Reflexive verbs express an action in which the subject acts on itself, but they can also indicate mutual action, a change of state, a passive construction, or an accidental event. They are formed by adding a reflexive pronoun to the verb, and their behavior changes according to person, number, and position within the sentence. To understand their full use, it is useful to relate them to [Reflexive pronouns] and [Pronominal verbs].

The basic form is built with a verb plus a reflexive pronoun, as in lavar and lavarse. The pronoun agrees with the subject’s grammatical person and marks that the action falls on it. In many verbs, the presence of the pronoun creates a pronominal verb with a meaning different from the simple verb.

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
El pronombre reflexivo se añade al verbo para señalar que la acción vuelve al sujeto.The reflexive pronoun is added to the verb to indicate that the action returns to the subject.	Me lavo las manos antes de cenar.I wash my hands before dinner.
El infinitivo pronominal termina en se y conserva esa información en el diccionario.The pronominal infinitive ends in se and retains that information in the dictionary.	Lavarse significa lavar a uno mismo.Lavarse means to wash oneself.
La presencia del pronombre puede cambiar el significado del verbo.The presence of the pronoun can change the meaning of the verb.	Ir describe movimiento y irse añade salida o alejamiento.Ir describes movement, and irse adds leaving or departure.

In reflexive action, the subject both performs and receives the action at the same time. This use frequently appears in bodily routines, personal care, and everyday activities. The form of the pronoun depends on the person who performs the action.

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
Primera persona singular usa me.First-person singular uses me.	Me baño por la noche.I bathe at night.
Segunda persona singular usa te.Second-person singular uses te.	Te peinas con calma.You comb your hair calmly.
Tercera persona singular usa se.Third-person singular uses se.	Se seca después de ducharse.He/She dries himself after showering.
Primera persona plural usa nos.First-person plural uses nos.	Nos lavamos los dientes.We brush our teeth.
Segunda persona plural usa os en España.Second-person plural uses os in Spain.	Os vestís temprano.You all get dressed early.

The reflexive pronoun is usually placed before the conjugated verb. With an infinitive and a gerund, it can also be attached at the end of the main verb, and with the affirmative imperative it is attached to the command. Correct placement is essential to maintain the relationship between the subject and the action.

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
Antes del verbo conjugado, el pronombre va separado.Before the conjugated verb, the pronoun is placed separately.	Me levanto a las siete.I get up at seven.
Con infinitivo, el pronombre puede ir unido al final.With an infinitive, the pronoun can be attached at the end.	Quiero lavarme ahora.I want to wash myself now.
Con gerundio, el pronombre puede ir unido al final.With a gerund, the pronoun can be attached at the end.	Está peinándose frente al espejo.He is combing his hair in front of the mirror.
Con imperativo afirmativo, el pronombre se une al verbo.With the affirmative imperative, the pronoun attaches to the verb.	Siéntate aquí.Sit down here.

In the plural, reflexive verbs can express reciprocity, that is, several subjects perform the action one on another. In this sense, the pronoun indicates a bilateral or shared relationship among the participants.

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
Nos indica reciprocidad entre varias personas.It indicates reciprocity among several people.	Nos abrazamos al llegar.We hug each other when we arrive.
Se puede expresar reciprocidad con sujetos plurales de tercera persona.Reciprocity can be expressed with third-person plural subjects.	Ellos se saludan cada mañana.They greet each other every morning.
La acción mutua requiere más de un participante.Mutual action requires more than one participant.	Los vecinos se escuchan con atención.The neighbors listen to each other attentively.

With se and a verb in the third person, Spanish can construct a reflexive passive to present the action without mentioning the agent. This use is common in notices, announcements, and general descriptions. The form emphasizes the result or the existence of something beyond who does it.

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
Se + verbo puede expresar una pasiva refleja.Se + verb can express a reflexive passive.	Se vende casa en el centro.A house in the city center is for sale.
La pasiva refleja presenta el objeto como foco de la oración.The reflexive passive presents the object as the focus of the sentence.	Se publicaron los resultados ayer.The results were published yesterday.
El agente no aparece porque no es necesario mencionarlo.The agent does not appear because it is not necessary to mention it.	Se aceptan tarjetas de crédito.Credit cards are accepted.

Some verbs with se and an indirect object pronoun express accidental or fortuitous events, where the action occurs without the subject’s intention. The combination usually appears with verbs of loss, forgetfulness, breakage, or unexpected discovery. This tendency relates to pronominal constructions that should be studied together with [Pronominal verbs].

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
Se me puede expresar un olvido accidental.An accidental forgetfulness can be expressed to me.	Se me olvidó la contraseña.I forgot the password.
Se te puede expresar un hecho no querido que afecta a otra persona.An unwanted event that affects someone else can be expressed to you.	Se te cayó el móvil.Your phone fell.
Se le puede expresar un suceso inesperado.An unexpected event can be expressed to him/her.	Se le rompió la taza.The cup broke.

Some pronominal verbs indicate an internal transformation of the subject. Verbs like enamorarse, quedarse, and volverse show the transition to a new state, condition, or attitude. Here the pronoun does not mark only reflection, but a change that affects the subject as a result.

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
Enamorarse expresa un cambio afectivo.To fall in love expresses an emotional change.	Se enamoró de la música.He fell in love with the music.
Quedarse expresa permanencia o resultado.Quedarse expresses permanence or result.	Se quedó en casa todo el día.He/She stayed at home all day.
Volverse expresa transformación de carácter o condición.Volverse expresses a transformation of character or condition.	Se volvió más serio con el tiempo.He/She became more serious over time.

The pronoun os is used in Spain for the second-person plural, while in much of the Americas ustedes with se is preferred. In register, some verbs with an added pronoun can sound more colloquial or expressive, such as comerse, beberse, or saberse. These differences do not change the basic structure, but do influence the usual choice according to region and style.

RegiónRegion.	Palabra o fraseWord or phrase.	Definición regionalRegional definition.	EjemploExample.
EspañaSpain.	osos (you all—in Spain).	Pronombre de segunda persona plural usado con vosotros.Second-person plural pronoun used with vosotros.	Os laváis pronto, porque empieza la clase.You all wash yourselves quickly, because class is starting.
América LatinaLatin America.	sese (reflexive pronoun).	Forma habitual con ustedes en la segunda persona plural.The habitual form with ustedes in the second person plural.	Se lavan las manos antes de comer.They wash their hands before eating.
Registro coloquialColloquial register.	comerseto eat up.	Puede añadir énfasis o naturalidad en habla cotidiana.It can add emphasis or naturalness in everyday speech.	Se comió la sopa, porque tenía hambre.Se comió la sopa, because he was hungry.

When direct and indirect object pronouns appear together, the third-person form le or les changes to se in front of lo, la, los, or las. This sequence avoids difficult phonetic repetition and keeps the grammatical structure correct. The combination is very common in reflexive and pronominal uses with double complements.

IdeaIdea.	EjemploExample.
Le cambia a se cuando va seguido de lo, la, los o las.It changes from le to se when followed by lo, la, los, or las.	Se lo di ayer.I gave it to him yesterday.
Les cambia a se cuando va seguido de lo, la, los o las.It changes from le/les to se when followed by lo, la, los, or las.	Se las entregué en clase.I handed them to him/her in class.
La secuencia completa conserva el orden de los complementos.The full sequence preserves the order of the complements.	Se lo expliqué con paciencia.I explained it to him/her patiently.

Reflexive verbs show a close relationship between the subject, pronoun, and verbal meaning. They can indicate action on oneself, reciprocity, a reflexive passive, an accidental event, or a change of state, and their form also depends on the pronoun’s position and the combination with other pronouns. Recognizing whether a verb is pronominal or non-pronominal allows precise interpretation of expressions such as ir, irse, lavarse, or se me olvidó.