Spanish/Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs indicate that the action of the verb reflects back on the subject. In their infinitive forms, reflexive verbs end in -se.

Examples:

• lavarse- to wash oneself
• vestirse- to dress oneself

Conjugation requires removing the -se ending and conjugating normally. The reflexive pronouns are then placed before the conjugated form of the verb.

Lavarse

yo me lavo - I wash myself

tú te lavas - you wash yourself

él/ella/Ud. se lava - he/she/it washes himself/herself/itself

nosotros nos lavamos - we wash ourselves

vosotros os laváis - you (plural) wash yourselves

ellos/ellas/Uds. se lavan - they wash themselves

Vestirse

yo me visto - I dress myself

tú te vistes - you dress yourself

él/ella/Ud. se viste - he/she/it dresses himself/herself/itself

nosotros nos vestimos - we dress ourselves

vosotros os vestís - you (plural) dress yourselves

ellos/ellas/Uds. se visten - they dress themselves

Reflexive verbs often have to do with personal hygiene, grooming, and dressing:

• peinarse- to brush one's hair
• maquillarse- to make-up oneself
• cepillarse (los dientes)- to brush one's teeth
• bañarse- to bathe oneself

Remember that the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, etc.) must be included with the verb, even if the subject pronoun (yo, tú, él, etc.) is not.

List of Reflexive Verbs

• acercarse - to get close to
• acordarse de - to remember
• acostarse - to go to bed
• acostumbrarse a - to get accustomed
• aficionarse a - to become interested in
• alejarse de - to get away from
• arreglarse - to fix (one-self)
• apartarse de - to move away from
• apoderarse de - to seize
• apoyarse en - to support
• apresurarse a - to hurry
• aprovecharse de - to profit from...
• atreverse a - to dare
• bañarse - to take a bath
• burlarse de - to make fun of
• cansarse de - to get tired of
• casarse con - to marry
• cepillarse - to brush
• comerse - to eat
• compadecerse de - to take pity on
• complacerse en - to take pleasure in
• conformarse con - to be content
• contentarse con - to cheer up, to make do
• convertirse en - to become, to convert
• darse cuenta de - to realize
• decidirse a - to make up one's mind
• dedicarse a - to dedicate oneself to (profession, activity, etc.)
• despedirse de - to say goodbye
• despertarse - to wake up
• despojarse de - to remove
• dirigirse a - to go toward
• disponerse a - to get ready
• divertirse de - to have fun
• dormirse - to go to sleep
• echarse a - to begin to
• empenarse en - to insist on
• enamorarse de - to be in love with
• encargarse de - to deal with
• encogerse de hombros - to shrug (shoulders)
• encontrarse con - to meet with
• enforzarse en - enforce on
• enterarse de - to find out, to realize
• entenderse con - to get along with
• exponerse a - to expose oneself
• exponerse de - to run the risk of
• fijarse en - to pay attention
• fiarse de alguien
• levantarse - to get up
• meterse con - to pick on
• meterse en - to go/come into
• negarse a - to refuse
• obsesionarse con - to be/get obsessed with
• ocuparse de - to look after
• olvidarse de - to forget
• parecerse a - to look like
• ponerse - to put on
• ponerse de acuerdo - to agree
• ponerse en camino - to get on (your)way
• preocuparse de - to worry about
• prepararse a - to prepare to
• quejarse de - to complain about
• quedarse - to remain/ to stay
• quemarse - to burn (oneself, one's body)
• quitarse - to take off
• reirse de - to laugh about
• resignarse a - to resign oneself to
• resolverse a - to resolve oneself to
• secarse - to dry
• sentarse - to sit
• sentirse - to feel
• servirse - to help oneself to
• servirse de - to use
• suicidarse - to commit suicide, to kill oneself.
• tratarse de - to be about