What a reflexive verb is
A reflexive verb has a pronoun that refers back to the subject: the person does the action to themselves. In the dictionary these verbs end in -se: levantarse, ducharse, llamarse.
| Person | Pronoun | levantarse (to get up) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | me | me levanto |
| tú | te | te levantas |
| él / ella / usted | se | se levanta |
| nosotros/-as | nos | nos levantamos |
| vosotros/-as (Spain) | os | os levantáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | se | se levantan |
Daily routine
Many everyday actions are reflexive in Spanish, even where English uses no "myself":
| Verb | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| despertarse (e→ie) | to wake up | Me despierto a las siete. |
| levantarse | to get up | Me levanto enseguida. |
| ducharse | to have a shower | Me ducho por la mañana. |
| lavarse (los dientes) | to wash, brush (teeth) | Me lavo los dientes. |
| vestirse (e→i) | to get dressed | Los niños se visten solos. |
| acostarse (o→ue) | to go to bed | Nos acostamos tarde. |
| llamarse | to be called | ¿Cómo te llamas? |
| sentarse (e→ie) | to sit down | Siéntate, por favor. |
Where the pronoun goes
| Verb form | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| conjugated verb | before it | Me ducho. / No me ducho. |
| infinitive | before the conjugated verb or attached | Me voy a duchar. = Voy a duchar*me.* |
| gerund | before estar or attached (add accent) | Me estoy duchando. = Estoy duchándo*me.* |
| affirmative command | attached (add accent) | ¡Levánta*te!* |
With an infinitive, the pronoun must match the subject: Quiero acostar*me pronto.* / ¿Quieres acostar*te?*
Reflexive or not: meaning changes
The same verb without se can mean something else, or be done to someone else:
| Without se | With se |
|---|---|
| Lavo el coche. — I wash the car. | Me lavo. — I wash (myself). |
| Llamo a Pedro. — I call Pedro. | Me llamo Pedro. — My name is Pedro. |
| Voy a casa. — I'm going home. | Me voy a casa. — I'm leaving for home. |
| Duermo mucho. — I sleep a lot. | Me duermo en el sofá. — I fall asleep on the sofa. |
| Pongo la mesa. — I set the table. | Me pongo el abrigo. — I put on my coat. |
Se can also mean "each other": Ana y Luis se quieren. — Ana and Luis love each other.
Watch out as an English speaker
- Forgetting the pronoun. English "I get up" has no "myself". ✗ Levanto a las siete. / ✓ Me levanto a las siete. Without me it means "I lift (something) at seven".
- Possessives with body parts and clothes. The reflexive already shows whose it is. ✗ Me lavo mis manos. / ✓ Me lavo las manos. ✗ Me pongo mi chaqueta. / ✓ Me pongo la chaqueta.
- Wrong pronoun with an infinitive. ✗ Tenemos que levantarse temprano. / ✓ Tenemos que levantar*nos temprano.*
- "My name is" is not "mi nombre es" in everyday speech (it exists, but sounds formal). ✓ Me llamo Sara.
Example dialogue
¿A qué hora te levantas? — What time do you get up?
Me levanto a las seis y media y me ducho enseguida. — I get up at half past six and have a shower right away.
¡Qué pronto! Yo me despierto a las ocho. — So early! I wake up at eight.
Ya, pero me acuesto a las diez. Siempre me duermo leyendo. — Yes, but I go to bed at ten. I always fall asleep reading.