Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs describe actions that someone does to themselves, and they always use reflexive pronouns to show this. This guide focuses on Spanish reflexive verbs, how to recognize them, and how to use the pronouns.
Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive verbs in Spanish are marked by the particle se attached to the infinitive, and they require matching reflexive pronouns like me, te, se, nos, and os to show who does the action to themselves. When you conjugate the verb, you move the pronoun to agree with the subject and place it before the verb or attach it to an infinitive or gerund.
Key Reflexive Pronouns
The basic reflexive pronouns correspond to the subject and appear before the conjugated verb or attach to an infinitive or gerund:
| Spanish Pronoun | English Pronoun |
|---|---|
| me | myself |
| te | yourself |
| se | himself/herself/itself/yourself (formal) |
| nos | ourselves |
| os | yourselves |
| se | themselves/you all (formal) |
| English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| I look at myself in the mirror. | Yo me miro en el espejo. |
| You look at yourself in the mirror. | Tú te miras en el espejo. |
| He looks at himself in the mirror. | Él se mira en el espejo. |
| She looks at herself in the mirror. | Ella se mira en el espejo. |
| We look at ourselves in the mirror. | Nosotros nos miramos en el espejo. |
| You (pl.) look at yourselves in the mirror. | Vosotros os miráis en el espejo. |
| They look at themselves in the mirror. | Ellos se miran en el espejo. |
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Common Reflexive Verbs
Common reflexive verbs describe daily routines and personal care, and they all appear in dictionaries with the se particle to signal that they normally require reflexive pronouns.
| Spanish Verb | English Verb | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| levantarse | to get up | |
| ducharse | to shower | |
| vestirse | to get dressed | stem change |
| acostarse | to go to bed | stem change |
| despertarse | to wake up | stem change |
| lavarse | to wash oneself | |
| cepillarse | to brush (hair/teeth) | |
| peinarse | to comb (hair) | |
| maquillarse | to put on makeup | |
| afeitarse | to shave |
| English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| I dress myself before seeing my reflection. | Yo me visto antes de ver mi reflejo. |
| You wash your face to see more clearly. | Tú te lavas la cara para ver más claro. |
| She combs her hair while looking in the mirror. | Ella se peina mientras mira en el espejo. |
| We shave and look at the mirror to avoid mistakes. | Nosotros nos afeitamos y miramos el espejo para no equivocarnos. |
| They brush their teeth in front of the mirror. | Ellos se cepillan los dientes frente al espejo. |
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Using Reflexive Verbs
To use a reflexive verb in a sentence, first identify the subject, then choose the matching reflexive pronoun, and finally conjugate the verb and place the pronoun correctly—either before the conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive or gerund.
Turning Reflexive Verbs into Actions
When reflexive verbs are used with an infinitive or gerund, the reflexive pronoun can attach to the end or appear before an auxiliary verb, depending on sentence structure and emphasis.
| English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| I am looking at myself in the mirror. | Yo me estoy mirando en el espejo. |
| You are washing your hands while watching your reflection. | Tú te estás lavando las manos mientras miras tu reflejo. |
| She is dressing herself and checking her outfit. | Ella se está vistiendo y revisando su atuendo. |
| We are combing our hair in front of the mirror. | Nosotros nos estamos peinando frente al espejo. |
| They are brushing their hair while looking at themselves. | Ellos se están cepillando el pelo mientras se miran. |
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Non-Reflexive Uses
Some verbs can be reflexive or non-reflexive, and the meaning changes depending on whether you use the reflexive pronoun; dropping se can turn the action outward rather than onto oneself.
| English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| I look at the mirror to check the time. | Yo miro el espejo para ver la hora. |
| She washes the dishes after seeing her reflection. | Ella lava los platos después de ver su reflejo. |
| They dress the mannequins in the store window. | Ellos visten a los maniquíes del escaparate. |
| We comb the dog’s fur before going outside. | Nosotros peinamos el pelaje del perro antes de salir. |
| He brushes the car before the show. | Él cepilla el coche antes del desfile. |
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Summary
Reflexive verbs express actions performed on oneself and always require matching reflexive pronouns like me, te, or se. Learn common reflexive verbs that describe daily routines, practice placing pronouns before conjugated forms or attaching them to infinitives and gerunds, and pay attention to when dropping the pronoun changes the meaning.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025