1. Reflexive Verbs

2. Reflexive Verbs
The subject and the verb both perform and receive the action. The subject is doing the action for him/herself.
Many of the daily routine verbs are reflexive
Reflexive verbs always use a reflexive object pronoun

3. Reflexive Object Pronouns
The placement of Reflexive Object Pronouns is the same as for Indirect and Direct Object Pronouns:
Before the conjugated verb
Attached to the end of an infinitive
Attached to the end of a present participle
Attached to the end of an affirmative command.

4. Reflexive Object Pronounsme
nos te se

5. Some Common Reflexive Daily Routine Verbs:
Reflexive Verbs
Some Common Reflexive Daily Routine Verbs:
despertarse (e:ie)
ponerse
levantarse
quitarse
lavarse
vestirse (e:i)
ducharse
irse
bañarse
desayunarse
secarse
almorzarse (o:ue)
cepillarse
cenarse
peinarse
acostarse (o:ue)
maquillarse
dormirse (o:ue)
afeitarse

6. Reflexive Verbs
Ejemplos: Me seco el cabello. Te cepillas los dientes. Nos lavamos las manos. Ella se levanta temprano. Uds. se duermen tarde.

7. Reflexive vs. Non-reflexive
A reflexive verb is only used if the action is being done to/for oneself. If the action is done for someone else, the verb is non-reflexive.
Juan se afeita la barba.
John is shaving his (own) beard.
Marta baña al bebé.
Martha is bathing the baby.

8. Reflexive vs. Non-reflexive
Besides daily routines, most verbs have a non-reflexive counterpart. Often these verbs change meaning depending on whether or not they are used with a reflexive object pronoun.

9. Reflexive vs. Non-reflexive
aburrir
to bore
aburrirse
to be/get bored
acordar
to agree
acordarse
to remember
comer
to eat
comerse
to eat up
dormir
to sleep
dormirse
to fall asleep ir
to go
irse
to go away
llevar
to carry
llevarse
to carry away
mudar
to change
mudarse
to move (residence)
poner
to put
ponerse
to put on (clothes)
quitar
to take away
quitarse
to take off “

10. Reflexive vs. Non-reflexive
Some Spanish verbs/expressions are always reflexive, even if they are not so in English. These verbs frequently are followed by a preposition.

11. Reflexive vs. Non-reflexive
acercarse de
to approach
fijarse en
to take notice of
arrepentirse de
to repent of
morirse de
to die of
atreverse de
to dare to
olvidarse de
to forget about
convertirse en
to become
preocuparse de
to worry about
darse cuenta de
to realize
quejarse de
to complain about
enterarse se
to find out about
sorprenderse de
to be surprised about

12. Marta y yo nos encontramos al centro comercial.
Reciprocal “se”
In the plural, reflexive verbs can express reciprocal actions (each other)
Marta y yo nos encontramos al centro comercial.
Martha and I met each other at the mall.
Juan y María no se conocen ya.
John and Mary don’t know each other yet.

13. Impersonal “se”
used to express one should/must (not) do or what is (not) done
Se habla español.
Spanish is spoken here.
No se fuma.
No smoking.

14. Reflexive verbs: to get/become
The idea of to get or to become can be expressed through use of the reflexive verbs in Spanish and by the following constructions:
ponerse + adjective
hacerse + adjective (e.g. professions)

15. Reflexive verbs: to get/become
Lola se enferma. Lola is getting sick. Jorge se pone enojado. George is getting angry. Ellos se hacen médicos. They are becoming doctors.