – to take away quitarse – to take off
Reflexive object pronouns 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. (reflexive) Juan lava su coche. (non-reflexive) me nos te os se
Reflexive Object Pronouns Indirect Object Pronouns Big difference! Reflexive Object Pronouns Indirect Object Pronouns me nos te os se me nos te os le les Used to show that the subject and the object are the same; the doer of the action is also the receiver of the action I put makeup on myself. Yo me maquillo. We get dressed. Nosotros nos vestimos. Used with verbs like gustar The predicate is doing the action to the subject (a mí, a ti, a Carlos, a las chicas, a nosotros…) Apples are pleasing to me. A mí me gustan las manzanas. The flies are bothersome to us. A nosotros nos molestan las moscas.
How to conjugate a reflexive verb: Drop the “se” at the end of the infinitive and change it to the correct reflexive object pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se). Conjugate the verb correctly in the correct tense present preterite future 3 Placements of reflexive object pronoun: OP goes before conjugated verb OP is attached to infinitive OP is attached to present participle (+ accent)
3 Placements of reflexive object pronoun 1. OP goes before conjugated verb 2. OP is attached to infinitive 3. OP is attached to present participle (+ accent) acostarse (ue) – to go to bed me acuesto nos acostamos te acuestas os acostáis se acuesta se acuestan
3 Placements of reflexive object pronoun 1. OP goes before conjugated verb 2. OP is attached to infinitive 3. OP is attached to present participle (+ accent) I prefer to shower instead of bathing. Yo prefiero ducharme en lugar de bañarme. (rule 2) Yo me prefiero duchar en lugar de bañar. (rule 1)
3 Placements of reflexive object pronoun 1. OP goes before conjugated verb 2. OP is attached to infinitive 3. OP is attached to present participle (+ accent) I am relaxing (now). Yo estoy relajándome. (rule 3) Yo me estoy relajando. (rule 1)
Vamos a practicar: Drop the “se” at the end of the infinitive and change it to the correct reflexive object pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se). Conjugate the verb correctly in the correct tense present preterite future 3 Placements of reflexive object pronoun: OP goes before conjugated verb OP is attached to infinitive OP is attached to present participle (+ accent)