Reflexive verbs: A reflexive verb (un verbo reflexivo) describes an action the subject does to or for itself. The clue is the «-se» on the infinitive: levantarse (to get oneself up), ducharse (to shower oneself). You conjugate the verb as normal and add a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se…) that matches the subject: «me levanto», «te levantas».
- el verbo reflexivo
- reflexive verb — the subject acts on itself (levantarse, ducharse)
- el pronombre reflexivo
- reflexive pronoun — me, te, se, nos, os, se
- -se
- the ending on the infinitive that marks a verb as reflexive
- la rutina diaria
- daily routine — where reflexive verbs appear most
- recíproco
- reciprocal — «se» meaning each other («se quieren» = they love each other)
- concordar
- to agree — the reflexive pronoun must match the subject
You'll need these for your routine: The daily-routine speaking and writing tasks are full of reflexive verbs: despertarse, levantarse, ducharse, vestirse, acostarse. Learn the pronoun set once and you can describe a whole day from morning to night.
Reflexive pronoun + verb: Conjugate the verb as usual, then add the reflexive pronoun that matches the subject: me, te, se, nos, os, se. Below is levantarse (to get up) in the present. The pronoun follows the same placement rule as object pronouns: before a conjugated verb, or attached to an infinitive/gerund/command.
| Persona | Pronombre | levantarse (presente) |
|---|---|---|
| yo | me | me levanto |
| tú | te | te levantas |
| él / ella / usted | se | se levanta |
| nosotros / nosotras | nos | nos levantamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | os | os levantáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | se | se levantan |
Dónde se coloca el pronombre reflexivo
- Before a conjugated verb — «Me levanto a las siete.» (I get up at seven.)
- Attached to an infinitive — «Voy a levantarme.» (I'm going to get up.)
- Attached to a gerund — «Estoy levantándome.» (I'm getting up.) — note the added tilde.
- Attached to an affirmative command — «¡Levántate!» (Get up!) — written «levántate».
The pronoun must match the subject: The reflexive pronoun changes with the subject just like the verb ending does: «yo me levanto», «tú te levantas», «él se levanta». Never mix them — «yo se levanto» is wrong. The pronoun and the verb always point at the same person.
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What they're for: Reflexive verbs cover three big jobs you meet all the time: the daily routine, talking about feelings, and the reciprocal «se» for each other. Here is each one with a Spanish example.
Usos de los verbos reflexivos
- Daily routine — «Me despierto y me ducho antes de desayunar.» (I wake up and shower before breakfast.)
- Getting dressed & ready — «Me visto y me peino rápidamente.» (I get dressed and comb my hair quickly.)
- Going to bed — «Los niños se acuestan a las nueve.» (The children go to bed at nine.)
- Feelings & states — «Hoy me siento muy cansado.» (Today I feel very tired.)
- Reciprocal «se» (each other) — «Ana y Luis se quieren mucho.» (Ana and Luis love each other a lot.)
Same verb, with or without -se: Many verbs exist both ways. Without the pronoun the action falls on someone else: «Despierto a mi hermano» (I wake my brother up). With the pronoun it falls on yourself: «Me despierto» (I wake up). The pronoun is what makes it reflexive.
A daily routine, sentence by sentence: Here's a short routine built one sentence at a time. Every verb is reflexive, and you can see the pronoun change with the subject (me / se / nos). Read it for the meaning, then tap Ver traducción for the English or 🔊 to hear it.
Los verbos reflexivos en acción
Una rutina, frase a frase
- Por la mañana me despierto a las seis y media.
- Me levanto enseguida, me ducho y me visto para ir a clase.
- Mi hermano se levanta más tarde porque se acuesta de madrugada.
- Después de las clases nos relajamos y nos sentimos contentos.
- Por la noche me acuesto temprano y me duermo en cinco minutos.
Steal this for your routine: Notice the chain: a time marker («por la mañana», «por la noche») + a reflexive verb with its matching pronoun. Swap in your own times and habits and you have a ready-made daily-routine paragraph for the writing task.
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The slips to watch for: Three slips dominate: dropping the pronoun altogether, using a pronoun that doesn't match the subject, and putting the pronoun in the wrong place. Compare the right version with the typical mistake and the fix becomes obvious.
Correcto
- Me levanto a las siete.
- Mi hermana se ducha por la noche.
- Voy a acostarme temprano.
Error común
- Levanto a las siete.
- Mi hermana me ducha por la noche.
- Voy a me acostar temprano.
Pronoun present, matching, placed right: Run three quick checks: is the reflexive pronoun there at all? Does it match the subject (yo→me, él→se, nosotros→nos)? And is it before the conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive/command? «Voy a levantarme», never «voy a me levantar».