1. Los verbos reflexivos

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. 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)