Reflexivo En Español [hot] May 2026
| Use | Explanation | Example | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | The subject acts on its own body or clothing. | Ella se peina . (She combs her hair.) | | Reciprocal | Two or more people do the action to each other (plural only: nos, os, se ). | Ellos se abrazan . (They hug each other.) | | Change of State | Expresses a change in emotion or condition (often translated as "to become" or "to get"). | Me enojé . (I got angry.) / Se durmió . (He fell asleep.) | | Accidental/Unplanned ("Se accidental") | Expresses an accident or unplanned event. The person is not the active agent. Structure: se + indirect object pronoun + verb. | Se me olvidó el libro. (I forgot the book – literally: "The book forgot itself to me.") | | Emphasis / Completion | Adds emphasis or indicates the action is complete. Often used with verbs of consumption. | Me comí toda la pizza. (I ate up the whole pizza.) | 6. Common Reflexive Verbs | Infinitive | Meaning | Example Sentence | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Lavarse | to wash oneself | Me lavo las manos. (I wash my hands.) | | Ducharse | to shower | Te duchas cada mañana. (You shower every morning.) | | Levantarse | to get up | Nos levantamos a las 7. (We get up at 7.) | | Acostarse (o→ue) | to go to bed | Ella se acuesta tarde. (She goes to bed late.) | | Despertarse (e→ie) | to wake up | Me despierto a las 6. (I wake up at 6.) | | Vestirse (e→i) | to get dressed | Nos vestimos rápido. (We get dressed quickly.) | | Sentirse (e→ie) | to feel (emotion/state) | ¿Cómo te sientes? (How do you feel?) | | Ponerse | to put on (clothes) or to become (emotional) | Me pongo nervioso. (I get nervous.) | | Quedarse | to stay / remain | Se quedó en casa. (He stayed home.) | | Divertirse (e→ie) | to have fun | Nos divertimos mucho. (We had a lot of fun.) | 7. The BIG Mistake: Reflexive vs. Non-Reflexive Many verbs exist in both reflexive and non-reflexive forms. The meaning changes.
| Verb Form | Position | Example | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Before the verb | Yo me baño . (I bathe myself.) | | Negative command | Before the verb | No te levantes tarde. (Don’t get up late.) | | Affirmative command | Attached to the end | Levántate temprano. (Get up early.) | | Infinitive | Attached to the end (or before a conjugated helper) | Voy a levantarme . / Me voy a levantar. (I’m going to get up.) | | Gerund (-ando/-iendo) | Attached to the end (or before a conjugated helper) | Está lavándose . / Se está lavando. (He is washing himself.) | 5. When Do You Use the Reflexive? Not all reflexive verbs mean literally "to wash oneself." They have several key uses: reflexivo en español
| Conjugation | Structure | | :--- | :--- | | Yo | me + levanto | | Tú te levantas | te + levantas | | Él se levanta | se + levanta | | Nosotros nos levantamos | nos + levantamos | | Vosotros os levantáis | os + levantáis | | Ellos se levantan | se + levantan | Note: The reflexive pronoun always comes before the conjugated verb. It is not attached to it (except in commands, infinitives, or gerunds). 4. Position of the Reflexive Pronoun The pronoun changes position depending on the verb form: | Use | Explanation | Example | |