Spanish/Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs indicate that the action of the verb reflects back on the subject. In their infinitive forms, reflexive verbs end in -se.

Examples:

• lavarse- to wash oneself
• vestirse- to dress oneself

Conjugation requires removing the -se ending and conjugating normally. The reflexive pronouns are then placed before the conjugated form of the verb.

Lavarse

yo me lavo - I wash myself

tú te lavas - you wash yourself

él/ella/Ud. se lava - he/she/it washes himself/herself/itself

nosotros nos lavamos - we wash ourselves

vosotros os laváis - you (plural) wash yourselves

ellos/ellas/Uds. se lavan - they wash themselves

Vestirse

yo me visto - I dress myself

tú te vistes - you dress yourself

él/ella/Ud. se viste - he/she/it dresses himself/herself/itself

nosotros nos vestimos - we dress ourselves

vosotros os vestís - you (plural) dress yourselves

ellos/ellas/Uds. se visten - they dress themselves

Reflexive verbs often have to do with personal hygiene, grooming, and dressing:

• peinarse- to brush one's hair
• maquillarse- to make-up oneself
• cepillarse (los dientes)- to brush one's teeth
• bañarse- to bathe oneself

Remember that the reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, etc.) must be included with the verb, even if the subject pronoun (yo, tú, él, etc.) is not.

List of reflexive verbs:

• aburrirse - to get bored
• acercarse - to get close to
• acordarse de - to remember
• acostarse - to go to bed
• acostumbrarse a - to get accustomed to (to get use to)
• afeitarse - to shave
• aficionarse a - to become interested in
• alegrarse - to become (be) happy
• alejarse de - to get/move away from (a person, place or thing)
• animarse - to cheer up, to decide to/game to/become interested in doing
• arreglarse - to get ready, to come to agreement with s.o, to dress(not get dressed) - Ella se arregla bien.; to improve or work out right; to make due
• apartarse de - to move away from (irse), to stray, to move aside, to withdraw or cut oneself off from
• apoderarse de - to seize, to take possession of
• apoyarse en - to support
• apresurarse a - to hurry
• aprovecharse de - to profit from, to take advantage of
• asustarse - to get or become afraid
• atreverse a - to dare to
• bañarse - to take a bath
• burlarse de - to make fun of
• caerse - to fall (down)
• calmarse - to calm down
• cansarse de - to get tired of
• casarse con - to marry
• cepillarse - to brush (hair, teeth..)
• colocarse de - to get/take a job
• colocarse - to find a job, to place oneself (in a certain spot)
• comerse - to eat something all up
• compadecerse de - to sympathize with or take pity on
• complacerse en - to take pleasure in
• conformarse con - to be conform to or comply with, to agree with, to get used to the idea or resign oneself to
• contentarse con - to cheer up, to make do
• convertirse en - to become, to convert, to turn into
• darse cuenta de - to realize
• decidirse a - to make up one's mind, to decide to
• dedicarse a - to dedicate oneself to (profession, activity, etc.)
• despedirse de - to say goodbye
• despertarse - to wake up
• despojarse de - to give up or forsake
• desvestirse - to undress
• dirigirse a - to go/make one's way toward; to address someone (in speech or writing)
• disponerse a - to prepare or get ready
• divertirse de - to have fun
• dormirse - to go to sleep
• ducharse - to shower
• echarse a - to begin to (many other definitions)
• empeñarse en - to persist or insist on; to commit or bind oneself to
• enamorarse de - to fallin love with
• encargarse de - to take charge of or be responsible for; to look after or attend to; to take care of or see to
• encogerse de hombros - to shrug (shoulders)
• encontrarse con - to meet with
• enfermarse - to get sick
• enojarse - to get or become angry
• enterarse de - to find out, to realize
• entenderse con - to get along with; to agree or come to an agreement
• exponerse a - to expose oneself to or run the risk of
• exponerse de - to run the risk of
• fijarse en - to pay attention to
• fiarse de - to trust something or someone
• fiarse en - to trust in something or someone
• jugarse - to to risk (arriesgarse) (i.e jugarsela vida)
• lastimarse - to get hurt or hurt oneself
• lavarse - to wash (any body part)
• levantarse - to get up
• maquillarse - to put makeup on
• meterse con - to pick on, to pick a fight with
• meterse en - to get into
• motivarse a- to become or get motivated to
• moverse - to move oneself, to do or be in charge of
• negarse a - to refuse to
• obsesionarse con - to be/get obsessed with
• ocuparse de - to look after
• olvidarse de - to forget
• parecerse a - to look like
• peinarse - to brush or comb hair
• ponerse - to put on (clothing), to get dressed
• ponerse de acuerdo - to come to an agreement with someone
• ponerse en camino - to get on (your)way
• preocuparse de - to worry about
• prepararse a - to prepare to
• probarse - to try on
• quebrarse - to break (an arm, leg...)
• quejarse de - to complain about
• quedarse - to remain/ to stay
• quemarse - to burn (oneself, one's body)
• quitarse - to take off (clothing)
• reirse de - to laugh about
• resignarse a - to resign oneself to
• resolverse a - to resolve oneself to
• romperse - to break (an arm, leg...)
• secarse - to dry (a body part)
• sentarse - to sit down
• sentirse - to feel
• servirse - to help oneself to
• suicidarse - to commit suicide, to kill oneself.
• tratarse de - to have dealings with or associate oneself with someone
• vestirse - to get dressed