Spanish Reflexive Verbs

Spanish Reflexive Verbs are conjugated in all their forms with a reflexive pronoun that has to agree with the subject in person and number: (yo) me, (tú) te, (él/ella) se, (nosotros/-as) nos, (vosotros/-as) os, (ellos/-as) se. Therefore, today in the Spanish Club we will show you examples of Spanish Reflexive Verbs and how to conjugate them.

Spanish Reflexive Verbs List

When you introduce yourself in Spanish you use a reflexive verb:

Llamarse: Nosotras nos llamamos Marga y María

When we want to express our daily routine (in present and past tense) we need Spanish reflexive verbs. In addition, these verbs help us to express actions we do and receive, for example:

Levantarse: Juan se levanta todos los días a las 7.

As you can see in the example, it is very important not to forget the personal pronoun conjugated in the same form as the subject, for example:

Despertarse: yo me despierto a las 6.30 a.m.

The reflexive pronouns that accompany the Spanish reflexive verbs are:

ME, TE, SE, NOS, OS, SE

Reflexive Verbs: Infinite Form

In its infinitive form the pronoun always goes at the end, so it is easy to recognize reflexive verbs, for example: ducharse, sentarse, vestirse, maquillarse, afeitarse, acostarse, …

The general rule for using the reflexive pronoun when the verb is conjugated is to write in front of the verb the pronoun, for example:

Cepillarse: María se cepilla los dientes todas las mañanas

Spanish Reflexive Verbs: Exceptions

With the non-personal forms of verbs: infinitive and gerund we write the pronoun after and next to the verb:

María va a cepillarse los dientes ahora.

María está cepillándose los dientes ahora

Verbs with and without Reflexive Pronoun

Some verbs can be used with or without a reflexive pronoun. If the subject does not perform the action because it is performed by someone else, then the verb is not reflexive. Furthermore, it is reflexive when the action is performed and received by the subject. Here are a few examples of Spanish reflexive verbs with and without the reflexive pronoun:

VOLVERSE: When it is reflexive it means changing the character. Example: Después de ganar la lotería, Antonio se volvió más generoso.

VOLVER: When it is not reflective it means to return. Example: Volvemos de Madrid el fin de semana.

LLAMARSE: When it is reflexive it means having a name. Example: Me llamo Marta López García

LLAMAR: When it is not reflexive it means establishing communication. Example: Llama a tu madre cuando puedas.

Practice with Spanish Reflexive Verbs

These Spanish reflexive verbs are easy to learn and practice. Now it’s your turn to put into practice what you have learned. Send us your answers by email or Whatsapp and we will be happy to correct them and help you understand them better. Let’s get to it!

1. Ellas (peinarse)__________ delante del espejo cada mañana.
2. Vamos a (ponerse) _________ el abrigo porque hace mucho frío fuera.
3. Ellos (amarse)________ para toda la vida.
4. Ayer (olvidarse, yo) _________ las llaves en casa. (It is a punctual action in which we also need to write the reflexive. It is not only for daily routine actions. It can be actions that do not occur to us on a daily basis.)
5. Antes Ana (cansarse) _________ mucho porque necesitaba tomas más vitaminas.
6. Vosotros (parecerse) __________ mucho a vuestros abuelos.
7. Siempre (quejarse) __________ de que tu hermana no te ayuda cuando tienes un problema.
8. Nosotros (preocuparse) ___________ por el futuro de nuestros hijos.
9. Los niños (lavarse) __________ las manos antes de comer.
10. Pepe y Lucas (acordarse)_____________ mucho de sus amigos de la Universidad.
11. ¿(Acordarse)________ de cuando íbamos de vacaciones a la playa? (Elige el sujeto)
12. Cuando voy a una nueva ciudad (perderse)___________ fácilmente.
13. (Irse/ir, ellos) ___________ a vivir a Londres el próximo año. (Elige y conjuga)
14. (Irse/ir, nosotras) ________ de viaje el fin de semana a Cáceres. (Elige y conjuga)

15. (Aburrir/aburrirse, yo)_________ las películas románticas.

Finally, we hoped that you enjoyed this post about Spanish reflexive verbs. If you have any questions, you can contact us. Book 25 minutes in the pop up on the page and we will chat about your exercises and solve all your questions. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for Advanced Spanish classes or Spanish classes for beginners, we are always willing to help. In conclusion, we hope to see you in the social media!