Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns show that the subject does something to itself, and they align with an attached reflexive marker like se or a prepended pronoun like me. This guide goes over each reflexive pronoun and how to use them in short markdown tables for quick reference.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns in Spanish match the person and number of the subject, and they appear either before a conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive, gerund, or affirmative command. Each pronoun signals who receives the action back onto themselves.
| Spanish Reflexive Pronoun | English Reflexive Pronoun |
|---|---|
| me | myself |
| te | yourself |
| se | himself / herself / itself / yourself (formal) |
| nos | ourselves |
| os | yourselves (Spain) |
| se | themselves / yourselves (formal) |
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| me | myself |
| te | yourself |
| se | himself/herself/yourself (formal)/themselves |
| nos | ourselves |
| os | yourselves (informal plural) |
| se | themselves/yourselves (formal plural) |
Usage
Reflexive pronouns are used with reflexive verbs that describe actions one does to oneself, like levantarse, ducharse, or vestirse. They also appear in daily routines and in expressions where the action returns to the subject.
Examples
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🪞 Me miro en el espejo para peinarme. | I look at myself in the mirror to do my hair. |
| 🧼 Te lavas las manos antes de cenar. | You wash your hands before dinner. |
| 🧴 Ella se pone crema en la cara. | She puts cream on her face. |
| 🪥 Me cepillo los dientes todas las mañanas. | I brush my teeth every morning. |
| 🧖 Nos relajamos y nos damos masajes. | We relax and give each other massages. |
Non-Reflexive Uses
Some verbs can be reflexive or non-reflexive depending on whether the action returns to the subject; removing or changing the pronoun cambia el sentido. For example, lavar versus lavarse, or ir versus irse. Paying attention to small pronoun differences changes who benefits from the action.
Double Object Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns like me, te, se, nos, and os can interact with indirect and direct object pronouns in double-object constructions. When an indirect object pronoun would be le or les, it changes to se if a reflexive pronoun se is also needed, to avoid le le sequences.
Summary
Reflexive pronouns align with the subject and mark that an action returns to that same person; they appear as short pronouns like me, te, se, and must match the verb form. Practicing common reflexive verbs and noticing small pronoun changes helps internalize how these pronouns shape meaning in daily Spanish.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025